ABSTRACT
Volatile terpenes, mainly terpenoids such as citral, geraniol, linalool, menthol, carvone, and thymol, are some of the most valuable natural flavors. These compounds play a prominent role in nutrition by enhancing the sensory appeal of foods and beverages. They are widely used as flavoring agents and fragrances in the pharmaceutical, food, confectionery, beverage, and cosmetic industries; in household cleaning products; and in perfumery. Many beneficial health effects have been described for terpenoids, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-allergenic, antispasmodic, antihyperglycemic, antitumor, anxiolytic, cardioprotective, immunomodulatory, or local anesthetic effects. This chapter provides an overview of the potential applications of the main terpene flavors as nutraceuticals. We describe the sensory qualities of these flavors and discuss the biological properties of representative compounds in the context of recent studies.
