Özet:

Microorganisms develop resistance due to excessive and improper usage of synthetic chemicals as antimicrobials which have high toxic effects in food industry. Therefore, biological preservatives having antifungal properties began to take place of toxic chemicals. Essential oils (EOs) derived from plants which prevents the deterioration of biofilm formed by yeast and prolongs shelf life as protective agents have recently become important in food industry. However, there is a significant restriction on the usage of essential oils due to variations in their content depending on the extraction methods and storage time. Thus, direct usage of active substances involved in the plant extracts may be preferred for industrial production. On the other hand, knowledge about antifungal mechanisms of substance is an important factor to determine the areas where the components can be used effectively. Cell membrane has a vital role because of providing cellular integrity and homeostasis and carrying out molecular transport. Antifungal agents have activity at very low concentrations via disrupting cell membrane integrity. They can be used for preservation of foods, as well as for additives which are not toxic, and decreasing contamination and biofilm formation via coatings in food industry. Since, EOs can be used as food preservatives and pharmaceutical agents, it is very important to understand their mode of action and their main target sites in the cell. Thus this research not only opens new perspectives to understand antifungal activity mechanisms of EOs, but also help widen their use.

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