Abstract: After the single factor experiment, response surface methodology was employed to optimize conditions for affecting the microencapsulation by using citrus peels essential oils as core materials and β-cyclodextrin as wall materials. The effect of wall-to-core material ratio, inclusion temperature, essential ethanol-to-essential oil ratio, inclusion time and β-cyclodextrin-to-water addition ratio on microencapsulation were investigated. The optimal reaction conditions were found to be:inclusion at 52℃ for 2h with wall-to-core material ratio of 5.8∶1 (g/mL) , ethanol-to-essential oil ratio of 19∶1 and water addition-to-β-cyclodextrin ratio of 8∶1 (mL/g) , resulting in a microcapsules retention rate of 65.97% and the embedding rate of 90.26%.