Preparation and characterization of Pummelo essential oil microcapsules and their application to preservation of <i>Agricus bisporus</i> (white mushrooms)

Abstract

Pummelo essential oil is a natural plant oil with antioxidant and antibacterial properties; however, it is poorly stabilized and volatile, which limits its application in food preservation research. In the present work, pummelo essential oil microcapsules were prepared using the complex coalescence method, with pummelo essential oil as the core material and glutenin as the wall material. Pummelo essential oil was successfully encapsulated by glutenin, forming a stable microcapsule structure with enhanced thermal stability. Microcapsules (GH-4) with the addition of 4 mL of pummelo essential oil exhibited the best embedding effect, achieving an encapsulation efficiency of 91%. Compared with GH-0, white mushrooms preserved with GH-4 effectively maintained the hardness of the fruiting body (about 7.5 N), delayed browning (the L* value was about 80), inhibited respiration (about 18×103 mL kg-1 h-1), and slowed the quality deterioration of the white mushrooms. In conclusion, GH-4 microcapsules can be used not only for the preservation of fruits and vegetables but also provide a theoretical basis for sustainable food preservation.