Antifungal

Preservative

Biotechnology

Bacteria

Biology

Antimicrobial

Food science

Food spoilage

Food industry

Genetics

Food Preservatives

Microbiology

Food preservation

Food Chemistry

Spice essential oils (SEOs) are commonly used in food flavoring and are considered an effective food preservative. It has a broad range of applications and promising development prospects. As a natural food additive, SEOs' antimicrobial effects have been widely studied and utilized towards food preservation. Many SEOs have exhibited significant antimicrobial activities against food-borne pathogenic and food spoilage microorganisms. We reviewed the antibacterial and antifungal properties of SEOs, the active components, their corresponding mechanisms of actions, as well as their application in the food industry, providing a theoretical basis for SEOs' further development and application as natural preservatives.

Antimicrobial mechanisms of spice essential oils and application in food industry