Preface

Humans have always sought out plants as an alternative way to treat disease or for use as food. Plants contain secondary metabolites that have biological activities fundamental for human nutrition and health. In this sense, essential oils have been used for several centuries as agents that promote antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic biological activities. They are also used as insecticides and promoters of phytotoxic activity in medicine and agriculture. Currently, essential oils are widely explored by the pharmaceutical, sanitary, cosmetic, agricultural, and food industries. Traditionally, essential oils are isolated using hydrodistillation. Aromatic plants are the main holders of a wide variety of volatile molecules, being formed mainly of aromatic components derived from phenol or aliphatic molecules.

In addition, advances in research fields have enabled the discovery of numerous chemical compounds produced by plants. This generates concrete perspectives that in the future science will bring new biotechnological processes and applications of these substances to improve quality of life.

*Essential Oils - Advances in Extractions and Biological Applications* includes twelve chapters divided into three sections. The first section talks about the general concepts of essential oils and techniques for their extraction. The second section address topics in food science and technology. The third section discusses essential oils and their pharmacological properties in various activities and applications.

This book provides readers with an understanding of the importance that essential oils have for the safety of plants and the possibilities of extraction and applications.

**Mozaniel Santana de Oliveira**

Coordenação de Botânica, Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Belém, Brazil

**Eloisa Helena de Aguiar Andrade** Federal University of Para,

Belém, Brazil

Section 1
