Abstract:Pathogenic bacteria can contaminate food during transportation and storage, lowering food quality and endangering human health. Therefore, the development of safe and effective natural preservatives is one of the important research directions for food preservation at present. Plant essential oils are promising for food preservation due to their inherent antibacterial and antioxidant properties, and microencapsulation technology can enhance the aroma of essential oils, maintain their chemical stability, lessen oxidative volatilization, and have a slow-release effect, which can improve the efficiency of food preservation. This paper reviews the preparation materials, preparation methods, preservation mechanism, and release mechanism of plant essential oil microcapsules and their application in the preservation of fruits, vegetables, meat products, and other food products, to provide a reference for further research and application of plant essential oil microcapsules in food preservation.