Aplicación de aceites esenciales como aditivos naturales en los sistemas alimentarios

Abstract

Chemical additives are widely used within the food industry, however, in recent years they've lost acceptance by consumers, who continuously demand safer and better quality products. Essential oils have received great attention as natural additives and potential substitutes for derivatives of synthetic origin. Due to their chemical composition, essential oils have pleasant odors and, above all, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, etc., so their application in food is promising. In this sense, the present work consisted of a bibliographical research on the potential use of 46 types of essential oils as aromatizing, flavoring and preservative additives in food systems. Its application in meat products, dairy products, fish, beverages, fruits, vegetables, and others, has been widely discussed, emphasizing the study of the incorporation of these compounds in the preservation and extension of the shelf life of foods, as well as, in the development of new technologies such as the encapsulation or incorporation of essential oils in edible films and coatings in order to improve their activity and avoid undesirable effects on the organoleptic characteristics of food products.