Bioactive and Functional Properties of Ferulago angulata Essential Oil for Sustainable Food Packaging Systems.
4 affiliations
- 1Student Research Committee Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences Kermanshah Iran.
- 2Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Health Institute Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences Kermanshah Iran.
- 3Department of Food Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz Iran.
- 4Nutritional Health Research Center Lorestan University of Medical Sciences Khorramabad Iran.
Abstract
Ferulago angulata essential oil (FAEO) has attracted increasing attention as a natural bioactive agent for sustainable food packaging applications due to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. FAEO contains several functional phytochemicals, including α-pinene (21.85%-35.08%), limonene (4.8%-21.85%), sabinene (16.9%), and (Z)-β-ocimene (18.0%-35.5%), which contribute to its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against foodborne pathogens such as Bacillus thuringiensis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Staphylococcus aureus. Reported minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values range from 0.45 to 10 mg/mL, while antioxidant activity includes 22% DPPH radical scavenging and 52.81% ABTS radical inhibition. FAEO has been incorporated into a wide range of polymeric materials, such as sodium alginate, chitosan, gelatin, zein, potato starch, and cellulose-based films. Advanced encapsulation approaches, including nanoemulsification, electrospinning, and freeze-drying, have improved the stability, controlled release, and bioactivity of FAEO in packaging systems. Here, we review FAEO's role in active packaging systems, detailing how it affects film properties such as structural, physical, mechanical, and barrier properties. Further, FAEO-loaded systems demonstrate controlled release driven by polymer type, morphology, and encapsulation method, thereby influencing their antimicrobial and antioxidant performance. Unlike phenolic-rich essential oils (EOs such as thyme and oregano, which exhibit strong antioxidant potential but intense sensory profiles), FAEO offers a milder aroma and different antimicrobial mechanisms, potentially suitable for packaging applications where sensory neutrality is desirable. Despite these advantages, several challenges remain, including volatility, hydrophobicity, sensory impacts, regulatory limitations, and scalability for industrial applications. Overall, FAEO shows promise as a natural alternative to synthetic preservatives for the development of sustainable and active food packaging systems. However, future studies should address industrial scalability, real-time shelf-life evaluations, and the optimization of FAEO-incorporated biodegradable films.
Related
- Structure–Property Relationships in Bioactive Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Films Incorporating Natural Phenolic Additives for Sustainable Active Packaging
- Experimental Analysis of the Sound-Absorbing Properties of Reused LDPE Bubble Wrap Packaging for the Sustainable Acoustic Requalification
- Biopolymer‐Based Food Packaging: Functional Properties, Enhancement Strategies, and Future Perspectives
- Olive Leaves for Functional Herbal Infusions: Effects of Post-Harvest Processing on Bioactive Properties, α-Amylase Inhibition Activity and Consumer Safety
- Bio-Composite Progress (Part A): Advances in Mycelium-Based Composites as Sustainable Alternatives to Plastic and Foam Packaging
BibTeX
@article{bahraminejad2026bioactive,
title = {{Bioactive and Functional Properties of Ferulago angulata Essential Oil for Sustainable Food Packaging Systems.}},
author = {Mahshid Bahraminejad and Delara Moradi Mirhesari and Ehsan Sadeghi and Behnam Bahramian and Reza Abedi-Firoozjah and Samira Shokri},
journal = {Food science \& nutrition},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1002/fsn3.72470},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42903431},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Bioactive and Functional Properties of Ferulago angulata Essential Oil for Sustainable Food Packaging Systems.
AU - Mahshid Bahraminejad
AU - Delara Moradi Mirhesari
AU - Ehsan Sadeghi
AU - Behnam Bahramian
AU - Reza Abedi-Firoozjah
AU - Samira Shokri
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - Food science & nutrition
DO - 10.1002/fsn3.72470
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42903431
AB - Ferulago angulata essential oil (FAEO) has attracted increasing attention as a natural bioactive agent for sustainable food packaging applications due to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. FAEO contains several functional phytochemicals, including α-pinene (21.85%-35.08%), limonene (4.8%-21.85%), sabinene (16.9%), and (Z)-β-ocimene (18.0%-35.5%), which contribute to its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against foodborne pathogens such as Bacillus thuringiensis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Staphylococcus aureus. Reported minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values range from 0.45 to 10 mg/mL, while antioxidant activity includes 22% DPPH radical scavenging and 52.81% ABTS radical inhibition. FAEO has been incorporated into a wide range of polymeric materials, such as sodium alginate, chitosan, gelatin, zein, potato starch, and cellulose-based films. Advanced encapsulation approaches, including nanoemulsification, electrospinning, and freeze-drying, have improved the stability, controlled release, and bioactivity of FAEO in packaging systems. Here, we review FAEO's role in active packaging systems, detailing how it affects film properties such as structural, physical, mechanical, and barrier properties. Further, FAEO-loaded systems demonstrate controlled release driven by polymer type, morphology, and encapsulation method, thereby influencing their antimicrobial and antioxidant performance. Unlike phenolic-rich essential oils (EOs such as thyme and oregano, which exhibit strong antioxidant potential but intense sensory profiles), FAEO offers a milder aroma and different antimicrobial mechanisms, potentially suitable for packaging applications where sensory neutrality is desirable. Despite these advantages, several challenges remain, including volatility, hydrophobicity, sensory impacts, regulatory limitations, and scalability for industrial applications. Overall, FAEO shows promise as a natural alternative to synthetic preservatives for the development of sustainable and active food packaging systems. However, future studies should address industrial scalability, real-time shelf-life evaluations, and the optimization of FAEO-incorporated biodegradable films.
SN - 2048-7177
ER -