Essential Oils in Food Preservation: Mode of Action, Synergies, and Interactions with Food Matrix Components

Essential oils are aromatic and volatile liquids extracted from plants. The chemicals in essential oils are secondary metabolites, which play an important role in plant defense as they often possess antimicrobial properties. The interest in essential oils and their application in food preservation has been amplified in recent years by an increasingly negative consumer perception of synthetic preservatives. Furthermore, food-borne diseases are a growing public health problem worldwide, calling for more effective preservation strategies. The antibacterial properties of essential oils and their constituents have been documented extensively. Pioneering work has also elucidated the mode of action of a few essential…

• FO
  Forsknings- og Innovationsstyrelsen
• DA
  Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education