Disclosing the Functional Potency of Three Oxygenated Monoterpenes in Combating Microbial Pathogenesis: From Targeting Virulence Factors to Chicken Meat Preservation

Akermi, Sarra; Chaari, Moufida; Elhadef, Khaoula; Fourati, Mariam; Chakchouk Mtibaa, Ahlem; Agriopoulou, Sofia; Smaoui, Slim; Mellouli, Lotfi

doi:10.3390/foods13060965

Open AccessArticle

Disclosing the Functional Potency of Three Oxygenated Monoterpenes in Combating Microbial Pathogenesis: From Targeting Virulence Factors to Chicken Meat Preservation

by

Sarra Akermi

¹,

Moufida Chaari

^1,†

,

Khaoula Elhadef

^1,†,

Mariam Fourati

¹,

Ahlem Chakchouk Mtibaa

¹,

Sofia Agriopoulou

²

,

Slim Smaoui

^1,*

and

Lotfi Mellouli

¹

Laboratory of Microbial and Enzymatic Biotechnologies and Biomolecules, Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Road of Sidi Mansour Km 6, P.O. Box 1177, Sfax 3018, Tunisia

²

Department of Food Science and Technology, University of the Peloponnese, Antikalamos, 24100 Kalamata, Greece

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Foods 2024, 13(6), 965; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13060965

Submission received: 28 February 2024 / Revised: 18 March 2024 / Accepted: 19 March 2024 / Published: 21 March 2024

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Natural-Derived Preservative Systems and Formulations for Food Application)

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Abstract

During the last few decades, there has existed an increased interest in and considerable consumer preference towards using natural and safe compounds derived from medicinal plants as alternatives to synthetic preservatives to combat microbial pathogenicity. In this regard, the present study investigated the possible synergistic interactions of the anti-foodborne bacterial capacity of linalool (L), eucalyptol (E), and camphor (C). The antibacterial synergistic effect was determined against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, and Escherichia coli. The optimal predicted mixture showed the highest antibacterial activity at 33.5%, 33.2%, and 33.4% of L, E, and C, respectively. Molecular docking simulations displayed that the studied monoterpenes have effective antibacterial inhibitory effects by impeding specific virulence factors such as sortase A, listeriolysin O, L, D-Transpeptidase, and polyphosphate kinase. The selected triple combination of L, E, and C was applied as a natural preservative in minced chicken breast meat. In this regard, 1 MIC (16 µg/mL), 1.5 MIC (24 µg/mL), and 2 MIC (32 µg/mL) of L. monocytogenes were used, and the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory analyses were monitored for 14 days of storage at 4 °C. The L/E/C mixture at different levels could delay lipid and protein oxidation, inhibit the microorganisms, and maintain the sensory attributes. Additionally, by using chemometric tools, strong connections between physicochemical properties, microbiological parameters, and organoleptic attributes were established. Concisely, this research confers the importance of the use of blended monoterpenes and highlights their antibacterial mode of action, effectiveness, and synergistic effects as a powerful and safe bio-preservative formulation in chicken meat products.

Keywords: oxygenated monoterpenes; mixture design; molecular docking; virulence factors; bio-preservation; chemometric analysis

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MDPI and ACS Style

Akermi, S.; Chaari, M.; Elhadef, K.; Fourati, M.; Chakchouk Mtibaa, A.; Agriopoulou, S.; Smaoui, S.; Mellouli, L. Disclosing the Functional Potency of Three Oxygenated Monoterpenes in Combating Microbial Pathogenesis: From Targeting Virulence Factors to Chicken Meat Preservation. Foods 2024, 13, 965. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13060965

AMA Style

Akermi S, Chaari M, Elhadef K, Fourati M, Chakchouk Mtibaa A, Agriopoulou S, Smaoui S, Mellouli L. Disclosing the Functional Potency of Three Oxygenated Monoterpenes in Combating Microbial Pathogenesis: From Targeting Virulence Factors to Chicken Meat Preservation. Foods. 2024; 13(6):965. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13060965

Chicago/Turabian Style

Akermi, Sarra, Moufida Chaari, Khaoula Elhadef, Mariam Fourati, Ahlem Chakchouk Mtibaa, Sofia Agriopoulou, Slim Smaoui, and Lotfi Mellouli. 2024. "Disclosing the Functional Potency of Three Oxygenated Monoterpenes in Combating Microbial Pathogenesis: From Targeting Virulence Factors to Chicken Meat Preservation" Foods 13, no. 6: 965. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13060965

APA Style

Akermi, S., Chaari, M., Elhadef, K., Fourati, M., Chakchouk Mtibaa, A., Agriopoulou, S., Smaoui, S., & Mellouli, L. (2024). Disclosing the Functional Potency of Three Oxygenated Monoterpenes in Combating Microbial Pathogenesis: From Targeting Virulence Factors to Chicken Meat Preservation. Foods, 13(6), 965. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13060965

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Disclosing the Functional Potency of Three Oxygenated Monoterpenes in Combating Microbial Pathogenesis: From Targeting Virulence Factors to Chicken Meat Preservation

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