Antimicrobial properties of basil and its possible application in food packaging.
Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is a popular culinary herb, and its essential oils have been used extensively for many years in food products, perfumery, and dental and oral products. Basil essential oils and their principal constituents were found to exhibit antimicrobial activity against a wide range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, yeast, and mold. The present paper reviews primarily the topic of basil essential oils with regards to their chemical composition, their effect on microorganisms, the test methods for antimicrobial activity determination, and their possible future use in food preservation or as the active (antimicrobial), slow release, component of an active package.
Suppakul
Panuwat
P
Centre for Packaging, Transportation and Storage, Victoria University, P.O. Box 14428, Melbourne City Mail Centre, Melbourne, 8001, Australia.
Miltz
Joseph
J
Sonneveld
Kees
K
Bigger
Stephen W
SW
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018857:Food Packaging; D005519:Food Preservation; D018649:Ocimum basilicum / Q000737:chemistry; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils