Microencapsulation of eugenol-rich clove extract obtained from clove buds by supercritical carbon-dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction was carried out in maltodextrin and gum arabic matrices using spray dryer. Microencapsulated powder with maximum encapsulation efficiency of 65% was obtained with 1:4.8:2.4 of clove extract: maltodextrin: gum arabic. The morphology of the encapsulated powder was determined from SEM photographs; while its phytochemical properties such as total phenolic content, total eugenol content and antioxidant activity were determined by biochemical assays. Food application in soybean oil was designed using the encapsulated clove powder as a source of natural antioxidant. Comparative evaluation of the antioxidant efficacy of encapsulated clove extract, un-encapsulated clove extract and commercial antioxidant BHT, individually administered in soybean oil, established encapsulated clove extract as a promising natural antioxidant in the same. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.