Abstract:

Plant essential oils (EOs) have strong inhibitory effects on postharvest pathogens of fruits and vegetables. The
underlying mechanism of action has become a hot topic among researchers. This paper offers a comprehensive review of
the literature on the inhibitory activity and mechanism of action of EOs against microorganisms in fruits and vegetables.
EOs are highly effective against common microorganisms in fruits and vegetables, mainly by damaging the cell membrane
and wall as well as DNA to alter gene expression, cellular respiration and energy metabolism and eventually kill the cells.
Furthermore, some problems existing in recent research in this regard are discussed. We expect that this review will provide
references for the research and application of EOs.

Key words: essential oils, antibacterial activity, mechanism