Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated global food crop contamination with mycotoxins to be 25 per cent. Moreover, Contamination of food commodities by aflatoxins during post harvest processing is a matter of great concern because of their highly threatening effects on mammalian health. Different essential oils and their nanoformulations have currently gained significant importance as a sustainable green approach towards food security and have shown their potential as plant based preservatives against the fungal and mycotoxin contamination of food products during storage. Although, some earlier reviews have been published on mycotoxin contaminations of food commodities and their management by essential oil formulations. However, detailed information on enhancement of efficacy of the essential oils through nanoencapsulations and limitations on their large scale application are lacking. This review article highlights the role of essential oils and their nanoencapsulations as green sustainable approach against fungal and aflatoxin contamination of food commodities as food preservative. In addition, the limitations in using the essential oils and their nanoencapsulations in food preservation, their mode of aflatoxin inhibition and safety profile have been discussed to elucidate their possibility in practical application and in developing aflatoxin resistant crops via green transgenic strategy. • Botanical preservatives eco-friendly and sustainable approach for food safety. • Botanicals are efficacious against fungal and mycotoxin contamination. • Nanoencapsulation enhance bio-efficacy of botanical preservatives.
Tiwari et al. (Fri,) studied this question.