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. 2009 Jul-Aug;6(6):725-8.
doi: 10.1089/fpd.2009.0282.

Essential oils against foodborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria in minced meat

Affiliations

Essential oils against foodborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria in minced meat

Lidiane Nunes Barbosa et al. Foodborne Pathog Dis. 2009 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

The antimicrobial activity of essential oils of oregano, thyme, basil, marjoram, lemongrass, ginger, and clove was investigated in vitro by agar dilution method and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes) and Gram-negative strains (Escherichia coli and Salmonella Enteritidis). MIC(90%) values were tested against bacterial strains inoculated experimentally in irradiated minced meat and against natural microbiota (aerobic or facultative, mesophilic, and psychrotrophic bacteria) found in minced meat samples. MIC(90%) values ranged from 0.05%v/v (lemongrass oil) to 0.46%v/v (marjoram oil) to Gram-positive bacteria and from 0.10%v/v (clove oil) to 0.56%v/v (ginger oil) to Gram-negative strains. However, the MIC(90%) assessed on minced meat inoculated experimentally with foodborne pathogen strains and against natural microbiota of meat did not show the same effectiveness, and 1.3 and 1.0 were the highest log CFU/g reduction values obtained against tested microorganisms.

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Figures

FIG. 1.
FIG. 1.
Log of CFU/g values from Staphylococcus aures, Escherichia coli, Listeria Monocytogenes, and Salmonella Enteritidis experimentally inoculated in irradiated minced meat added with essential oils and maintained at 5°C/3 h.
FIG. 2.
FIG. 2.
Log of CFU/g of standard plate count (SPC) values recorded on minced meat samples after 5°C/6 and 24 h of essential oil addition.
FIG. 3.
FIG. 3.
Log of CFU/g for psychrotrophic microorganism values recorded on minced meat samples after 5°C/24 h of essential oil addition.

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