title: Composition and antimicrobial properties of Sardinian Juniperus essential oils against foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms.
abstract: In this work, the chemical compositions and antimicrobial properties of Juniperus essential oils and of their main components were determined. Five berry essential oils obtained from different species of Juniperus growing wild in Sardinia were analyzed. The components of the essential oils were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The antimicrobial activities of the oils and their components against food spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms were determined by a broth microdilution method. The GC-MS analysis showed a certain variability in the concentrations of the main constituents of the oils. Alpha-pinene was largely predominant in the oils of the species J. phoenicea subsp. turbinata and J. oxycedrus. Alpha-pinene and myrcene constituted the bulk (67.56%) of the essential oil of J. communis. Significant quantitative differences were observed for myrcene, delta-3-carene, and D-germacrene. The results of the antimicrobial assay show that the oils of J. communis and J. oxycedrus failed to inhibit any of the microorganisms at the highest concentrations tested (MLC > or = 900 microg/ml), while the oils extracted from J. turbinata specimens were active against fungi, particularly against a strain of Aspergillus flavus (an aflatoxin B1 producer). Of the single compounds tested, delta-3-carene was found to possess the broadest spectrum of activity and appeared to contribute significantly to the antifungal activity observed for J. turbinata oils. This activity may be helpful in the prevention of aflatoxin contamination for many foods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biology, University of Cagliari, S.S. 554 Km. 4,500, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Sardinia, Italy. scosenti@unica.it
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cosentino
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barra
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pisano
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cabizza
authors.forename: Filippo Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Pirisi
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Palmas
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D018653:Juniperus / Q000737:chemistry*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile