Moisture-triggered one-step encapsulation of cinnamaldehyde in β-cyclodextrin for humidity responsive release and...

This study developed a novel one-step strategy to encapsulate cinnamaldehyde (CIN) into β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) via moisture-triggered recrystallization. By precisely regulating the moisture content (17% MC) of spray-dried amorphous β-CD, controlled recrystallization was achieved, simultaneously facilitating CIN inclusion through a solvent-free solid-state process. The resulting inclusion complex (IC) exhibited a 1:1 stoichiometry, high crystallinity (75.85%), and enhanced thermal stability. Encapsulation efficiency reached 86.44% with a loading capacity of 9.02%, comparable to conventional co-precipitation. CIN release was humidity-responsive with sustained kinetics. The β-CD-IC demonstrated broad-spectrum, long-lasting (≥14 days) antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Botrytis cinerea, and Penicillium expansum. Practical preservation tests on blueberries and cherry tomatoes confirmed its efficacy in maintaining quality over 10 days. This work provides a scalable, solvent-free approach for stabilizing volatile antimicrobials with controlled release, offering significant potential for active food packaging.