Inhibitory effects of some plant essential oils against Arcobacter butzleri and potential for rosemary oil as a natural food preservative

J Med Food. 2011 Mar;14(3):291-6. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2010.0001. Epub 2010 Dec 13.

Abstract

We investigated the inhibitory activity of commercially marketed essential oils of mint, rosemary, orange, sage, cinnamon, bay, clove, and cumin against Arcobacter butzleri and Arcobacter skirrowii and the effects of the essential oil of rosemary against A. butzleri in a cooked minced beef system. Using the disc diffusion method to determine the inhibitory activities of these plant essential oils against strains of Arcobacter, we found that those of rosemary, bay, cinnamon, and clove had strong inhibitory activity against these organisms, whereas the essential oils of cumin, mint, and sage failed to show inhibitory activity against most of the Arcobacter strains tested. The 0.5% (vol/wt) essential oil of rosemary was completely inhibitory against A. butzleri in the cooked minced beef system at 4°C. These essential oils may be further investigated as a natural solution to the food industry by creating an additional barrier (hurdle technology) to inhibit the growth of Arcobacter strains.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Arcobacter / drug effects*
  • Food Microbiology*
  • Food Preservation / methods*
  • Meat / microbiology*
  • Oils, Volatile / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Rosmarinus
  • Spices

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Plant Extracts
  • rosemary oil