Microorganisms develop resistance due to excessive and improper usage of
synthetic chemicals as antimicrobials which have high toxic effects in food
industry. Therefore, biological preservatives having antifungal properties
began to take place of toxic chemicals. Essential oils (EOs) derived from
plants which prevents the deterioration of biofilm formed by yeast and prolongs
shelf life as protective agents have recently become important in food
industry. However, there is a significant restriction on the usage of essential
oils due to variations in their content depending on the extraction methods and
storage time. Thus, direct usage of active substances involved in the plant
extracts may be preferred for industrial production. On the other hand,
knowledge about antifungal mechanisms of substance is an important factor to
determine the areas where the components can be used effectively. Cell membrane
has a vital role because of providing cellular integrity and homeostasis and
carrying out molecular transport. Antifungal agents have activity at very low
concentrations via disrupting cell membrane integrity. They can be used for
preservation of foods, as well as for additives which are not toxic, and
decreasing contamination and biofilm formation via coatings in food industry. Since, EOs can be used as food preservatives and
pharmaceutical agents, it is very important to understand their mode of action
and their main target sites in the cell. Thus this research not only opens new
perspectives to understand antifungal activity mechanisms of EOs, but also help
widen their use.
Primary Language | English |
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Journal Section | Articles |
Authors | |
Publication Date | June 21, 2019 |
Published in Issue | Year 2019Issue: 5 |