Natural Products and Essential Oils Biocidal Activities and Innovative Applications
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 20365
Special Issue Editors
Interests: horticulture; vegetable science; aromatic/medicinal plants; greenhouse crops and hydroponics; substrate/growing media evaluation; soil; fresh produce preservation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: antioxidants; bioactive compounds; essential oils; plant extracts; food chemistry; food analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) contain a plethora of diverse biochemical compounds and are widely distributed worldwide. Since time immemorial, humans from all cultures worldwide have selected plants as food. Furthermore, the widespread traditional uses of natural herbs and medicinal plants in curing and preventing diseases (nature’s pharmacy) are very well described in ancient texts. Medicinal, aromatic, and edible plant extracts and their essential oils (EOs) are well known due to their antibiotic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, among others, and several herb-derived products or dietary supplements are available on the market today, being advertised for their health claims. MAP compounds are molecules that are necessary for plant survival and adaptation to new environmental conditions, but they can also have different fates: helping in the fight against human diseases, preserving fresh produce during storage, functioning as additives in food products in order to enhance their nutritional and organoleptic properties as well as their shelf life and stability, and playing biostimulant and eustress roles in plant metabolism. Moreover, the extraction methods and methods of application might affect the efficacy of natural-based extracts and essential oils.
This Special Issue covers multidisciplinary topics, including the characterization of bioactive compounds in MAPs, and potential applications in different food products, as functional ingredients and as alternative natural preservatives to extend the shelf-life of foods. Moreover, this Special Issue aims to investigate the effects that pre- and post-harvest factors may have on the biocidal properties and chemical structures of extracts and essential oils. Methods for their extraction, purification, comprehensive profiling characterization, quantification, determination of health-promoting aspects, and food applications are within the scope of this issue. Reviews and research papers are equally welcome.
Dr. Nikos Tzortzakis
Dr. Charalampos Proestos
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- plant-based products
- essential oils
- antioxidant/antimicrobial/cytogenic activity
- functional food
- biological and biochemical activity
- biotic and abiotic challenges
- preservation of fresh produce
- biostimulants and eustress
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