Antimicrobial activity of essential oils and structurally related synthetic food additives towards Clostridium perfringens.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the potential of essential oils and structurally related synthetic food additives in inhibiting the growth of Clostridium perfringens for the control of necrotic enteritis in chickens.


RESULTS
The antimicrobial activity of essential oils/compounds was measured by determining the inhibition of bacterial growth. Thirty-three of 66 oils/compounds exhibited > or =80% inhibition. Seven with the highest potency were further studied. The oils/compounds had MIC(95) values between 167 and 425 microg ml(-1). Most of them were tolerant to low pH (2.0) and exhibited minor or no inhibition of Lactobacillus isolates from the chicken intestine. When mixed with chicken ileal digesta, the oils/compounds retained their efficacy against C. perfringens, but had little effect on the total number of lactobacilli and anaerobic bacteria in the digesta.


CONCLUSIONS
Some essential oils/compounds demonstrated good potential in controlling C. perfringens.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has identified candidates of essential oils/compounds for in vivo studies for the control of necrotic enteritis in chickens.
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Guelph Food Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON, Canada.
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Gong
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Tsao
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Han
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Chambers
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D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000187:drug effects*; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D005503:Food Additives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005503:Food Additives; D009822:Oils, Volatile