Chemical Characterization, Bioactivity and Application of Essential Oils in the Food Field
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Packaging and Preservation".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 30
Special Issue Editors
Interests: food technology; novel foods; sensory analysis; bread; sourdough; shelf life; wine; olive oil; food waste; food quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: essential oils; antimicrobial activity; medicinal plants; mass spectrometry; bacteriology; food microbiology; food safety
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Essential oils (EOs) represent a versatile class of natural compounds rich in bioactive molecules with well-documented antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antifungal properties, and the expanding range of EO applications in foods is driven by demand for clean-label solutions and sustainable preservation strategies capable of replacing or reducing synthetic additives. This Special Issue focuses on the chemical characterization of essential oils, their technological performance, and their practical integration into food systems.
Particular emphasis is placed on the incorporation of EOs into edible coatings, active packaging, and food formulations aimed at prolonging shelf life, inhibiting spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, and improving oxidative stability. Advances in encapsulation, nanoemulsions, and controlled-release delivery systems are highlighted as key approaches to overcoming the sensory and stability limitations typically associated with direct EO application.
This Special Issue welcomes contributions exploring innovative technologies, consumer acceptance, and the functional impact of EO-enriched systems on food safety and quality. Interdisciplinary studies addressing the interaction between EO chemistry, food matrices, and processing conditions are particularly encouraged.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following areas of interest:
- Chemical profiling and analytical characterization of essential oils;
- Antimicrobial and antioxidant mechanisms of EOs in food systems;
- EO-based edible coatings for fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy products;
- EOs in active and intelligent food packaging;
- Encapsulation and nano-delivery systems for stability and controlled release;
- EOs as natural alternatives to synthetic preservatives;
- Impact of EO incorporation on sensory quality and consumer acceptance;
- EO interactions with food components and processing conditions;
- Shelf-life extension through EO-enriched packaging materials.
Dr. Alessandro Bianchi
Prof. Dr. Miroslava Kačániová
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- plant essential oils
- active packaging
- edible coatings
- natural antimicrobial agents
- encapsulation technologies
- food safety
- shelf-life extension
- food preservation
- quality improvement
- sensory quality impact
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
