Essential oils (EOs) obtained from the Citrus genus were reported to exhibit good antimicrobial activity. Therefore, they can potentially be applied in daily necessities such as textile sectors as antibacterial functional fabric products. However, a packaging technique to retain such volatile and labile active substances is compulsory. In particular, microencapsulation was found to be a common coating technique employed to protect EOs from the effects of light, heat, humidity, stability, and controlled release of active substances. Various microencapsulation techniques have been introduced, but the most widely used method is complex coacervation, as it is simple, inexpensive, and capable of snaring high essential oils. Hence, this review focused on the microencapsulation of the most consumable citrus EOs with complex coacervation methods and their immobilization on commonly carried-out fabrics. In addition, it also discusses the isolation methods of the EOs, their chemical composition, and the mechanism of antibacterial action.
Keywords: Citrus genus; antibacterial; essential oils; immobilization; microcapsules.