Phenols

Phenolic compounds are a class of chemical compounds consisting of a hydroxyl group (-OH) bonded directly to an aromatic hydrocarbon group, produced by plants and microorganisms. As they are widely present in food consumed in human diets and in plants, their role in human health and disease is a subject of research. Some phenols are germicidal and are used in formulating disinfectants. Others possess antioxidative, estrogenic or endocrine disrupting activity.