Did you know that there are more than 60 plant species that are referred to as “oregano”?
In a recent paper we published in the International Journal of Nutrition we describe the oregano plant including the phytochemicals and possible health benefits.
Congratulations to Jacob Veenstra for publishing this paper!
Recently, consumers and food providers alike have been looking for alternatives to synthetic food preservatives.
This interest and push by consumers have helped increase the use of natural food preservatives that now account for 1/3 of the food preservative market.
Estimates suggest the food preservative market at > $3 Billion annually!
In the European Union rosemary extract is approved as a natural food preservative and it is likely you will see this expand to other Mediterranean Herbs.
There are several reported benefits of oregano that include it being used as a natural food preservative, having anti-microbial activity, and anti-oxidant activity, and having gastrointestinal health benefits.
We have been interested in Mediterranean herbs including rosemary and now oregano due to their potential health benefits.
Reference:
Jacob P. Veenstra and Jeremy J. Johnson. Oregano (Origanum vulgare) extract for food preservation and improvement in gastrointestinal health. International Journal of Nutrition. 2019; 3(4): 43–52.
