An Update on Effectiveness and Practicability of Plant Essential Oils in the Food Industry

Abstract

Consumer awareness and demands for quality eco-friendly food products have made scientists determined to concentrate their attention on sustainable advancements in the utilization of bioactive compounds for increasing safety and food quality. Essential oils (EOs) are extracted from plants and exhibit antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal) activity; thus, they are used in food products to prolong the shelf-life of foods by limiting the growth or survival of microorganisms. In vitro studies have shown that EOs are effective against foodborne bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus. The growing interest in essential oils and their constituents as alternatives to synthetic preservatives has been extensively exploited in recent years, along with techniques to facilitate the implementation of their application in the food industry. This paper’s aim is to evaluate the current knowledge on the applicability of EOs in food preservation, and how this method generally affects technological properties and consumers’ perceptions. Moreover, essential aspects concerning the limitation of the available alternatives are highlighted, followed by a presentation of the most promising trends to streamline the EOs’ usability. Incorporating EOs in packaging materials is the next step for green and sustainable foodstuff production and a biodegradable method for food preservation.

Antibacterial Potency of Fractions from <em>Psidium guajava</em> Leaves and Bark Crude Extracts against Bacterial Isolates Responsible for Foodborne Infection

“…have received great attention for safety, antimicrobial efficiency and biodegradability [2,10,11]. In addition to it inexpensive cost and accessibility, it therefore remains plausible to consider ethnomedicinal plants as potential source of antimicrobial for food preservation and treatment of food borne disease.…”

Essential Oils as Potential Tools to Control Listeria Monocytogenes in Foods

“…There is a trend in finding natural solutions for food protection regarding healthier, organic and cleanly labeled foods [47]. In this aspect, the challenges are maintaining consumer's acceptance, low cost and good functionality [48], which may be achieved through the use of plants' products such as the EOs.…”

“…It is suggested that the use of EOs on packages can promote antimicrobial activity against L. monocytogenes [58]. The association between sustainable food packing using renewable sources and nanoparticles with antimicrobial properties play a key role in sustainability and performance of food packing [47,59]. The use of ZnO nanoparticles associated with EO of oregano on cellulose nanofibrils films have promoted antimicrobial activity (89.6%) against L. monocytogenes, also enhancing barriers properties against oxygen and water [58].…”

Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Potential of Thymus vulgaris and Cymbopogon flexuosus Essential Oils against Pure and Mixed Cultures of Foodborne Bacteria

“…EO composition varies from plant to plant, due to differences in the plant parts used for the extraction of the bioactive compound, the extraction method, or the growth environment. EOs with associated antimicrobial properties include lavender, thyme, cinnamon, vanilla, oregano, basil, and rosemary [ 14 , 15 ]. Moreover, considering the particularities of the food industry, it is fundamental to highlight that several EOs harbor Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA), including basil, cinnamon, clove, coriander, ginger, lavender, menthol, nutmeg, lemongrass, oregano, rose, sage, and thyme [ 14 , 16 ].…”

“…EOs with associated antimicrobial properties include lavender, thyme, cinnamon, vanilla, oregano, basil, and rosemary [ 14 , 15 ]. Moreover, considering the particularities of the food industry, it is fundamental to highlight that several EOs harbor Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA), including basil, cinnamon, clove, coriander, ginger, lavender, menthol, nutmeg, lemongrass, oregano, rose, sage, and thyme [ 14 , 16 ]. In recent years, Thymus vulgaris became one of the most studied species, as it contains bioactive components that have shown antagonistic effects against foodborne bacteria, such as Listeria monocytogenes [ 17 ].…”