In Vitro Antimicrobial Activities of Various Essential Oils Against Pathogenic and Spoilage Microorganisms

Plant-derived Essential Oils (EOs) have shown remarkable antimicrobial activity against spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms isolated from food products. The objective of the current study was to determine in vitro antimicrobial effects of selected EOs against these microorganisms.
Antimicrobial activity of EOs against food-borne and spoilage microorganisms was screened by disk diffusion assay; then, the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were determined. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 23.0 software for Windows.
Oregano and thyme EOs showed the highest antimicrobial activity and the lowest MICs, while anise, fennel, garlic, and ginger showed a lower activity with significant differences (p The use of the analyzed EOs may be interesting to food processors because of their antimicrobial properties. However, it is necessary to test their use in food products and gauge their sensory implications.