“…Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) is an aromatic herb widely used for its flavor in meat, fish, and cooked preparations. Thyme essential oil (TEO) exhibits strong antioxidant activity attributed to its phenolic components-including thymol and carvacrol-and other flavonoids (Del Ré & Jorge, 2012;Mattje, Tormen, Bombardelli, Corazza, & Bainy, 2019;Pires et al, 2011;Rimini, Petracci, & Smith, 2014;Sadowska, Kopeć, Kourimska, Zarubova, & Kloucek, 2017). However, essential oils may interfere with flavor and color when added directly to food (Camo, Beltrán, & Roncalés, 2008;Hygreeva et al, 2014;Rimini et al, 2014).…”