Survival of some food-borne fungi in the presence of oregano essential oil

Abstract

Alimentary diseases, usually caused by microorganisms, are growing public health problem worldwide. Successful control of food-borne pathogens requires the use of multiple preservation techniques, including application of diverse additives. The modern trends in nutrition suggest substitution of synthetic food additives with natural ones. Plant essential oils are reported to be an interesting source of antimicrobial compounds. This study evaluates the antimicrobial potential of Oreganum heracleoticum L. essential oil against six commonly found food-borne fungi by screening their survival in the presence of this oil in growth media. Results showed that oregano essential oil posses strong in vitro antifungal activity against tested fungi, so the concentration of 0.31 μL/mL was needed for total growth inhibition of yeast species, 0.62 μL/mL for Aspergillus species and 1.25 μL/mL for Penicillium species. When applied in adequate concentration, oregano essential oil has a great potential to be used as natural antifungal preservative in foods.