Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of citrus essences on Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
The aim of this research was to assess the antimicrobial activity of nine different industrial essences used in a soft drink factory in relation to their composition, as well as to verify the role of vapor pressure on their bioactivity. The essences were tested against a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain isolated from spoiled soft drinks. The tests were carried out by adding the essences directly to a liquid medium or into the headspace of closed systems inoculated with the yeast. The headspace composition was evaluated through a solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography technique. The use of a mass spectrometer allowed the identification of the peaks detected. The microbial growth was indirectly monitored by measuring the metabolic CO2 released by the yeast. The results obtained indicated that the most effective essences were characterized by the highest concentration of some terpenes, such as citral, beta-pinene, and p-cymene. Moreover, all of the essences were more bioactive when added directly to the liquid medium.
Belletti
Nicoletta
N
Dipartimento di Protezione e Valorizzazione Agroalimentare, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Via Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
Ndagijimana
Maurice
M
Sisto
Claudio
C
Guerzoni
Maria E
ME
Lanciotti
Rosalba
R
Gardini
Fausto
F
D002957:Citrus / Q000737:chemistry*; D053138:Cyclohexenes; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D000077222:Limonene; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology
D053138:Cyclohexenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D013729:Terpenes; D000077222:Limonene