Advances in the preparation and application of cyclodextrin derivatives in food and the related fields

Cyclodextrin (CD) derivatives have recently gained worldwide attention, which have versatile advantages and restrained the defects of parent CDs. The superior properties of CD derivatives in encapsulation, stabilization, and solubilization facilitate their application in food, biomedicine, daily chemicals, and textiles. In this review, the preparation, classification, and main benefits of CD derivatives are systematically introduced. By introducing targeted groups into the parent CD molecule, they exhibit significant improvement in their required characteristic. Besides, the important point closely related to application, the safety assessment, has also been highlighted. Most tested CD derivatives have been verified to be relatively safe in a limited dosage. Then, the applications of CD derivatives have been described in detail from the food to its related field. In food field, CD derivatives play an important role in the stability and bioavailability of bioactive compounds, control flavor release, and improve the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of packaging materials. These advantages can also be expanded to the related field, offering innovative solutions that enhance product quality, human health, and environmental sustainability. This review highlights the broad applications and potential of CD derivatives, underscoring their role in driving advancements across multiple industries.