Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents in Food Preservation

Fruits and vegetables are the most perishable foods, leading to significant food loss. To address this, various preservation methods such as adding preservatives, irradiation, cold storage, heat treatment, and controlled atmosphere storage are used. However, these methods have disadvantages. Chemical synthetic preservatives are still the primary means of controlling food corruption. The book "Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents in Food Preservation" discusses the antimicrobial activity of plant essential oils and their application strategies in food preservation. It highlights the synergistic antibacterial effect of essential oils and antimicrobial agents and explains their action mechanism against foodborne fungi, bacteria, viruses, and insects. The book also analyzes the antimicrobial activity of essential oils in the gas phase and addresses the challenges of direct addition to the food matrix due to their odor, sensitivity to light and heat.

Format: Hardback
Length: 298 pages
Publication date: 27 March 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Due to their limited shelf life, perishable items like fruits and vegetables are the most significant contributors to food waste. This is especially true in the absence of adequate storage facilities, which necessitates the development of sustainable, universal, and convenient preservation technologies.

Existing methods for extending the shelf life of food primarily involve the addition of preservatives, irradiation, cold storage, heat treatment, and controlled atmosphere storage. However, these methods come with their own set of disadvantages, such as irradiation, cold storage, heat treatment, and controlled atmosphere storage. As a result, chemical synthetic preservatives remain the primary means of controlling food corruption.

In response to the growing demand for green, safe, and sustainable products, the food industry is reformulating new products to replace chemical synthetic food additives. One such approach is the use of essential oils as antimicrobial agents in food preservation.

"Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents in Food Preservation" offers a comprehensive introduction to the antimicrobial activity of plant essential oils and their application strategies in food preservation. This book is aimed at food microbiology experts, food preservation experts, food safety experts, food technicians, and students.

The book provides a summary of the application strategy and safety of essential oil in the field of food preservation. It also describes the synergistic antibacterial effect of essential oil and antimicrobial agents. Furthermore, it explains the action mechanism of essential oil as an antimicrobial agent against foodborne fungi, bacteria, viruses, and insects. The book also analyzes the antimicrobial activity of essential oil in the gas phase.

The book discusses how, as a natural antimicrobial and antioxidant, essential oil has great potential to be used in the food industry to combat the growth of foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. However, due to its volatile nature, essential oil must be used carefully and in conjunction with other preservation techniques to ensure food safety and quality.

In conclusion, perishable products like fruits and vegetables account for a significant portion of food waste. The development of sustainable, universal, and convenient preservation technologies is essential to reducing food waste and ensuring food security. Essential oils as antimicrobial agents in food preservation offer a promising solution to this problem, but their use must be carefully managed to ensure food safety and quality.

Weight: 740g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032348742