What is it about?
This chapter explores bitter orange (Citrus aurantium L.) essential oils as alternatives to conventional food preservatives. It reviews how their chemical composition—dominated by limonene—relates to antispoilage, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and flavoring properties. Variability due to extraction methods, harvest time, and geographic origin is discussed.
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Why is it important?
Food producers are seeking preservation strategies that reduce reliance on synthetic weak‑acid preservatives, which consumers often perceive as unsafe. Bitter orange oils represent a natural option, but their organoleptic impact and compositional variability challenge industrial application.
Perspectives
Evidence is largely context‑dependent and influenced by oil composition and dose. Industrial use must balance antimicrobial efficacy with sensory acceptance, and standardization remains a key challenge. Future work should address formulation strategies that limit flavor impact while maintaining stability.
Prof. Antonio Speciale
University of Messina
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Bitter Orange (Citrus aurantium L.) Oils, January 2016, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-416641-7.00029-8.
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