Luo Donglan, Li Xue, Wang Xiaogang, Cao Sen, Ba Liangjie, Kou Xiaohong
Guiyang University, Guiyang 550005, People's Republic of China.
Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
Food Chem X. 2025 Aug 25;30:102954. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2025.102954. eCollection 2025 Aug.
Thymol is a major monoterpene compound from plants. Thymol exhibits antifungal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Over the past few years, extensive research has underscored the pivotal role of thymol in delaying postharvest senescence in fruits and vegetables, suppressing fungal growth in meat products, and enhancing the shelf life of meat and processed foods. This review systematically summarized the antifungal characteristics and preservation mechanisms of thymol, with a particular emphasis on its applications in food preservation in recent years. This study provides a systematic review of the antifungal properties of thymol and its underlying mechanisms in the preservation of fruits, vegetables, and meat. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the potential pathways through which thymol contributes to maintaining food quality and prolonging shelf life. The paper thoroughly elucidates the beneficial effects of thymol on food preservation, emphasizing its specific mechanisms in inhibiting fungal proliferation, enhancing food quality, and reducing nutrient degradation. Finally, the article summarized the current state of research on thymol, evaluates its future application potential, and identifies several key areas that warrant further exploration in this field.
百里香酚是一种主要来源于植物的单萜类化合物。百里香酚具有抗真菌、抗氧化和抗炎特性。在过去几年中，广泛的研究强调了百里香酚在延缓水果和蔬菜采后衰老、抑制肉制品中真菌生长以及延长肉类和加工食品保质期方面的关键作用。本综述系统地总结了百里香酚的抗真菌特性和保鲜机制，特别强调了其近年来在食品保鲜中的应用。本研究对百里香酚在水果、蔬菜和肉类保鲜中的抗真菌特性及其潜在机制进行了系统综述。它全面分析了百里香酚有助于维持食品质量和延长保质期的潜在途径。本文深入阐明了百里香酚对食品保鲜的有益作用，强调了其在抑制真菌增殖、提高食品质量和减少营养物质降解方面的具体机制。最后，文章总结了百里香酚的研究现状，评估了其未来的应用潜力，并确定了该领域几个值得进一步探索的关键领域。
