Essential oils are volatile hydrophobic liquids extracted from plants, which are often rich in aroma. Essential oils are a mixture of secondary metabolites, often terpenoids that play an important role in plant defense system and possess strong anti-microbial activities. In recent years, there is a growing interest in essential oils and their application as preservatives in dairy products as suitable alternatives to synthetic preservatives. Various studies have reported the antibacterial activities of essential oils and their active components along with their mechanism of action. However, there has not been any extensive review on the essential oils combination with dairy products and their mechanism of action as preservatives for dairy products. The main aim of this review is to critically analyze the available scientific information regarding the combination of essential oils in dairy products and their functions. In conclusion, essential oils were found to be promising agents in dairy products for their bio-preservative, antioxidant, anti-microbial activities, and for increasing aroma. Further studies should focus on a more detailed mechanism of their action and other possible benefits.

香精油是从植物中提取的挥发性疏水液体，通常富含香气。精油是次生代谢产物的混合物，通常是萜类化合物，它们在植物防御系统中起重要作用，并具有强大的抗微生物活性。近年来，人们越来越关注精油及其在乳制品中作为防腐剂作为合成防腐剂的合适替代品的应用。各种研究报告了精油及其活性成分的抗菌活性及其作用机理。但是，关于香精油与乳制品的组合及其作为乳制品防腐剂的作用机理尚未进行广泛的审查。这篇综述的主要目的是严格分析有关乳制品中精油的组合及其功能的现有科学信息。总之，发现精油由于其生物防腐，抗氧化剂，抗微生物活性以及增加的香气，成为乳制品中有希望的试剂。进一步的研究应集中在其作用和其他可能的收益的更详细的机制上。