*2.3. Determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)*

For the determination of MIC values, the EOs and their components were diluted in liquid culture medium (TSB) in combination with Tween 40 (1%). At the concentration used, Tween 40 had no effect on the viability of the investigated bacteria.

One hundred microliters of 24 h-old cell suspension (10<sup>6</sup> CFU/mL) of each bacterium in liquid culture medium was added to each well of a 96-well microtiter plate, followed by 100 μL of the diluted EO or its major component. Positive controls contained the inoculated growth medium without any EOs or components, and negative controls contained EOs or components in sterile medium. After 24 h of incubation at the appropriate temperature (37 ◦C for *E. coli*, *L. monocytogenes,* and *S. aureus* and 30 ◦C for *P. putida*), absorbance was measured at 600 nm (SPECTROstar Nano Spectrophotometer; BMG Labtech, Offenburg, Germany). Absorbance lower than 10% of the positive control samples, i.e., growth inhibition of 90% or more, was considered as the MIC value. Measurements were performed in triplicate.
