Fundamentals of Food Production and Food Industries – Guires Food Research Lab

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How are plant essential oils valuable as
functional ingredients?
An Academic presentation by Dr. Nancy Agnes,
Head, Technical Operations, FoodResearchLab Group
www.foodresearchlab.com Email
info_at_foodresearchlab.com
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WHAT IS NATURAL ESSENTIAL OIL?
Essential oils, also called natural essential
oils, are derived from the steam distillation of
plant components, like seeds, flowers, leaves,
stems, aromatic woods and roots and retain the
flavour and smell of their source 1.
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INTRODUCTION

• Essential oils are colourless liquids consisting
  of organic, aromatic, volatile and lipid-soluble
  molecules.
• They are widely used as a perfume due to their
  distinctive scent.
• In the food and beverage industries, they are
  used as flavouring agents-for example, vanilla
  essential oil and cardamom essential oil.

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• The Food and Drug Administration has categorised
  about 300 essential oils as Generally Recognised
  as Safe (GRAS).
• Recently, they have gained attention for their
  use as natural food preservatives due to their
  antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
• There is also an increasing interest in
  incorporating essential oils as a valuable
  ingredient in dietary supplements and
  nutraceuticals 1.

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ESSENTIAL OILS AS FOOD PRESERVATIVES

• Essential oils are rich in bioactive compounds,
  and there are multiple mechanisms involved in
  their antimicrobial activity, for they are
  significantly different in their chemical
  structure.
• However, the hydrophobic nature of the bioactive
  compounds destroys the bacteria, thereby
  preventing food degradation, leading to increased
  shelf life and functioning as a food
  preservative.

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Research has shown that lemon essential oil,
oregano essential oil, rosemary essential oil and
vanilla essential oils can be used to preserve
seafood, meat, fruits, vegetables and cereal
products.
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ESSENTIAL OILS AS FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS

• Probiotics have been gaining attention in recent
  years for restoring the microbial balance in the
  digestive system and promoting digestive health.
• Since essential oils have antimicrobial
  properties, they can be used with probiotics to
  treat pathogenic infections in the digestive
  system.
• Flavoured curd, flavoured yoghurt and fermented
  drinks from milk are some examples of
  essential-oil-enriched probiotics.

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• In addition, the anti-inflammatory properties of
  the probiotics were also significantly increased.
  
• Examples of essential oils included in probiotics
  are- eucalyptus, myrrh, Mexican mint and holy
  basil.
• In addition, the shelf-life of these products was
  also significantly increased.
• Essential oils have also been studied for
  managing inflammatory bowel disease.
• Essential oils from coriander showed a reduction
  in the symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) in
  rats and can potentially be used to manage the
  symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis in humans.

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• Other essential oils researched for managing the
  symptoms of Irritable Bowel Disease Include
  lavender, lemon and myrtle.
• Other disorders where essential oils could be
  used to manage their symptoms include metabolic
  disorders like diabetes, hypertension and obesity
  and protect liver health and promote digestive
  health, owing to their anti-inflammatory
  properties.

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CONCLUSION

• Essential oils have been gaining attention as
  preservatives used in food, and there have been
  studies on the beneficial effects of essential
  oils when used as a functional ingredient in
  nutraceuticals and supplements.
• Techniques like microencapsulation could be
  implemented to reduce their intense flavour and
  aroma, and thus they can be incorporated as a
  nutraceutical into functional foods and
  beverages.

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HOW THE FOOD RESEARCH LAB CAN HELP

• The Food Research Lab offers ingredient
  development solutions for clients worldwide.
• We thoroughly assess the suppliers and food raw
  materials for their safety and quality.
• Apart from developing products, we ensure the
  beverage, nutraceutical and food product label
  adheres to the regulations, making them
  successful.

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