The potential application of plant essential oils as natural food preservatives in soft cheese

2001 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 463-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Smith-Palmer ◽  
J. Stewart ◽  
L. Fyfe
2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hend A. Hamedo ◽  
Hala M. Abdelmigid

In this study, investigations were carried out to assess the efficiency of two plant essential oils; rosemary and oregano as natural food preservatives. The effect of the plant essential oils at concentrations of 0.1%, 0.5% and 1% was studied in the soft cheese against Salmonella enteritidis and Escherichia coli at fridge temprature over a 14-day period. The essential oils performed well in the inhibition of S. enteritidis and E. coli. It is concluded that selected plant essential oils can act as potent inhibitors of both microorganisms in a food product. At the same time, evaluation of their safety as food preservatives was undertaken via monitoring the genotoxic activity of the mentioned essential oils using Vicia faba test. Vicia faba roots were treated with the above concentrations for 3 hours. Results revealed cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of the applied doses. Mitotic index decreased significantly when compared to control. Chromosomal abnormalities and micronuclei were also observed and the effects were dose-dependent. Despite the efficient role of the studied oils as antimicrobial agents, their genotoxicity potential in eukaryotic cells made them unacceptable as food preservatives, particularly at high doses. Therefore, more research in the use of essential oils as food preservatives is needed.


2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 174-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Celikel ◽  
G. Kavas

Investigations were carried out to assess the efficiency of five plant essential oils: thyme, myrtle, laurel, sage, and orange oils as natural food preservatives. The effect of the plant essential oils against <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>, <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and <i>Candida albicans</i> at concentrations of 5–20 µl/disk (diameter 6 mm) and 0.5–3% (v/v) was studied in agar diffusion test medium and milk medium. The essential oils of these extracts exhibited markedly antibacterial and bacteriostatic activity, with thyme showing the highest inhibition and orange the lowest. However, with thyme extract, high inhibitory activity was observed for all tested concentrations, <i>L. monocytogenes</i> showed less sensitivity towards essential oil extracts.


2009 ◽  
pp. 195-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marija Skrinjar ◽  
Nevena Nemet

Spices and herbs have been used as food additives since ancient times, as flavouring agents but also as natural food preservatives. A number of spices shows antimicrobial activity against different types of microorganisms. This article gives a literature review of recent investigations considering antimicrobial activity of essential oils widely used spices and herbs, such as garlic, mustard, cinnamon, cumin, clove, bay, thyme, basil, oregano, pepper, ginger, sage, rosemary etc., against most common bacteria and fungi that contaminate food (Listeria spp., Staphylococcus spp., Salmonella spp., Escherichia spp., Pseudomonas spp., Aspergillus spp., Cladosporium spp. and many others). Antimicrobial activity depends on the type of spice or herb, type of food and microorganism, as well as on the chemical composition and content of extracts and essential oils. Summarizing results of different investigations, relative antimicrobial effectiveness can be made, and it shows that cinnamon, cloves and mustrad have very strong antimicrobial potential, cumin, oregano, sage, thyme and rosemary show medium inhibitory effect, and spices such as pepper and ginger have weak inhibitory effect.


2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1300800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvie Kwanga Nguikwie ◽  
Maximilienne A. Nyegue ◽  
Florentine Ndoye-Foe Belinga ◽  
Rosalie A. Ngono Ngane ◽  
Bernard Romestand ◽  
...  

Essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of seeds, pericarps, leaves and rhizomes of Aframomum dalzielii, A letestuianum and A. pruinosum grown in Cameroon were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. The seed oils of the three species were characterized by a high content of ( E)-( R)-nerolidol (>88.0 %), which was fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy and chiral GC analysis. The main constituents of the pericarp and rhizome oils were monoterpene hydrocarbons, mainly β-pinene (0.8%–22.9%) and sabinene (29.0%–42.3%), along with 1,8-cineole (4.5%–23.7%); leaf oils were characterized by sesquiterpenes, namely ( E)-β-caryophyllene (18.4%–82.4%) and caryophyllene oxide (4.5%–23.7%). The antibacterial activities of these essential oils and of nine pure compounds (sabinene, β-pinene, 1,8-cineole, linalool, racemic ( E)-nerolidol, ( E)-( R)-nerolidol, ( E)-β-caryophyllene, α-humulene and caryophyllene oxide) were assessed against Micrococcus luteus and Escherichia coli. The strongest activities were observed against E. coli. The seed essential oils and their major component, ( E)-( R)-nerolidol, exhibited the lowest MIC values (0.19-0.39 μL/mL), justifying their traditional use and their potential application as natural food preservatives.


2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (2) ◽  
pp. 633-641 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Mercedes Gutiérrez ◽  
Jorge Omar Werdin-González ◽  
Natalia Stefanazzi ◽  
Cristina Bras ◽  
Adriana Alicia Ferrero

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 10-18
Author(s):  
Zahaed Evangelista-Martínez ◽  
Nohemí Reyes-Vázquez ◽  
Ingrid Rodríguez-Buenfil

Essential oils (EO) are promising natural antimicrobial additives to control microbial pathogens. This study aims to investigate the antimicrobial activities of plant essential oils and to study the antimicrobial effect of oregano oil (OrO) in combination with food preservatives. The antimicrobial screening showed that Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium (Salmonella ser. Typhimurium) appeared to be less susceptible to EO, whereas Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans were more affected. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Lethal Concentration (MLC) for laurel, cumin, oregano and rosemary oils showed values ranging from 0.078% to 1.25% (v/v). Also, synergic and viability effects of OrO combined with acetic acid (AcA) showed an additive effect against E. coli and C. albicans, while combination OrO + ascorbic acid (Asc) exhibited the same effect over Salmonella ser. Typhimurium and C. albicans. Therefore, oregano oil in combination with preservatives could be used to control the growth of pathogenic microorganisms for food preservation.


Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1267
Author(s):  
Nagaraj Basavegowda ◽  
Kwang-Hyun Baek

The development of food-borne and infectious diseases has increased globally at an anomalous rate and is combined with emerging social and economic problems. This highlights the need for new and improved antibacterial agents with novel and different mechanisms of action at regular intervals. Some chemical or artificial food additives are considered harmful if they are used beyond their permissible levels. Today, consumers are demanding alternative, green, safer, and natural food additives to increase the shelf life of food. Essential oils (EOs) are concentrated liquid mixtures of volatile compounds with antioxidant and antibacterial properties that can be used as natural, eco-friendly, renewable, and cost-effective additives. The use of combinations of different EOs and their components is a promising strategy to increase the synergistic and additive effects of EOs in foods. In this article, we review the recent literature on EOs concerning the chemical constituents, extraction methods, antioxidant and antibacterial activities, and their mechanisms of action. Additionally, we discuss the synergistic interaction of different EOs and their components, challenges, and future directions of EOs as natural food preservatives, with special emphasis on shelf life extension and applications in the packaging of food products.


2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flora V. Romeo ◽  
Serena De Luca ◽  
Amalia Piscopo ◽  
Emanuela De Salvo ◽  
Marco Poiana

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