Vol. 11, Special Issue 6 (2022)

Author(s):
Vivek Shukla, SK Mendiratta, RJ Zende and Shekhar Badhe

Abstract:
The growing concern about the harmful effects of synthetic preservatives and rising stringency on the use of natural preservatives, is compelling the scientist to search for natural methods of preservation of meat products. The consumers are desperate for products preserved by natural preservatives with effective antimicrobial characteristics against food borne microbes. The present study evaluated the in vitro-antimicrobial efficacy of clove and oregano essential oils against selected foodborne microbes and their comparison against selected antibiotics. GC-MS analysis of essential oils revealed the carvacrol and eugenol as the principal component of the oregano and clove essential oil, respectively. The in-vitro antimicrobial activity of essential oils and their comparison with antibiotics, MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) and MBC (Minimum Bactericidal Concentration), revealed that oregano essential oil had significantly higher (P<0.05) antimicrobial activity than clove essential oil and was as effective as antibiotics against selected foodborne microorganisms. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most resistant to essential oils among the selected microbes, whereas clove essential oil was utterly ineffective against it. The results indicated that both essential oils have colossal scope for utilization as natural preservative for meat and meat products.