A Mini-Review of the Main Effects of Essential Oils from Citrus aurantifolia , Ocimum basilicum , and Allium sativum as Safe Antimicrobial Activity in Poultry.

Simple Summary: Increasing the use of natural antimicrobials and introducing them into the poultry production cycle is desirable. Essential oils are promoted as one of the main alternatives to intensive conventional antibiotic therapy in poultry farming worldwide. Studies show that when applied in specific forms and concentrations, several essential oils or their components have demonstrated the ability to protect both humans and poultry from serious diseases, including those associated with microorganisms. For example, in theory and practice, salmonellosis is widely recognised as a significant concern for human and avian health. In this context, acquiring knowledge about essential oils that can potentially prevent or combat microbial outbreaks in poultry farming, leading to serious infectious complications for avian and human health, is crucial. This review aimed to compile information on the application of Citrus aurantifolia (CAEO), Ocimum basilicum (OBEO), and Allium sativum (ASEO) essential oils as antimicrobials in poultry farming. Poultry production is accompanied by the use of antimicrobial agents because no production step is free of microorganisms. In the absence of antimicrobial treatments with synthetic drugs, essential oils are among the most cited natural alternatives used to prevent and treat microbial contamination in poultry. Although there are several studies on the antimicrobial properties of essential oils, there is still no review that simultaneously compiles information on the leading antimicrobial role of essential oils from Citrus aurantifolia (CAEO), Ocimum basilicum (OBEO), and Allium sativum (ASEO) in poultry. Awareness of the antimicrobial role of these substances opens the door to encouraging their use in natural antimicrobial protocols and discouraging harmful synthetics in poultry. This review aimed to compile information on applying CAEO, OBEO, and ASEO as antimicrobials in poultry farming. The available literature suggests that these essential oils can proportionately align with the poultry industry's demands for microbiologically safe food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]