Original title: Terpenes and terpenoids as main bioactive compounds of essential oils, their roles in human health and potential application as natural food preservatives
Essential oilsConcentrated, easily evaporating liquids extracted from different parts of plants. are strong-smelling liquids taken from parts of plants. They contain compounds called terpenes and terpenoidsGroups of plant compounds that can have biological effects., which have been linked to several biological effects. The review surveys research on these effects and on whether essential oils can slow microbes in food. It presents them as possible natural food preservatives, not as proven replacements for current methods.
Imagine packing lunch for a long day away from home. Some foods spoil if microbes grow on them, so you need a way to slow that growth. In this paper, the lunch is food, the spoilage is microbial growth, and plant oils are explored as a possible way to help preserve it.
Food producers are looking for ways to preserve food, and essential oils may offer one option because they show antimicrobial activity. The review also describes possible health-related effects of their compounds, though it does not establish that these effects occur in people.
The abstract describes a review of current knowledge but gives no details about how studies were selected or how strong the evidence is. It does not establish effectiveness or safety in people, performance in specific foods, or whether essential oils can replace existing preservatives.
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Terpenes and terpenoids as main bioactive compounds of essential oils, their roles in human health and potential application as natural food preservatives — Ayu Masyita, Reka Mustika Sari, Ayun Dwi Astuti et al. — Food Chemistry X — doi:10.1016/j.fochx.2022.100217
Abstract licence: CC BY
Explanation generated by Synthesis from the abstract — it is not the original paper.