## 3 Chemical Composition of _Hyssopus officinalis_ L. and _Agastache foeniculum_ (Pursh) Kuntze EOs
### Antimicrobial Activity of Agastache foneiculum (Pursh) Kuntze
#### 4.2.2 Antibacterial Activity
These environmental stressors can lead to reactions between EO compounds and food matrix components, potentially reducing their antioxidant and antimicrobial effectiveness [55]. Besides these factors, their antimicrobial efficacy is also influenced by the microbial load of the food product. As a result, extrapolating in vitro findings to real food systems is challenging, often leading to reduced effectiveness in practical applications [5]. To preserve their biological activity, enhance their effectiveness, and minimize their impacts on food organoleptic properties, EOs could be encapsulated in a delivery system compatible with food applications. Encapsulation not only stabilizes EOs but also increases their contact area with food, ensuring better dispersion in regions where microorganisms thrive and proliferate [56]. One approach is incorporating EOs into active packaging instead of directly adding them to food products. They can be encapsulated in edible and biodegradable polymer coatings or sachets, allowing for controlled release onto the food surface or into the package headspace, which also facilitates their application in foods by improving their distribution in areas where microorganisms thrive, thus enhancing their antimicrobial effectiveness. Sachets releasing volatile EOs into the package headspace provide a simple yet effective preservation method for products such as fruits, meat, and fish [5,56]. Also, biodegradable films can enhance food quality. In meat preservation, they help reduce moisture loss and lipid oxidation [6]. Another method of incorporating EOs into food is by forming nano-emulsion systems. Nano-emulsions play a crucial role in food safety by enabling the controlled release of key compounds, ensuring prolonged antimicrobial effectiveness, and extending the shelf life of food and beverages. Additionally, they could enhance organoleptic properties and improve bioavailability by protecting the bioactive components of EOs during consumption [57]. The use of nano-emulsions in the food industry addresses the degradation of EOs caused by environmental exposure. Nano-emulsions act as a protective barrier for foods against bacteria, fungi, and viruses through a mechanism that involves the selective binding of their transparent or semi-transparent particles to the cell walls of prokaryotic cells, leading to destabilization. This passive absorption process does not affect eukaryotic cells, as their complex membrane structure provides resistance to disruption [55]. As far as we know, the incorporation of _A. foncticulum_ EO in food has not yet been studied. Regarding _H. officinalis_ EO, there are few studies available. [PERSON] et al., 2012 [45] tested the effect of the addition of _H. officinalis_ EO to ground meat. They concluded that the most important benefit was on the sensory changes and _Enterobacteriaceae_ growth. However, maintaining the samples at lower temperature for 3 days was more favorable. [PERSON] et al., 2024 [58] tested the coating effect of a mixture of _H. officinalis_ EO and _Salvia officinalis_ EO on a cheese model against staphylococcal isolates. [PERSON] et al., 2023, [32] demonstrated the effect of _H. officinalis_ EO on shrimp preservation. They were coated by immersion in a chitosan nano-emulsion containing the EO. After drying the coating and storage for 12 days at 4 \({}^{\circ}\)C, the samples were tested for total psychrophilic and mesophilic counts. The conclusion was that the EO nano-emulsion had a better effect on the microbial evaluations, as well as on the chemical and sensory ones. In general, the effectiveness of both added and naturally occurring antimicrobials may be diminished by certain food components. To successfully apply EOs in food systems, preliminary studies using representative food model media should be conducted to assess potential interactions between EOs and food components that could affect their antimicrobial efficacy. Also, combining EOs can enhance efficacy against both spoilage and pathogenic target organisms.