Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf) essential oil encapsulation by freeze-drying [Encapsulación del aceite esencial de zacate limón (Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf) por liofilización]

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different encapsulating agents (gum arabic (GA), maltodextrin (MD) and/or xanthan gum (XG) and two different freezing methods (slow and fast)) on the encapsulating effciency of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil and on its release during storage. Retention of α-and β-citral,β-myrcene and linalool were determined by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectra (GC MS). Release of the encapsulated compounds was determined at 76%25 relative humidity and 30°C. The highest retention obtained was 78±9%25 for β-citral, 100±16%25 for α-citral, 81.6±5.8%25 for β-myrcene and 39.7±2.3%25 for linalool with the slow tested freezing protocol and a mixture of 50%25 GA, 40%25 MD, and 10%25 XG (volume). Kinetic release during storage was exponential and adequately fitted with Avrami´s model. Lemongrass essential oil can be encapsulated by freeze-drying using a mixture of gum arabic, maltodextrin and xanthan gum with a high retention of volatile compounds by using a slow freezing protocol. © 2018, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa. All rights reserved.

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