CRC Press Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents in Food Preservation

Product Description Perishable products such as fruits and vegetables account for the largest proportion of food loss due to their short shelf life, especially in the absence of proper storage facilities, which requires sustainable, universal and convenient preservation technology. The existing methods to prolong the shelf life of food mainly include adding preservatives, irradiation, cold storage, heat treatment and controlled atmosphere storage. But with disadvantages in irradiation, cold storage, heat treatment and controlled atmosphere storage, chemical synthetic preservatives are still the main means to control food corruption. As the food industry responds to the increasing consumer demand for green, safe and sustainable products, it is reformulating new products to replace chemical synthetic food additives. Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents in Food Preservation provides a comprehensive introduction to the antimicrobial activity of plant essential oils and their application strategies in food preservation. It is aimed at food microbiology experts, food preservation experts, food safety experts, food technicians and students. Features: Summarizes the application strategy and safety of essential oil in the field of food preservation Describes the synergistic antibacterial effect of essential oil and antimicrobial agents Explains the action mechanism of essential oil as antimicrobial agent against foodborne fungi, foodborne bacteria, viruses and insects Analyzes the antimicrobial activity of essential oil in gas phase The book discusses how as a natural antimicrobial and antioxidant, essential oil has great potential to be used in the food industry to combat the growth of foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. But because the essential oil itself has obvious smell and is sensitive to light and heat, it cannot be directly added to the food matrix and thus the application strategies presented in this book explain how to alleviate those issues. About the Author Jian Ju is a Ph.D of engineering. At present, he is a professor and academic leader of Food College of Qingdao Agricultural University. His main responsibility at Qingdao Agricultural University is to lead team members to explore biodegradable antibacterial packaging containing plant active components and apply them to extend the shelf life of food. Jian Ju received his doctorate from the School of Food, Jiangnan University under the guidance of Professor Weirong Yao. His main research direction is food preservation. Jian Ju has participated in the projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Outstanding Graduate training Fund of Jiangnan University. During this period, he won many honors such as national scholarship and excellent doctoral student. In 2020, he was invited by Swiss federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. As a visiting scholar, he was sent to the school of bioengineering of Swiss federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne for academic exchanges. Over the years, Dr. Ju Jian has devoted himself to the research of the inhibitory effects of plant extracts on food-borne bacteria and fungi, especially the antibacterial mechanism of plant essential oils against microorganisms. He has successfully combined essential oil preservation technology with food processing and food packaging technology to reduce the potential harm of microorganisms and food packaging pollution to human body. At Present, more than 40 related research papers have been published in this research field. Published 2 academic monographs. Furthermore, he has serviced for several enterprises by providing technical support.