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The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Vol. 37 No. 4 Oct-Dec 2012 Preparation and Assessment of Chitosan Encapsulated Menthol Microcapsules for Leave-on Conditioners Jaruwan Krongsin Multidisciplinary Program of Petrochemistry and Polymer Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University Roongkan Nuisin Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University Supaporn Noppakundilograt Department of Imaging and Printing Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University Suda Kiatkamjornwong Associate Fellow of the Academy of Arts, The Royal Institute, Thailand INTRODUCTION Encapsulation and controlled release of volatile organic compounds from polysaccharide gels have been applied in cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and food technologies for quite a long time. 1-2 Menthol is a naturally occurring compound obtained from a plant origin of peppermint. It is widely used as a flavoring agent for toothpaste, hygiene products, chewing gum and so on. 3 Menthol is generally available in the form of crystals or granules with a melting point at 41-43 º C . However, its high volatility and whisker growth are the very important problems concerning its applications and shelf life. The microencapsulation method is an accountable and appropriate technique to solve the mentioned problems. 4 Chitosan is a -(1→4)-linked linear polysaccharide composed of 2-amino-2-deoxy-D- glucopyranose, and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranose. Chitosan is a cationic biopolymer derivatized by alkaline N-deacetylation of chitin. Chitosan has been used in many applications because of its biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity and antibacterial activity. 5 Chitosan