In　this　work,　the　cinnamaldehyde　(CA)　loaded　nanoparticles　were　synthesized　by　directly　cross-linking　chitosan　hydrochloride　(CSH)　and　sulfobutyl　ether-β-cyclodextrin　(SBE-β-CD).　The　CA/SBE-β-CD　inclusion　complex　was　firstly　prepared,　and　its　highest　encapsulation　efficiency　(EE)　was　86.34%.　Field　Emission　Scanning　Electron　Microscope　results　indicated　that　the　inclusion　complex　showed　massive　aggregates　with　a　coarse　and　fluffy　texture　and　irregular　surface.　Then,　the　inclusion　complex　interacted　with　CSH　to　form　nanoparticles.　The　EE　of　CA　in　nanoparticles　was　improved.　Atomic　force　microscopy　showed　the　nanoparticles　had　regular　and　spherical　morphology.　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　analysis　demonstrated　that　CA　was　mainly　encapsulated　in　the　inner　place　of　CSH/SBE-β-CD　nanoparticles　(CSNs).　The　enhanced　thermal　stability　of　the　nanoparticles　was　found　in　differential　scanning　calorimeter.　X-ray　diffraction　implied　that　CA-CSNs　existed　in　the　amorphous　state.　CA-CSNs　had　excellent　slow　release　property.　Further,　the　bacteriostatic　effect　of　CA-CSNs　was　much　better　than　that　of　CA　and　CSNs.　All　the　results　indicated　that　CSNs　can　be　used　as　a　promising　carrier　to　encapsulate　CA.　Practical　applications:　CA　is　an　effective　antimicrobial　and　generally　recognized　as　Safe-GRAS.　CA　also　exhibits　many　other　bioactivities　and　has　been　commonly　used　for　digestive,　cardiovascular　and　immune　system　diseases.　However,　CA　is　easy　to　be　oxidized　and　volatilized　during　storage　for　poor　water　solubility.　The　nanoencapsulations　display　the　capacities　of　enhancing　solubility　of　bioactive　compounds,　protecting　them　from　degradation,　and　prolonging　their　residence.　In　this　manuscript,　CA　loaded　nanoparticles　were　investigated.　The　results　suggested　that　the　nanoencapsulation　could　benefit　for　improving　water　solubility　and　stability　of　CA.　This　strategy　could　be　helpful　for　its　application　and　development　in　food　preservation.　©　2020　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.