Natural products play a critical role in the search for improved quality of life. In recent decades, researchers all over the world have been working to extract and identify chemically active molecules in plants that can replace pharmaceutical drugs or serve as a basis for new pharmaceuticals or additives. Essential oils represent an important source of biomolecules, with potential use in various industries including the food industry. Essential oils are formed in the secondary metabolism of plants and are responsible for plant protection and communication. Understanding the chemical composition of essential oils is important given that the concentrations of the major compounds in essential oils can directly influence their biological activities. The volatile compounds present in essential oils have various applications in the food industry, such as in the preservation and conservation of food due to properties such as their antioxidant and antimicrobial potential.

Therefore, this Special Issue aims to collate new perspectives on the application of essential oils in food preservation as an agent that promotes antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. This Special Issue welcomes research on the extraction and chemical characterization of essential oils for food preservation focusing on, but not limited to, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. This Special Issue also welcomes studies exploring the chemical profile of volatile concentrates from fruits and other foods.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Biotechnology of essential oils for application in food
• Essential oils with phytotoxic potential
• Antioxidant potential of essential oils
• Antimicrobial potential of essential oils
• Essential oil toxicity
• Volatile molecules with bioactive potential
• Anticancer potential of essential oils
• Neuroprotective potential of essential oils