Summary
Essential oils (EOs) are volatile and concentrated liquids extracted from different parts of plants. Bioactive compounds found in EOs, especially terpenes and terpenoids possess a wide range of biological activities including anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiallergic. Available literature confirms that EOs exhibit antimicrobial and food preservative properties that are considered as a real potential application in food industry. Hence, the purpose of this review is to present an overview of current knowledge of EOs for application in pharmaceutical and medical industries as well as their potential as food preservatives in food industry.
Regional applicability
The review is non-regional in scope, drawing on international literature on essential oil bioactivity. Findings are potentially applicable to United Kingdom food industry regulation and consumer demand for natural preservatives, though UK adoption would require compliance with food additives legislation (notably EC Regulation 1333/2008 as retained in UK law) and evidence of safety and efficacy.
Key measures
Bioactive compound characterisation; antimicrobial and food preservative properties; pharmaceutical and medical applications
Outcomes reported
The review examined the bioactive properties of terpenes and terpenoids in essential oils, including anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiallergic activities. It evaluated the potential application of essential oils as natural food preservatives in the food industry.
Topic tags
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