Essential oils as natural antimicrobials applied in meat and meat products—a review

Meat and meat products are highly susceptible to the growth of micro-organism and foodborne pathogens that leads to severe economic loss and health hazards. High consumption and a considerable waste of meat and meat products result in the demand for safe and efficient preservation methods. Instead of synthetic additives, the use of natural preservative materials represents an interest. Essential oils (EOs), as the all-natural and green-label trend attributing to remarkable biological potency, have been adopted for controlling the safety and quality of meat products. Some EOs, such as thyme, cinnamon, rosemary, and garlic, showed a strong antimicrobial activity individually and in combination. To eliminate or reduce the organoleptic defects of EOs in practical application, EOs encapsulation in wall materials can improve the stability and antimicrobial ability of EOs in meat products. In this review, meat deteriorations, antimicrobial capacity (components, effectiveness, and interactions), and mechanisms of EOs are reviewed, as well as the demonstration of using encapsulation for masking intense aroma and conducting control release is presented. The use of EOs individually or in combination and encapsulated applications of EOs in meat and meat products are also discussed.