Microencapsulated lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) essential oil: A new source of natural additive applied to Coalho cheese

This study presents the evaluation of the application of microencapsulated lemongrass essential oil (MEO) to Coalho cheese. The microcapsules were made with Arabic gum (AG) and maltodextrin (MD) and then added to the Coalho cheese. Microbial growth was analyzed over a period of 21 days. Microencapsulation was performed by spray-drying using an inlet temperature of 170 degrees C and a feed flow rate of 0.9 L/h. The ratio of essential oil to wall material was 1:5 (m/m). Data analysis was performed using Tukey's test. The MEO showed higher thermal stability than the pure oil, whilst the AG showed better oil retention than the AG/MD mix. The major components in the essential oil were alpha-citral and beta-citral. The non-microencapsulated samples and the MEO were able to inhibit the growth of coliforms at 45 degrees C. The results show that microencapsulated lemongrass essential oil is an alternative natural preservative in Coalho cheese. Practical applications This study showed that pure Arabic gum and a mixture of Arabic gum and maltodextrin are promising excipients for the microencapsulation of lemongrass essential oil. These encapsulant materials presented higher thermal stability than pure oil, which favors their application under high-temperature processes. In addition, microencapsulated lemongrass essential oil was able to inhibit coliform growth at 45 degrees C in Coalho cheese. Thus, microencapsulated lemongrass essential oil can be used as an alternative natural additive applied to Coalho cheese. In addition to Coalho cheese, this material can also be used in the production of other dairy products, meat products and biodegradable packaging.