Natural Preservatives for Foods

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Packaging and Preservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 12885

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Departamento de Industrias, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Interests: antibacterials; antimicrobials; microbiology; bacteria; antibacterial activity biofilm formation; antimicrobial susceptibility testing; MIC; antimicrobial activities; applied microbiology

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Guest Editor
Laboratorio de Higiene Inspección y Control de Alimentos, Departamento de Química Analítica, Nutrición y Bromatología, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
Interests: food additives and contaminants; metagenomics; gut microbiota; capillary electrophoresis; tandem mass spectrometry
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Natural preservatives can be used to produce foods with cleaner labels in response to consumer demand since their effectiveness against foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms in vitro has been well documented. However, a decrease in the inhibitory activity as a result of the interaction with other additives, ingredients and/or preservation factors is commonly observed. Furthermore, the effect of food structure on microbial growth and on the preservatives’ action must be considered. In this Special Issue of Foods, you are invited to submit recent research about the influence of food composition and/or structure on the effectiveness of natural preservatives in food models and/or food products, as well as review manuscripts dealing with state-of-the-art knowledge about this subject.

Prof. Dr. Carmen Adriana Campos
Dr. Jose M. Miranda
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • natural preservatives
  • antibacterials
  • antimicrobials
  • microbiology
  • bacteria
  • antibacterial activity

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

8 pages, 3424 KiB  
Communication
Effect of Treatment with Heated Scallop Shell Powder on the Inactivation of Naturally Existing Bacteria and Listeria monocytogenes Inoculated on Chicken Meat
by Kiuta Omura, Emi Kaibara, Sae Yamaguchi, Hana Aoyagi, Mari Nishio, Kazuhisa Tomita and Jun Sawai
Foods 2024, 13(3), 370; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13030370 - 23 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1376
Abstract
This study investigated the efficacy of heated scallop shell powder (HSSP) treatment in preserving chicken thigh meat. Chicken thigh meat was treated with HSSP slurry (1% and 5%) for 60 min, and the variation in aerobic bacteria and coliform populations was assessed during [...] Read more.
This study investigated the efficacy of heated scallop shell powder (HSSP) treatment in preserving chicken thigh meat. Chicken thigh meat was treated with HSSP slurry (1% and 5%) for 60 min, and the variation in aerobic bacteria and coliform populations was assessed during refrigerated storage (10 °C). There was a substantial increase in aerobic bacteria, reaching nearly 7 log10 colony forming unit (CFU)/g following 7 days of refrigeration, in the untreated chicken meat. Conversely, the aerobic bacterial population of the HSSP-treated chicken was <5 log10 CFU/g. Coliform growth in the untreated chicken reached over 5 log10 CFU/g following 7 days. In contrast, the coliform population of the HSSP-treated chicken did not reach 5 log10 CFU/g at 1% HSSP concentration; it was suppressed to <4 log10 CFU/g at 5% concentration. Listeria monocytogenes, which can grow at low temperatures, was inoculated into the chicken meat (5 log10 CFU/g) treated with alcohol, which was followed by HSSP. In the untreated chicken, L. monocytogenes increased to 9 log10 CFU/g even when refrigerated for 7 days. However, in the chicken treated with 5% HSSP, L. monocytogenes was suppressed to approximately 3 log10 CFU/g. These findings reveal that HSSP treatment is an effective method for disinfecting meat, inhibiting bacterial growth, and enhancing preservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Preservatives for Foods)
20 pages, 4267 KiB  
Article
Anti-Salmonella Activity of Thymus serpyllum Essential Oil in Sous Vide Cook–Chill Rabbit Meat
by Miroslava Kačániová, Natália Čmiková, Maciej Ireneusz Kluz, Boutheina Ben Akacha, Rania Ben Saad, Wissem Mnif, Bożena Waszkiewicz-Robak, Stefania Garzoli and Anis Ben Hsouna
Foods 2024, 13(2), 200; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13020200 - 8 Jan 2024
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1940
Abstract
Food is generally prepared and vacuum-sealed in a water bath, then heated to a precise temperature and circulated in a sous vide machine. Due to its affordability and ease of use, this cooking method is becoming increasingly popular in homes and food service [...] Read more.
Food is generally prepared and vacuum-sealed in a water bath, then heated to a precise temperature and circulated in a sous vide machine. Due to its affordability and ease of use, this cooking method is becoming increasingly popular in homes and food service businesses. However, suggestions from manufacturers and chefs for long-term, low-temperature sous vide cooking raise questions about food safety in the media. In this study, heat treatment with different times and wild thyme essential oil (EO) in sous vide-processed rabbit longissimus dorsi muscle were found to inactivate Salmonella enterica. The rabbit meat samples were vacuum-packed in control groups, in the second group the rabbit meat samples were injected with S. enterica, and in the third group were meat samples infected with S. enterica with Thymus serpylum EO additive. The vacuum-packed samples were cooked sous vide for the prescribed time at 55, 60, and 65 °C. At 5, 15, 30, and 60 min, the quantities of S. enterica, total bacterial counts, and coliform bacteria were measured in groups of sous vide rabbit meat. Microbiological analyses of rabbit meat samples on days 1 and 7 were evaluated. In this study, total viable counts, coliforms bacteria, and number of Salmonella spp. were identified. After incubation, isolates from different groups of microorganisms were identified by the mass spectrometry technique. For each day measured, the test group exposed to a temperature of 55 °C for 5 min had a greater number of total microbiota. The most isolated microorganisms by MALDI-TOF MS Biotyper from the control and treated groups were Lactococcus garvieae and in the treated groups also S. enterica. Based on our analysis of sous vide rabbit meat samples, we discovered that adding 1% of thyme essential oil to the mixture reduced the amount of Salmonella cells and increased the overall and coliform bacterial counts. The microbiological quality of sous vide rabbit meat that was kept for seven days was positively impacted by the addition of thyme essential oil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Preservatives for Foods)
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19 pages, 2775 KiB  
Article
An In-Depth Study on the Chemical Composition and Biological Effects of Pelargonium graveolens Essential Oil
by Miroslava Kačániová, Milena Vukic, Nenad L. Vukovic, Natália Čmiková, Andrea Verešová, Marianna Schwarzová, Mária Babošová, Jana Ivanič Porhajašová, Maciej Kluz, Bożena Waszkiewicz-Robak, Anis Ben Hsouna, Rania Ben Saad and Stefania Garzoli
Foods 2024, 13(1), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13010033 - 21 Dec 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2030
Abstract
The essential oil of Pelargonium graveolens (PGEO) is identified in the literature as a rich source of bioactive compounds with a high level of biological activity. This study aimed to examine the chemical profile of PGEO as well as its antioxidant, antibacterial, antibiofilm, [...] Read more.
The essential oil of Pelargonium graveolens (PGEO) is identified in the literature as a rich source of bioactive compounds with a high level of biological activity. This study aimed to examine the chemical profile of PGEO as well as its antioxidant, antibacterial, antibiofilm, and insecticidal properties. Its chemical composition was analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), achieving comprehensive identification of 99.2% of volatile compounds. The predominant identified compounds were β-citronellol (29.7%) and geraniol (14.6%). PGEO’s antioxidant potential was determined by means of DPPH radical and ABTS radical cation neutralization. The results indicate a higher capacity of PGEO to neutralize the ABTS radical cation, with an IC50 value of 0.26 ± 0.02 mg/mL. Two techniques were used to assess antimicrobial activity: minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and disk diffusion. Antimicrobial evaluation using the disk diffusion method revealed that Salmonella enterica (14.33 ± 0.58 mm), which forms biofilms, and Priestia megaterium (14.67 ± 0.58 mm) were most susceptible to exposure to PGEO. The MIC assay demonstrated the highest performance of this EO against biofilm-forming S. enterica (MIC 50 0.57 ± 0.006; MIC 90 0.169 ± 0.08 mg/mL). In contrast to contact application, the assessment of the in situ vapor phase antibacterial activity of PGEO revealed significantly more potent effects. An analysis of antibiofilm activity using MALDI-TOF MS demonstrated PGEO’s capacity to disrupt the biofilm homeostasis of S. enterica growing on plastic and stainless steel. Additionally, insecticidal evaluations indicated that treatment with PGEO at doses of 100% and 50% resulted in the complete mortality of all Harmonia axyridis individuals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Preservatives for Foods)
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14 pages, 1137 KiB  
Article
Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils in Vapor Phase In Vitro and Its Application in Combination with Lactic Acid to Improve Chicken Breast Shelf Life
by Jovany Fortino Rivera de la Cruz, Laura Inés Schelegueda, Sofía Belén Delcarlo, María Fernanda Gliemmo and Carmen Adriana Campos
Foods 2023, 12(22), 4127; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12224127 - 14 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1123
Abstract
The effect of essential oils (EOs) incorporated in their vapor phase combined with lactic acid immersion pretreatment was studied on fresh refrigerated chicken breast shelf life. Among the several EOs assayed, the in vitro results obtained from the vapor diffusion test allowed mustard, [...] Read more.
The effect of essential oils (EOs) incorporated in their vapor phase combined with lactic acid immersion pretreatment was studied on fresh refrigerated chicken breast shelf life. Among the several EOs assayed, the in vitro results obtained from the vapor diffusion test allowed mustard, oregano, and garlic EOs to be selected due to their higher antimicrobial activity. In addition, it was possible to determine the EO minimum inhibitory concentrations against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli and to identify EO binary mixtures showing synergistic or additive effects. Based on the obtained results, a ternary mixture constituted by 0.073, 0.292, and 0.146 µL/mL of headspace of mustard, oregano, and garlic, respectively, was proposed for its application to chicken breasts. The ternary mixture inhibitory action was confirmed in vitro against P. aeruginosa and E. coli. Furthermore, the presence of numerous compounds with recognized antimicrobial and antioxidant activity was found in its volatile phase through gas chromatography. When applying an EO mixture in its vapor phase in combination with 1.0% v/v of lactic acid immersion pretreatment on refrigerated chicken breast, a decrease in mesophilic microorganisms’ growth rate as well as in lipid oxidation was observed. Moreover, in a preliminary sensory test, the treated chicken breast was found to be acceptable to consumers and showed no significant differences compared to untreated chicken. In conclusion, the combined use of lactic acid immersion and EOs in their vapor phase was an effective alternative to increase chicken breast shelf life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Preservatives for Foods)
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15 pages, 651 KiB  
Article
Phytochemical Constituents, Antimicrobial Properties and Bioactivity of Marine Red Seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) and Seagrass (Cymodocea serrulata)
by Deep Das, Abimannan Arulkumar, Sadayan Paramasivam, Aroa Lopez-Santamarina, Alicia del Carmen Mondragon and Jose Manuel Miranda Lopez
Foods 2023, 12(14), 2811; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12142811 - 24 Jul 2023
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4199
Abstract
The present work was performed to evaluate the levels of phytochemical constituents and the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of marine red seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) and seagrass (Cymodocea serrulata). Quantitative phytochemical analysis, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity against five potential [...] Read more.
The present work was performed to evaluate the levels of phytochemical constituents and the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of marine red seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) and seagrass (Cymodocea serrulata). Quantitative phytochemical analysis, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity against five potential pathogenic bacteria was investigated. In each case, we found the presence of flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, glycosides, steroids, carbohydrates and ashes. Alkaloids were only found in K. alvarezii, though they were not found in C. serrulata. The antimicrobial properties of both K. alvarezii and C. serrulata chloroform extracts were found to be antagonistically effective against the Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and the Gram-negative bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio harveyi and Klebsiella pneumoniae. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 94 bioactive compounds in K. alvarezii and 104 bioactive compounds in C. serrulata, including phenol, decane, dodecane, hexadecane, vanillin, heptadecane, diphenylamine, benzophenone, octadecanoic acid, dotriaconate, benzene, phytol, butanoic acid and 2-hydroxyl-ethyl ether, which all played important roles in antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Thus, in view of the results, both K. alvarezii and C. serrulata could be considered to be sources of ingredients with appreciable nutritional and medicinal value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Preservatives for Foods)
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12 pages, 295 KiB  
Article
Enhancement of Lipid Stability of Frozen Fish by Octopus-Waste Glazing
by Lucía Méndez, Bin Zhang and Santiago P. Aubourg
Foods 2023, 12(12), 2298; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12122298 - 7 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1391
Abstract
The antioxidant properties of the liquor resulting from commercial octopus cooking were analysed for this study. Two different concentrations of octopus-cooking liquor (OCL) were tested as glazing systems during the frozen storage period (−18 °C for up to 6 months) of whole Atlantic [...] Read more.
The antioxidant properties of the liquor resulting from commercial octopus cooking were analysed for this study. Two different concentrations of octopus-cooking liquor (OCL) were tested as glazing systems during the frozen storage period (−18 °C for up to 6 months) of whole Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus). Compared to water-control glazing samples, an inhibitory effect (p < 0.05) on lipid oxidation development (the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and fluorescent compounds) was detected in frozen fish treated with the most concentrated OCL-glazing system. Additionally, a preservative effect (p < 0.05) on polyunsaturated fatty acids (measurement of polyene index) was also proved. However, no effect (p > 0.05) on the free fatty acid content and on the ω3/ω6 ratio was detected with the presence of the OCL in the glazing system. An increased lipid quality in frozen horse mackerel was established by including the OCL solution in the glazing system. According to previous research, the observed preserving properties were explained on the basis of the presence of antioxidant compounds in the cooking liquor. A novel and valuable combination of glazing processing and the employment of a marine waste substrate is proposed to enhance the lipid stability of frozen fish. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Preservatives for Foods)
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