Antimicrobial activity of essential oils on Sallmonela spp. in meat and meat products

Abstract

The burden of diseases caused by food-borne pathogens remains one of the main health, but also economic concern. In spite of improvement in production techniques, hygiene and control measures made by food industry during recent years, Salmonella spp. together with some others bacteria present a cause of millions episodes of illness annually, from which some of these episodes results in death. One of the most important causes for this outcome is the overuse of antibiotic drugs in human and in veterinary medicine as well. This kind of practice has led to phenomenon of bacterial resistance and need for new antimicrobial agents. One of such possibilities is use of essential oils, oily, low molecular weight liquid, rarely colored, which are lipid soluble and soluble in organic solvents. They are obtained from plant material by different methods. Essential oils exhibit antibacterial activity against many pathogens including Salmonella spp., but at different degrees which is determined by type of essential oils and their composition. The active compounds can be divided into four groups according to their chemical structure: terpenes, terpenoids, phenylpropenes, and 'others." Chemical composition of essential oils is different and depends on type of climate, soil composition, age and vegetative cycle stage of plant. Health issues associated with meat are also caused by using of salt, which is why reducing salt intake present new trend in meat industry, but at the same time result in problem of spoilage microbiota grow. Essential oils inhibit spoilage microorganisms extend meat shelf life and have antioxidant role, on which way their use improve quality of meat products. But their application in meat and meat products, depending on type of essential oil and used concentration may affect organoleptic properties of products which are why researchers consistently experimenting with these substances, working to develop new and better methods for the application of essential oils, primarily to improve the production of antimicrobial packaging and possibilities of nanoencapsulation of essential oils. Because of possible side effects, for essential oils to be register as new additives, it is necessary to conduct toxicological and metabolic studies which should ensure that the test substances do not present a risk to human health.

Uprkos napretku koji je industrija mesa ostvarila na polju higijene i kontrole, Salmonella spp. i dalje predstavljaju jedne od najčešćih patogena prenosivih hranom. Zbog sve učestalije pojave bakterijske rezistentcije, kao i tendencije smanjenja upotrebe soli i hemijskih aditiva javlja se potreba za novim antimikrobnim sredstvima koji istovremeno zadovoljavaju potrebe i težnje potrošača za upotrebom prirodnih supstanci. Jedna od mogućnosti je aplikacija etarskih ulja koja predstavljaju smešu aromatičnih i lako isparljivih jedinjenja male molekulske mase, koje se rastvaraju u lipidima i organskim rastvaračima a ekstrahuju se iz biljnih organa različitim metodama. Hemijski sastav etarskih ulja utiče na antimikrobne osobine i varira u zavisnosti od geografskog porekla biljke, sastava zemljišta i faze razvoja biljke. Mnogobrojana istraživanja, koja su zasnovana na različitim načinima aplikacije etarskih ulja u meso i proizvode od mesa, sprovedena su u cilju stvaranja bezbednijeg i kvalitetnijeg proizvoda.