Dietary bio actives and essential oils of lemon & sweet orange

Citrus fruits have some antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical compounds, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of Essential Oil (EO) of lemon (Citrus limon) peel and that of Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis). Essential oils are distillates of the volatile compounds of a plant's secondary metabolism and may act as photoprotective agents. Their curative effect has been known since antiquity. It is based on a variety of pharmacological properties which are specific for each plant species. Antibacterial activity of the Orange peel oil and lemon peel oil was screened against E.coli, E. faecalis and S.aureus.