title: Essential oils of Satureja, Origanum, and Thymus species: chemical composition and antibacterial activities against foodborne pathogens.
abstract: The chemical composition of the essential oils obtained from the species restricted to Greece and the eastern Mediterranean region, Satureja spinosa L. and Thymus longicaulis L.; species endemic to central and south Greece, Satureja parnassica ssp. parnassica Heldr. and Sart ex Boiss.; species endemic to the island of Crete, Origanum dictamnus L.; and species widely distributed in the Mediterranean region, Satureja thymbra L. and Origanum vulgare L. subsp. hirtum, were determined by gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. The in vitro antibacterial activities of the essential oils were evaluated against a panel of five foodborne bacteria (Escherichia coli 0157:H7 NCTC 12900, Salmonella enteritidis PT4, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Listeria monocytogenes ScottA, and Bacillus cereus FSS 134). The analytical data indicated that various monoterpene hydrocarbons and phenolic monoterpenes constitute the major components of the oils, but their concentrations varied greatly among the oils examined. The antibacterial assay results showed that 5 muL doses of the essential oils extracted from the endemic Satureja species in Greece possess remarkable bactericidal properties, which are clearly superior as compared to those of Origanum and Thymus species essential oils. Therefore, they represent an inexpensive source of natural mixtures of antibacterial compounds that exhibit potentials for use in food systems to prevent the growth of foodborne bacteria and extend the shelf life of the processed food.
authors.affiliation: Agricultural University of Athens, Iera odos 75, Athens 11855, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chorianopoulos
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kalpoutzakis
authors.forename: Nektarios
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aligiannis
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mitaku
authors.forename: George-John
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Nychas
authors.forename: Serkos A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Haroutounian
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D005516:Food Microbiology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031341:Origanum / Q000737:chemistry*; D012477:Salmonella enteritidis / Q000187:drug effects; D031362:Satureja / Q000737:chemistry*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D046930:Thymus Plant / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile