Optimizing Essential Oil Blends by Mixture Design Approaches for Enhanced Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity: A Review
Year: 2025
Type: review
Abstract: The growing interest in natural alternatives to synthetic additives has driven research into essential oils (EOs) for antimicrobial and antioxidant applications. Statistical mixture design approaches provide effective tools to optimize multi-component EO blends for enhanced bioactivity. This review presents an overview of recent advances in applying mixture design methodologies, such as simplex lattice and simplex centroid designs, to develop EO combinations with improved antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. We summarize key findings on blend synergies, discuss mechanisms underlying enhanced efficacy, and highlight case studies where optimized mixtures outperform the action of individual EOs. Current patents and practical applications of optimized EO blends are reviewed, and future research directions are proposed, including multi-component formulations, encapsulation approaches, and machine learning-driven optimization. By synthesizing these insights, this review highlights mixture design as a sustainable and innovative approach to developing eco-friendly, effective EO-based antimicrobial and antioxidant formulations.
Source: Journal of Food Science
Institutions: Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, VIZJA University, Medical University of Lublin, University of Lisbon, Instituto Superior Técnico, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Jan Kochanowski University, Sapienza University of Rome, University of Monastir
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,550
OpenAlex ID: W7117355203