## 4 Natural Additives in the Context of Active Food Packaging
### Plant Essential Oils
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline
**Biomass** & **Packaging Matrix** & **Results** & **Reference** \\ \hline Apricot kernel EO & Chitosan & Prepared films showed better water resistance and improved antioxidant, antimicrobial, and mechanical properties; fungal growth on packaged bread is inhibited & [260] \\ Banana leaf EO & Gelatin & Improved antimicrobial properties (against _E. coli_ and _S. aureus_) of gelatin films enriched with banana leaf EO; improvements on mechanical properties observed & [261] \\ Bergamot, lemongrass, rosemary, and clove EOs & PLA & Enhanced mechanical and antimicrobial properties against _E. coli_ & [262] \\ Cinnamon and ginger EOs & CMC and Chitosan & Decreased water vapor permeability (particularly for cinnamon EO), antifungal activity against _A. niger_ with a higher efficacy of cinnamon EO & [263] \\ Cinnamon bark EO & Gelatin & Antioxidant and antimicrobial effects observed (against _S. typhimurium_ and _L. monocytogenes_), water resistance is increased & [264] \\ Cinnamon bark EO & PLA and Sea squirt (_Halocynthiia roretzi_) & Enhanced antioxidant activity and antimicrobial effects against _L. monocytogenes, S. aureus, E. coli_ and _S. typhimurium_; change of mechanical properties, decrease of water solubility, and water permeability & [265] \\ Cinnamon EO & Chitosan and Gum arabic & Better water barrier properties with a decrease in mechanical properties; high antioxidant effect when applying appropriate ratios of chitosan, gum Arabic, and cinnamon EO & [266] \\ Cinnamon EO & CMC and PVA & Enhancement of antioxidant and photostabilizing properties; highly effective against _Penicillium digitatum_; shelf life of packaged bread was increased & [267] \\ Cinnamon EO & Gelatin & Water vapor permeability and light-absorbing properties of enriched films increase while water content and elongation at break decrease; antifungal and antimicrobial activity against _E. coli_, _S. aureus_, _A. niger_, _Rhizopus oryzae_, and _Pacclimomyces varioti_ observed & [268] \\ Cinnamon EO & Whey protein & Effect of enriched films against _S. aureus_, no effect against _E. coli_ observed & [269] \\ Cinnamon leaf oil & Gelatin & Antimicrobial effect against foodborne pathogens reported (_E. coli_, _S. typhimurium_, _S. aureus_, _L. monocytogenes_) & [270] \\ Clove bud EO & Pectin & Antioxidant and antimicrobial effects observed (against _S. aureus_, _E. coli_, and _L. monocytogenes_); improved mechanical properties (flexibility, resistance to breakage, water barrier properties, and heat stability) & [271] \\ Clove EO & Starch & Antifungal activity against _Colletotrichum gloosporioides_ and _Colletotrichum musae_, but not against _Saccharomyces bourladii_; enhanced shelf life of packaged bananas & [272] \\ Eucalyptus and & PLA and PBAT & Antimicrobial activities against _E. coli_ and _S. aureus_ observed for both EOs with cinnamon EO showing a higher antimicrobial effect, increased biofilm inhibition and decreased & [273] \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 6: Spotlight literature for plant essential oils used in the context of active food packaging.