Utilization of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Dairy Products

The number of plants used to give flavor, aroma, odor and color to food currently exceeds 20,000. The availability of new areas of use and the increase in the demand for natural products increase the use of these plants day by day. They can be used raw or cooked, dried, brined or pickled. Medical and aromatic plants, in addition to their aromatic properties such as taste and aroma, can show functional properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antidepressive and antimicrobial effects, depending on the active substances in their content. With these properties, they can also be used as spices, food supplementary and additives. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), coriander (Coriandrum sativum), peppermint (Mentha piperita), coconut (Cocos nucifera), cinnamon (Cinnamomum zylancium), cumin (Cuminum cyminum), rosemary. (Rosmarinus officinalis), black pepper (Piper nigrum) and garlic (Allium sativum) are aromatic plants commonly used in ayran (Turkish traditional yoghurt drink), yoghurt and various cheese types. In addition to their taste and aromatizing uses in dairy products, bioactive molecules extracted from medicinal plants can be used as natural preservative additives due to their antimicrobial and antioxidant activity