Essential Oil: Source of Antioxidants and Role in Food Preservation

Abstract

Essential oils, also called volatile odoriferous oil, are aromatic and volatile liquids extracted from different parts of plants by steam distillation, dry distillation, hydro-diffusion, or other suitable mechanical methods without heating. Essential oils and their constituents have wide range of applications in the field of pharmaceutical, sanitary, cosmetic, agricultural, and food industries as they are safe, eco-friendly, easily degradable, cost-effective and renewable source. Due to negative side effects of synthetic preservatives, the uses of essential oils have received increasing interest as the natural additives for the shelf-life extension and preservation of food products. Food preservatives are mainly classified into two main groups: antioxidants and antimicrobials. Antioxidants are compounds that delay or prevent the deterioration of foods by oxidative mechanisms. Antimicrobial agents inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms in food. This chapter is mainly focussing on the various food preservative properties of essential oils with special reference to their antioxidant activities.