Revisión sistemática del aceite esencial de la flor de Cananga Odorata para su potencial uso como conservante en alimentos

Abstract

The essential oil extracted from Cananga Odorata oil, famous for its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, emerges as a promising candidate to replace artificial preservatives in the food industry in Ecuador, which is a very important sector for the Ecuadorian economy and is known for the growing need for natural and safe products for human consumption. This research aimed to analyze how effective Cananga odorata essential oil is as a natural food preservative. The analysis was carried out using a systematic methodology based on the PRISMA tool. The search strategy yielded a total of 141 authors. Of these, 15 were selected, after which 78 results were generated through keyword search in multiple databases, considering only 27 studies published in the last five years. This study also demonstrated that the essential oil is active against some pathogenic microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica and Candida albicans. Improved methods for essential oil extraction and microencapsulation have also been found as one of the main techniques to increase its stability and functionality in food products. These findings advocate Cananga odorata essential oil as an environmentally friendly substitute for artificial preservatives, although further research is required for its industrial use.