Antibacterial Effect of Origanum majorana L. (Marjoram) and Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Rosemary) Essential Oils on Food Borne Pathogens Isolated from Raw Minced Meat in Egypt

Abstract

2 Abstract: Bacterial activity is a primary mode of deterioration of many foods and is often responsible for the loss of quality and safety of these foods. In this study, a total of 100 raw refrigerated minced meat samples were collected from retail stores in Egypt and examined for the presence of food borne microorganisms. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was determined using the disc diffusion assay. Alarming level of resistance was observed to some tested antibiotics reflecting multi-drug resistant strains. The dominant type of resistance was detected to amoxiclav (amoxicillin / clavulanic acid). The effect of Origanum majorana L. (marjoram) and Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) essential oils in comparison to erythromycin on the growth of Salmonella, E. coli, Shigella, Citrobacter, Proteus and Pseudomonas species isolates was investigated. All the isolates were susceptible to marjoram essential oil. Salmonella was the most sensitive strain tested to the antibacterial action of marjoram essential oil. Finally, marjoram essential oil can play an important role as antimicrobial agent in refrigerated minced meat and potentially it might be used as a natural preservative ingredient for longer periods without the need to use hazardous preservatives in food industry.