title: Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils from Artemisia herba-alba Asso., Pelargonium capitatum × radens and Laurus nobilis L.
abstract: Essential oils are natural antimicrobials that have the potential to provide a safer alternative to synthetic antimicrobials currently used in the food industry. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oils from white wormwood, rose-scented geranium and bay laurel againstSalmonella typhimuriumandEscherichia coliO157:H7 on fresh produce and to examine consumer acceptability of fresh produce treated with these essential oils. Our results showed that essential oil derived from rose-scented geranium exhibited the most effective antimicrobial activity at the same and similar minimum inhibition concentration levels (0.4%,v/vand 0.4% and 0.5%,v/v) respectively againstSalmonella typhimuriumandEscherichia coliO157:H7. All three essential oils showed antioxidant properties, with the highest activity occurring in bay laurel essential oil. In a sensory test, tomatoes, cantaloupe and spinach sprayed with 0.4% rose-scented geranium essential oil received higher scores by panelists. In conclusion, rose-scented geranium essential oil could be developed into a natural antimicrobial to prevent contamination ofSalmonella typhimuriumandEscherichia coliO157:H7 in fresh produce, plus this oil would provide additional health benefits due to the antioxidant properties of its residue.
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutritional Sciences, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA. rrafiq@aggies.ncat.edu.
authors.forename: Ragina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rafiq
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutritional Sciences, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA. safesaeed@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Saeed A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hayek
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutritional Sciences, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA. ucanyanw@aggies.ncat.edu.
authors.forename: Ugochukwu
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Anyanwu
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutritional Sciences, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA. bimilfor@ncat.edu.
authors.forename: Bonita I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutritional Sciences, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA. vlgiddin@ncat.edu.
authors.forename: Valerie L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Giddings
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutritional Sciences, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA. ibrah001@ncat.edu.
authors.forename: Salam A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutritional Sciences, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA. rtahergo@ncat.edu.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tahergorabi
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutritional Sciences, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA. hkang@ncat.edu.
authors.forename: Hye Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kang
keywords: antibacterial activities; antioxidant properties; bay laurel; rose geranium; white wormwood