Abstract

Microencapsulation is an effective and important tool to prepare oil-based high-quality and health-beneficial products in various industries in order to enhance their chemical, oxidative, and thermal stability. Peppermint or Mentha piperta is a common herb that is grown in Europe and north America and even in India. Peppermint also known as a hybrid mint, a cross between watermint and spearmint. The concentrated oil of peppermint has a high menthol content.  In order to protect and maintain its stability by microencapsulation process, present research was conducted on development of peppermint  oil microcapsules by process optimization using coacervation technique. Findings of the study revealed that best results of microcapsules formation using peppermint oil were obtained when the ratio of oil:gum:gelatin was kept 2:4:4, at optimized 50ºC temperature having initial pH 4.0 and final pH 9.0.

Key words: Development, microcapsules, peppermint, essential, oil