Food industries are facing a great challenge due to contamination of food products with different microbes such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites, etc. These microbes deteriorate food items by producing different toxins during pre- and postharvest processing. Mycotoxins are one of the most potent and well-studied toxic food contaminants of fungal origin, causing a severe health hazard to humans. The application of synthetic chemicals as food preservatives poses a real scourge in the present scenario due to their bio-incompatibility, non-biodegradability, and environmental non-sustainability. Therefore, plant-based antimicrobials, including essential oils, have developed cumulative interest as a potential alternative to synthetic preservatives because of their ecofriendly nature and generally recognized as safe status. However, the practical utilization of essential oils as an efficient antimicrobial in the food industry is challenging due to their volatile nature, less solubility, and high instability. The recent application of different delivery strategies viz. nanoencapsulation, active packaging, and polymer-based coating effectively addressed these challenges and improved the bioefficacy and controlled release of essential oils. This article provides an overview of essential oils for the preservation of stored foods against bacteria, fungi, and mycotoxins, along with the specialized mechanism of action and technological advancement by using different delivery systems for their effective application in food and agricultural industries smart green preservative.

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Microbes are the biggest shareholder for the quantitative and qualitative deterioration of food commodities at different stages of production, transportation, and storage, along with the secretion of toxic secondary metabolites. Indiscriminate application of synthetic preservatives may develop resistance in microbial strains and associated complications in human health with broad-spectrum environmental non-sustainability. The application of essential oils (EOs) as a natural antimicrobial and their efficacy for the preservation of foods has been of present interest and growing consumer demand in the current generation. However, the loss in bioactivity of EOs from fluctuating environmental conditions is a major limitation during their practical application, which could be overcome by encapsulating them in a suitable biodegradable and biocompatible polymer matrix with enhancement to their efficacy and stability. Among different nanoencapsulated systems, nanoemulsions effectively contribute to the practical applications of EOs by expanding their dispersibility and foster their controlled delivery in food systems. In line with the above background, this review aims to present the practical application of nanoemulsions (a) by addressing their direct and indirect (EO nanoemulsion coating leading to active packaging) consistent support in a real food system, (b) biochemical actions related to antimicrobial mechanisms, (c) effectiveness of nanoemulsion as bio-nanosensor with large scale practical applicability, (d) critical evaluation of toxicity, safety, and regulatory issues, and (e) market demand of nanoemulsion in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals along with the current challenges and future opportunities.

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The crop residue and Zn addition impacts on above ground biomass yield, Zn uptake and physical properties, viz. mean weight diameter (MWD) of water stable aggregates, bulk density (BD) and water holding capacity (WHC) were measured under a rice-wheat system in the 17 th and 18 th crop cycles. Results indicate that the highest yield in both the crops was recorded in the treatment receiving 10 kg Zn/ha as starter dose + 100% straw produced by each crop. Long-term application of crop residues along with Zn increased grain yield. The MWD, BD and WHC of post-harvest soil measured after harvest of the wheat crop varied from 2.80-3.88 mm, 1.27-1.42 Mgm -3 and 33.32-47.53%, respectively. The treatment with 100% CR and 10 kg Zn/ha had the highest level of MWD and WHC, whereas it resulted into the lowest BD. Increasing levels of Zn also influenced the MWD of water stable aggregates, BD and WHC positively. The correlations of WHC and MWD of water stable aggregates with different plant parameters were positive and highly significant, thus, indicating their synergistic relationship, i.e. higher the WHC and MWD of water stable aggregates higher the crop yield and Zn utilization by crops.

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