Clove Essential Oil: Chemical Profile, Biological Activities, Encapsulation Strategies, and Food Applications

Abstract

Plants have proven to be important sources for discovering new compounds that are useful in the treatment of various diseases due to their phytoconstituents. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum L.), an aromatic plant widely cultivated around the world, has been traditionally used for food preservation and medicinal purposes. In particular, clove essential oil (CEO) has attracted attention for containing various bioactive compounds, such as phenolics (eugenol and eugenol acetate), terpenes (β-caryophyllene and α-humulene), and hydrocarbons. These constituents have found applications in cosmetics, food, and medicine industries due to their bioactivity. Pharmacologically, CEO has been tested against a variety of parasites and pathogenic microorganisms, demonstrating antibacterial and antifungal properties. Additionally, many studies have also demonstrated the analgesic, antioxidant, anticancer, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory effects of this essential oil. However, CEO could degrade for different reasons, impacting its quality and bioactivity. To address this challenge, encapsulation is viewed as a promising strategy that could prolong the shelf life of CEO, improving its physicochemical stability and application in various areas. This review examines the phytochemical composition and biological activities of CEO and its constituents, as well as extraction methods to obtain it. Moreover, encapsulation strategies for CEO and numerous applications in different food fields are also highlighted.

Insights from Syzygium aromaticum Essential Oil: Encapsulation, Characterization, and Antioxidant Activity

“…The encapsulation process can reduce the limitations of the use of clove oil, which are related to factors such as high temperatures, low pressures, and exposure to air and light, among others, which could contribute to the decomposition or evaporation of active compounds. In addition to protecting against degradation under unfavourable environmental conditions, encapsulation can also extend the useful life of the essential oil [45]. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to develop sodium alginate encapsulates, filled with clove essential oil (CEO), using the ionic gelation technique, followed by freeze-drying for use as an antioxidant, protecting the CEO against oxidative stress and harmful environmental effects.…”