Use of essential oils against foodborne spoilage yeasts: advantages and drawbacks

The occurrence of spoilage yeasts in foodstuffs can exert detrimental effects on their quality. Recent scientific studies have demonstrated the effective application of essential oils (EOs) as natural preservatives for controlling spoilage yeasts in foods as: fruit and fruit juices, raw vegetables, cereal- based products, meat-based products, and dairy products. Notwithstanding, the main limitation in using EOs, especially when applied at high concentration, is related to their strong impact on the sensory traits of the treated foods. Hence, to preserve food quality and to assure antifungal activity, the optimal formulation, concentration, and combination of each EO should be defined for each specific food matrix. Research in this direction should equally and carefully select the most suitable EO, depending on the sensory quality parameters of the target food.