Studies on the use of essential oils in processing food products

Tiberius Opruța, Ovidiu Tița

Volume 28, Issue 4;
Pages: 397-399; 2022
ISSN: 2069-0053 (print) (former ISSN: 1453-1399), Agroprint;
ISSN (online): 2068-9551

Essential oils are complex mixtures of natural compounds, carotenoids, especially monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, different chemical groups of terpenes, aromatic hydrocarbons and their oxidized derivatives such as aldehydes, ketones, alcohols and esters obtained from aromatic plants. They are used in industries such as: pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics-perfume, detergents, flavors, drinks, etc. Natural extracts are safe alternative sources for replacing synthetic products with antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal activity. Recent studies have proven that essential oils have antibacterial and antifungal properties in vitro. In vivo, essential oils have shown positive effects of reducing mycotic infections, in the case of different plant species. The characterization of oils through chemical analysis is a mandatory step both in the production flow and in the quality control laboratories. Among the most used methods for the analysis of essential oils is gas chromatography using a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). It appears that the use of these essential oils in food production presents a good opportunity for food value enhancement and food safety reasons.