Organic Preservatives for Cereal Grain Storage: Mechanisms, Nanoencapsulation Advances, Challenges, and Future Prospects – A Narrative Review (2000–2025)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2026-1013-5795Keywords:
Organic Preservatives, Essential Oils, Cereal Grains, Postharvest Losses, Nanoencapsulation, MycotoxinsAbstract
Post-harvest grain spoilage caused by fungi, bacteria, insects, and oxidative rancidity remains one of the leading threats to global food security. Synthetic preservatives such as propionates, benzoates, sorbates, and sulfites have long been used to protect stored foods; however, growing evidence linking some of these compounds to carcinogenicity, allergenicity, and persistent environmental residues has stimulated interest in organic (natural) alternatives. This narrative review synthesizes literature published between 2000 and 2025 on the application of organic preservatives, principally essential oils, in cereal grain preservation, with attention to their antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, and repellent properties, as well as recent advances in nanoencapsulation and formulation science. The evidence reviewed indicates that essential oils such as thyme, clove, cinnamon, and oregano oils can disrupt microbial cell membranes, suppress mycotoxin biosynthesis, and repel storage pests; for example, encapsulated thyme oil has been reported to retain over 80% of its antifungal activity after six months of storage, compared with less than 30% for the free (unencapsulated) oil, while clove oil vapour has reduced maize weevil emergence by more than 70% in some trials. Nanoencapsulation using carriers such as chitosan and alginate can enhance the stability and efficacy of these preservatives with minimal effect on grain quality. Nonetheless, high manufacturing costs, limited scalability, compositional variability, food-matrix interactions, and the absence of harmonized regulatory frameworks continue to constrain widespread adoption.
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