Using gelatin and Arabic gum as wall materials, optical morphology and embedding rate as index, the microencapsulation conditions for fennel essential oil were optimized.The results showed that the optimal conditions were pH value 3.4, the ratio of gelatin to Arabic gum 1∶1, the colloid concentration 1%, the ratio of core to wall 1∶1, temperature 45℃ and shaking speed 500r/min. Under these conditions, the embedding rate of oil was up to 84.7% with smooth and uniform size microcapsules.