###### Abstract  
Citral is a monoterepne constituted by two isomers known as areal and geranial. It is present in different plant sources and recognized as safe (GRAS) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In recent years, investigations have demonstrated that this compound exhibited several biological activities, such as antibacterial, antifungal, antibiofilm, antiparasitic, antiproliferative-a, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, by in vitro and in vivo assays. Additionally, when incorporated into different food matrices, citral can reduce the microbial load of pathogenic microorganisms and extend the shelf life. This compound has acceptable drug-likeness properties and does not present any violations of [PERSON]'s rules, which could be used for drug development. The above shows that citral could be a compound of interest for developing food additives to extend the shelf life of animal and vegetable origin foods and develop pharmaceutical products. citral; biological activities; food additive; pharmaceuticals +
Footnote †: journal: _antibiotics_  
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that citral has an inhibitory effect against planktonic cells and can also affect biofilms produced by a different microorganism of clinical and food relevance [6; 7]. Furthermore, other biological activities have also been demonstrated, such as its antiproliferative effect against human and murine cancer cell lines and anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive properties [8; 9; 10]. In addition, the capability to stabilize synthetic and biological free radicals and reduce activity has also been reported [11; 12]. On the other hand, different studies have analyzed the effect of citral as a food additive incorporated into meat products, fish, fruits, vegetables, juices, and bread [13; 14; 15; 16; 17]. Overall, it has been observed that citral effectively reduced the growth and proliferation of pathogenic and deteriorative microorganisms and delayed oxidative processes [13; 14; 15; 16]. In turn, citral extended the shelf life of the added foods. These results promote the possibility of the food industry's effective and safe use of citral based on studies demonstrating its low cytotoxicity [18]. One of the pivotal aspects of citral's efficacy lies in its diverse mechanisms of antimicrobial action. This review delves into the biochemical and molecular pathways through which citral exerts its antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasite, and antib Biofilm effects. Specifically, it explores how citral disrupts cell membrane integrity, inhibits essential enzymes in microbial metabolism, and interferes with quorum sensing, among other mechanisms [6; 19; 20]. Understanding these modes of action provides insights into citral's versatility and paves the way for optimizing its use in food preservation and pharmaceutical applications. Another important aspect is the potential use of citral as a pharmaceutical agent. This use is based on the broad spectrum of biological activities demonstrated and its low cytotoxicity and compliance with [PERSON]'s rule of five [9]. These properties suggest that it can be absorbed orally and reach some target molecules, exerting its biological effect and being able to help in the treatment and control of different health conditions. While substantial progress has been made in uncovering the bioactive properties of citral, several gaps in the analyzed information have been found. Key research questions include: How does citral interact with other food components or pharmaceutical agents to enhance or diminish its effectiveness? Are there potential resistance mechanisms that microbes could develop against citral's actions? What are the long-term effects of citral exposure on human health and the environment? To address these questions, future research could focus on in-depth mechanistic studies, the development of citral-based combination therapies, and long-term safety assessments.