Abstract:

The decay caused by microorganism invasion is the major loss of postharvest fruits and vegetables, which brings huge economic loss. Plant essential oils containing a variety of chemical components are the secondary metabolites extracted from plants. The antibacterial activity and the capability to maintain quality of fruits and vegetables have gained extensive interests. The application of natural plant essential oils in the preservation of fruits and vegetables has become the research focus in recent years. In this paper, antibacterial activity, the effects and possible mechanisms of plant essential oils involved in the preservation of fruits and vegetables are discussed, which is expected to provide a theoretical reference for the development of natural food preservatives for fruits and vegetables.

Key words: plant essential oil, fruits and vegetables, antibacterial activity in vitro, mechanism, preservation