Encapsulation of essential oils with soy β-conglycinin for strawberry preservation: Influence of oil types

This study investigated the encapsulation of three types essential oils (EOs, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol and thymol) with soy β-conglycinin (7S) for strawberry preservation. The FTIR, intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular docking revealed that the antimicrobial compounds could bind to 7S through hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bond, leading to the transformation of protein structure and changes in its particle size and hydrophobicity. The mean particle size of EO emulsion was smaller than that of control, especially the CEON group (290 nm), showed high stability against ions and pH. Cinnamaldehyde exhibited slower release compared to the others, might be due to stronger binding with 7S, leading to the formation of larger complexes. Among the three emulsions, CEON demonstrated superior antioxidant and antibacterial activity. In preservation tests, CEON reduced strawberry weight loss by 35 %, with minimal changes in soluble and solid content. Additionally, malondialdehyde production was 70 % of the control, effectively mitigating strawberry spoilage.