Application of Essential Oils and Their Biological Effects on Extending the Shelf-life and Quality of Horticultural Crops

Essential oils are volatile, natural, complex compounds characterized by a strong odour and are formed by aromatic plants as secondary metabolites. EOs or ethereal oils are also aromatic oily liquids obtained by steam or hydro-distillation from plant materials such as flowers, buds, seeds, leaves, twigs, bark, herbs, wood, fruits and roots. An estimated 3000 EOs are known, of which about 300 are commercially important. Food products such as fruits and vegetables are now often sold in areas of the world far from their production sites, thus the need for extended safe shelf-life for these products has also expanded. The widespread use of pesticides has significant drawbacks including increased cost, handling hazards, concern about pesticide residues on food, and threat to human health and environment. Thus, the potential value of these agents as secondary preservatives is considered for the safe extension of perishable products shelf-life and these substances can be used to delay or inhibit the growth of microorganisms. This paper will be review the recent research on the application and mode of action of EOs in postharvest perishable products such as fruits and vegetables.