Cinnamon Essential Oil for Food Preservation: A Comprehensive Review of Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties

Cinnamon essential oil (CEO) is a natural preservative with strong antimicrobial and antioxidant properties due to key compounds such as cinnamaldehyde (30–75%), eugenol, linalool, caryophyllene, and coumarin. CEO demonstrates MIC values as low as 0.05 mg/mL against E. coli and S. aureus, and over 80% DPPH radical scavenging at 300 µg/mL. Compared to thymol and carvacrol, CEO offers equal or higher efficacy but presents stronger sensory impact and coumarin-related toxicity risks. Techniques like microencapsulation and edible coatings extend food shelf life and minimize aroma intensity. CEO-enriched coatings have prolonged meat and fruit freshness by up to 10 days and reduced oxidation by over 60%. Regulatory concerns limit coumarin use to 0.1 mg/kg bw/day in food systems. This review evaluates CEO’s composition, mechanisms, advantages, and limitations, providing insights into safe, effective integration of CEO as a sustainable food preservative.