Optimizing essential oil blends by mixture design approaches for enhanced antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. A review

The growing interest in natural alternatives to synthetic additives has driven research into essential oils (EOs) for antimicrobial and antioxidant applications. Statistical mixture design approaches provide effective tools to optimize multi-component EO blends for enhanced bioactivity. This review presents an overview of recent advances in applying mixture design methodologies, such as simplex lattice and simplex centroid designs, to develop EO combinations with improved antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. We summarize key findings on blend synergies, discuss mechanisms underlying enhanced efficacy, and highlight case studies where optimized mixtures outperform the action of individual EOs. Current patents and practical applications of optimized EO blends are reviewed, and future research directions are proposed, including multi-component formulations, encapsulation approaches, and machine learning-driven optimization. By synthesizing these insights, this review highlights mixture design as a sustainable and innovative approach to developing eco-friendly, effective EO-based antimicrobial and antioxidant formulations.