Introduction
Cheese occupies an important place among dairy products and has been present in the diet of people since ancient times. The production of cheese allows one to concentrate the most valuable ingredients of milk—proteins and fats. From the concentrate, durable products with proven taste qualities and a healthy effect are obtained. Cheeses are products that are easily susceptible to contamination with microorganisms, leading to their spoilage. This fact is the reason for the withdrawal of large amounts of finished products from the market and, above all, a high risk to the health of consumers. Although cheeses have a relatively long shelf life, effective preservation techniques must be used before the products are commercialized. The costs of preservative procedures to prevent or control the surface growth of molds and yeasts in cheese are high. These procedures aim to decrease and inhibit spoilage microorganisms without interfering with the lactic bacteria responsible for the final characteristics of the cheese.
Aim
Тhis article aimed to summarize the antimicrobial potential effects of essential oils, obtained from different plant sources, that are used in various types of cheese as natural preservatives.
Materials and Methods
Data on essential oils used as natural preservatives have been gathered from various scientific publications found through academic search engines, such as Google Scholar, ResearchGate, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and others. Additionally, supplementary sources have been used, including online resources and books from scientific libraries.
Results
Essential oils obtained from medicinal plants, herbs, and spices are natural biologically active mixtures. Many of them have a special place in cooking, medicine, pharmacy, cosmetics, and perfumery. The food industry’s growth drives the demand for products with high organoleptic qualities. Essential oils, rich in active ingredients like terpenoids, terpenes, coumarins, and flavonoids, show antimicrobial and preservative properties valuable to the industry.
Conclusion
Essential oils are natural products that have the potential to be a green alternative to synthetic preservatives. Their effects are observed at low concentrations; they are not toxic to humans, and are considered safe in canning.
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