title: Antimicrobial activity of lemongrass oil against Salmonella enterica on organic leafy greens.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the antimicrobial effectiveness of lemongrass essential oil on organic leafy greens, romaine and iceberg lettuces and mature and baby spinach, inoculated with Salmonella Newport. The influences of exposure times and abuse temperatures on bacterial survival were also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Leaf samples were washed, inoculated with Salm. Newport (6-log CFUml(-1) ) and dried. Inoculated leaves were immersed in solutions containing 0·1, 0·3 or 0·5% lemongrass oil in phosphate-buffered saline for 1 or 2min and then individually incubated at 4 or 8°C. Samples were taken at day 0, 1 and 3 for the enumeration of survivors. Compared to the PBS control, romaine and iceberg lettuces, and mature and baby spinach samples showed between 0·6-1·5-log, 0·5-4·3-log, 0·5-2·5-log and 0·5-2·2-logCFUg(-1) reductions in Salm. Newport by day 3, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The antimicrobial activity of lemongrass oil against Salm. Newport was concentration and time dependent. The antimicrobial activity increased with exposure time; iceberg samples treated for 2min generally showed greater reductions (P<0·05) than those treated for 1min (c.1-log reduction difference for 0·3 and 0·5% treatments). Few samples showed a difference between refrigeration and abuse temperatures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the potential of lemongrass oil solutions to inactivate Salm. Newport on organic leafy greens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moore-Neibel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gerber
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ravishankar
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005516:Food Microbiology; D018545:Lactuca / Q000382:microbiology*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000382:microbiology; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019779:Salmonella enterica / Q000187:drug effects*; D018724:Spinacia oleracea / Q000382:microbiology*; D013696:Temperature; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; D013729:Terpenes; C052901:lemongrass oil