Investigation of chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Perovskia abrotanoides Kar. essential oil nanoemulsion against important food pathogens

Plant essential oils are used as natural preservatives due to their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Perovskia abrotanoides Kar essential oil (PAEO) nanoemulsion.

The chemical composition of the essential oil was determined by gas chromatography apparatus connected to a mass spectrometer. The antioxidant properties PAEO essential oil by DPPH method and its antibacterial effect on Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium and Stylococcus aureus were determined by broth microdilution, agar well diffusion and disk diffusion methods.

In the chemical analysis of PAEO, 21 compounds were identified, of which eucalyptol and camphor and a-pinene were the major constituents. The IC50 of PAEO was 46.44 mg / ml. Among the studied bacteria, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes showed the highest sensitivity (MIC=0.03%) and Staphylococcus aureus showed the lowest sensitivity (MIC=0.2%) to PAEO nanoemulsion. The bacterial growth inhibition zone in disk diffusion method in the studied concentrations, from 7.06±0.60 to 58.43±1.40 mm and in the agar well diffusion method between 6.56±0.60 to 54.93±1.10 mm was variable.

PAEO Nanoemulsion can be used in the food industry despite its phenolic and camphor compounds as a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial compound.