Recent advances in the sustained-release technology for improving the antifungal potential of essential oil in food preservation

1. EOs are permitted to be added to food for prevent contamination by toxigenic fungi. 2. Active packaging technologies improve the shortcomings of EOs. 3. The enhanced sustained release and retention of EOs improve the antifungal effect. 4. The merits and faults of five technologies for encapsulating EOs are summarized. As a green and safe natural anti-mildew agent, plant essential oils (EOs) can effectively reduce the losses of agricultural products caused by toxigenic fungi contamination. However, EOs generally have the disadvantages of volatility, easy oxidation, and strong influence of pungent odors. The new sustained-release technology, such as encapsulation, nanoemulsion, Pickering emulsion, electrostatic spinning and gelation, helps to enhance the sustained release and retention of EOs in active packaging, to improve the biocompatibility and antifungal effect of EOs in food system. In this review, we summarized the encapsulation of EOs by 5 sustained-release technologies and their application in improving the antifungal potential and reducing mycotoxin contamination in food preservation.