Antimicrobial Activities of Essential Oils Against Pathogenic Bacteria

The aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial effects of different essential oils: basil, thyme, oregano, mint and rosemary on some food-borne bacteria. For the majority of the studies, antimicrobials are used in food for two main reasons: to control natural spoilage processes (food preservation), and to prevent/control growth of micro-organisms, including pathogenic micro-organisms (food safety). To this end, one possibility has been the use of essential oils and the compounds found therein as alternative antimicrobial food preservatives. The future will see investigation of food applications of the naturally occurring antimicrobials, especially the effectiveness of essential oils, individually and in combination with other parts of plant extract, other effective essential oils and other food-processing techniques.