Applications of Plant-Borne Essential Oils from Lamiaceae, Asteraceae and Apiaceae

About 3000 medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are known to produce essential oils (EOs) as an important part of their secondary metabolism. These products are liquid mixtures of volatile, lipophilic, and small molecules, most of them belonging to terpenoids and phenylpropanoids, produced by an array of botanical families endowed with epidermal and internal secretory structures. Among them, the families of Apiaceae, Asteraceae, and Lamiaceae are those with the highest economic importance, as they are cultivated and consumed on a large scale. Currently, only 300 EOs are scalable and available on the market, but many others deserve further investigation in order to support their use on an industrial level. In this regard, the food and agrochemical industries are paying attention to EOs as important niche products to be exploited in the years to come as alternative or complementary to conventional (synthetic) products. On this basis, the aim of this Special Issue is to collect up-to-date reports dealing with the characterization and potential exploitation of EOs produced by Apiaceae, Asteraceae, and Lamiaceae as food preservatives and botanical insecticides. Particular attention will be paid to the development of innovative, green, and sustainable methods to encapsulate EOs, with the aim of assuring their efficacy for minimizing undesirable characteristics. Furthermore, the noteworthy effects of EOs, and their formulations on microorganisms and insects responsible for food spoilage and deterioration, as well as insect vectors and agricultural pests, will be welcome.