POTENTIAL OF PLANT ESSENTIAL OILS IN THE SUPPRESSION OF E. COLI AND SALMONELLA spp. – IN VITRO STUDY

Abstract

One of the major public health concerns is food contamination by pathogenic bacteria. Fresh food products can be contaminated during each phase of food production. Many factors are involved in the survival and growth of pathogenic bacteria, such as environmental and agricultural practices. Several methods are proposed for pathogen removal from fresh food products; one of them is the application of essential oils. Thus, the aim of this research was to determine the effects of caraway, coriander, and thyme essential oils on E. coli and Salmonella spp. growth. Mueller-Hinton agar, previously inoculated by overnight bacterial cultures, was used for the estimation of particular effects. Sterile filter paper discs impregnated with essential oil were placed on the surface of the agar. After incubation, the inhibition zone was measured. The olive oil macerate was used as a control. The results showed that the highest impact was noticed in treatment with caraway essential oil, while thyme essential oil showed the lowest inhibition zone. The obtained results confirm the potential of natural products in the suppression of pathogen growth.