Modern consumers require the food to be safer and stored for longer simultaneously. People also became aware of artificial or synthetic preservatives used to improve the quality of products and try to avoid them. These factors let the producers and distributors explore how to apply natural antimicrobials in extending their goods’ freshness with the raw materials. Mahmud and Khan chose the most common, naturally produced antimicrobials, and described their usage in different food categories to reveal the advantages of the natural-based approach above the artificial one (Mahmud & Khan, 2018). These natural compounds are essential oils like ginger, oregano, sage, spices, and herbs like cinnamon, basil, and bacteriocins, such as Lactobacillus, Carnobacterium, and Leuconostoc. Mahmud and Khan (2018) state that “natural antimicrobials have several mechanisms of action to slow down the oxidation reactions such as the prohibition of chain initiation and continued hydrogen abstraction, free radical scavengers, termination of peroxides, quenchers of singlet oxygen formation and binding of transition metal ion catalysts” (p. 897). These qualities make the antimicrobials capable of keeping the food fresh and safe to consume for more extended periods.
Essential oils, spices, herbs, and bacteriocins work as natural antioxidants for fats in foods and prevent its components from losing the nutritional value. For example, the raw antimicrobials’ acids extend shelf life for meat and preserve fish from its spoilage bacteria Photobacterium phosphorus (Mahmud & Khan, 2018). Fruits, vegetables, and cereals also require preservation, and natural antimicrobial compounds implementation is the safest technique to use. Mahmud and Khan (2018) state that for fresh fruits, “lemongrass and cinnamon EOs (0.7%), citral (0.5%), and cinnamaldehyde (0.5%) were the most effective antimicrobials” (p. 909). Natural antimicrobials contain active compounds like citral, eugenol, and cinnamaldehyde that are safe to be used, but their intense smell and toxicity issues limit their food preservation application. Scientists now work on overcoming these obstacles by implementing the compounds’ encapsulation and combining multiple antimicrobials to optimize the aroma level (Mahmud & Khan, 2018). Essential oils, herbs, spices, and bacteriocins have been successfully applied to extend the food longevity since ancient times, and modern technologies can utilize the natural products preservation even with the increased demand.
Reference
Mahmud, J., & Khan, R. A. (2018). Characterization of natural antimicrobials in food system. Advances in Microbiology, 8(11), 894-916. Web.