Evaluation of minimal inhibitory concentrations of essential oils

Mestrado em Engenharia Alimentar - Instituto Superior de AgronomiaEssential oils of Origanum vulgare, Salvia lavandulaefolia, Salvia officinalis, Salvia sclarea and Rosmarinus officinalis were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Yarrowia lipolytica using the microdilution method. The most promising essential oil showed to be the Origunum vulgare with an inhibition range of 0,006 to 0,352% (v/v) for the yeasts and from 0,003 to 0,011% (v/v) for the bacteria species, with no significant differences between Gram positive and negative cells. Statistical analysis demonstrated a great variability in the Origanum vulgare and Rosmarinus officinalis oils results for both bacteria and yeasts growth. Data variability was larger as the essential oil concentration increased. The Origanum vulgare essential oil demonstrated to have the most promising capacity to be applied in food models against the assayed microorganisms in a future work