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Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Natural Compounds

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2020) | Viewed by 23204

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Leonor Faleiro

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Guest Editor

Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e Bioengenharia, Centro de Investigação em Biomedicina (ABC-RI), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Interests: bacterial pathogens; host-pathogen interactions; antimicrobial; food safety
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Maria da Graça Costa G. Miguel

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Guest Editor

Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Interests: bee products; medicinal plants; essential oils; anthocyanins
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The diversity of natural compounds at our disposal is enormous, and their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities are largely recognized. The antimicrobial action of natural compounds (preventing and limiting microbial growth) and their antioxidant properties (reducing the oxidation of fats and limiting the ripening and browning of fruit and vegetables after harvesting) have been intensively investigated during the last decades, particularly in the food packaging sector, evidencing that they may represent an effective eco-friendly approach to enhance the safety and quality of food products, without an environmental deleterious impact.

In the group of natural products and secondary metabolites that have been used for food preservation in virtue of their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties are included phenolic compounds (e.g., flavonoids, tannins, floroglucinols), essential oils (e.g., carvacrol, eugenol, thymol, 1,8-cineole), organic acids (e.g., lactic acid, acetic acid), bacteriocins (e.g., nisin, lactocin S, pediocins), lysozyme, lactoferrin, etc.

The use of these natural products in combination with nanobiotechnology will greatly contribute to food quality and safety. This Special Issue focuses on the identification of new natural products, new methods for the determination of both antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, incorporation of natural products in matrixes at the nano level to guarantee effective activities.

Original research manuscripts, methods, reviews, mini reviews, and opinions are welcome.

Prof. Maria Leonor Faleiro
Prof. Maria da Graça Costa Miguel
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Natural products
Phenolic Compounds
Essential oils
Organic acids
Bacteriocins
Antimicrobial activity
Antioxidant activity
Food safety
Food quality
Resistance

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 182 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Natural Compounds: Enhance the Safety and Quality of Food

by Maria Leonor Faleiro and Graça Miguel

Foods 2020, 9(9), 1145; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods9091145 - 20 Aug 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1853

Abstract

Nature has offered us a tremendous diversity of natural compounds, for which antimicrobial and antioxidant properties have been intensively explored and nowadays are plenty recognized [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Natural Compounds)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

11 pages, 1230 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Antifungal and Antibacterial Effect of Propolis: A Comparative Hit for Food-Borne Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae and Fungi

by Leonardo Petruzzi, Maria Rosaria Corbo, Daniela Campaniello, Barbara Speranza, Milena Sinigaglia and Antonio Bevilacqua

Foods 2020, 9(5), 559; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods9050559 - 02 May 2020

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 4006

Abstract

Propolis is a natural brownish resinous substance collected by honeybees (Apis mellifera), with a documented bioactivity against many microorganisms. In this study, the activity of propolis was investigated using some strains of Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus plantarum, yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Debaryomyces hansenii) and Fusarium oxysporum. Two approaches were used (a modified microdilution protocol and viable count), and the microorganisms were inoculated at two levels (low or high inoculum). The antimicrobial effect of propolis relies upon several factors, like the kind of microorganisms (for example S. cerevisiae was more resistant than D. hansenii, while Lactobacillus plantarum was never affected), the cell concentration (at high inoculum higher amounts of propolis were required for an antimicrobial action), and the mode of action (a delay of growth rather than a complete inhibition). The results of this paper point out, for the first time, the antimicrobial activity of propolis against some spoilers, with a focus on the possible effect; thus, they could be the background to designing an effective tool to prolong the shelf life of foods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Natural Compounds)

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Graphical abstract

15 pages, 1258 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Effect of the Common Culinary Herb Winter Savory (Satureja montana) against the Infamous Food Pathogen Campylobacter jejuni

by Katarina Šimunović, Franz Bucar, Anja Klančnik, Francesco Pompei, Antonello Paparella and Sonja Smole Možina

Foods 2020, 9(4), 537; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods9040537 - 24 Apr 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4316

Abstract

The culinary herb Satureja montana, known as winter savory, is an ingredient of traditional dishes known in different parts of the world. As an ingredient of foods it has the potential to improve their safety. In this study, the herb’s activity was investigated against Campylobacter jejuni, the leading cause of the most prevalent bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. The ethanolic extract and essential oil of the herb were chemically characterized and six pure compounds—carvacrol, thymol, thymoquinone, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, and rosmarinic acid—were chosen for further analysis. The antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extract (MIC 250 mg/L) was 4-fold higher compared to the essential oil. Carvacrol, thymol and thymoquinone had the strongest antimicrobial effect (MIC 31.25 mg/L) and a strong synergistic activity between carvacrol and thymol was determined (FICi 0.2). Strong inhibitory effect on C. jejuni efflux pumps (2-fold inhibition) and disruption of membrane integrity (> 80% disruption) of the herb were determined as modes of action. For resistance against the herb, C. jejuni need efflux pumps, although increased resistance against this herb does not co-occur with increased efflux pump activity, as for antibiotics. This study shows the potential of a common culinary herb for the reduction of the food pathogen C. jejuni without increasing resistance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Natural Compounds)

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Graphical abstract

19 pages, 4750 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) Essential Oil for Its Application in Foods

by Miroslava Kačániová, Lucia Galovičová, Eva Ivanišová, Nenad L. Vukovic, Jana Štefániková, Veronika Valková, Petra Borotová, Jana Žiarovská, Margarita Terentjeva, Soňa Felšöciová and Eva Tvrdá

Foods 2020, 9(3), 282; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods9030282 - 04 Mar 2020

Cited by 81 | Viewed by 8421

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the chemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of the Coriandrum sativum essential oil. Changes in the biofilm profile of Stenotropomonas maltophilia and Bacillus subtilis were studied using MALDI-TOF MS Biotyper on glass and wooden surfaces. The molecular differences of biofilms in different days were observed as well. The major volatile compounds of the coriander essential oil in the present study were β-linalool 66.07%. Coriander essential oil radical scavenging activity was 51.05% of inhibition. Coriander essential oil expressed the strongest antibacterial activity against B. subtilis followed by S. maltophilia and Penicillium expansum. The strongest antibiofilm activity of the coriander essential oil was found against S. maltophilia. A clearly differentiated branch was obtained for early growth variants of S. maltophilia in case of planktonic cells and all experimental groups and time span can be reported for the grouping pattern of B. subtilis preferentially when comparing to the media matrix, but without clear differences among variants. The results indicate that coriander was effective against the tested Penicillium expansum in the vapor phase after 14 days with MID₅₀ 367.19 and MID₉₀ 445.92 µL/L of air. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Natural Compounds)

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15 pages, 1402 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Nanocoatings Enriched with Essential Oils on ‘Rocha’ Pear Long Storage

by Custódia Gago, Rui Antão, Cristino Dores, Adriana Guerreiro, Maria Graça Miguel, Maria Leonor Faleiro, Ana Cristina Figueiredo and Maria Dulce Antunes

Foods 2020, 9(2), 240; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods9020240 - 24 Feb 2020

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3997

Abstract

The effect of coating ‘Rocha’ pears with alginate-based nanoemulsions enriched with lemongrass essential oil (LG) or citral (Cit) was investigated. Fruit were treated with the nanoemulsions: sodium alginate 2% (w/w) + citral 1% (w/w) (Cit1%); sodium alginate 2% (w/w) + citral 2% (w/w) (Cit2%); sodium alginate 2% (w/w) + lemongrass 1.25% (w/w) (LG1.25%); sodium alginate 2% (w/w) + lemongrass 2.5% (w/w) (LG2.5%). Then, fruit were stored at 0 °C and at 95% relative humidity, for six months. Fruit samples were taken after two, four and six months, and then placed at 22 °C. Upon removal and after 7 d shelf-life, fruit were evaluated for colour CIE (L*, h◦), firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), weight loss, electrolytic leakage, microbial growth, symptoms of superficial scald and internal browning. All nanoemulsions had droplets in the nano range <500 nm, showed uniformity of particle size and stable dispersion. Cit-nanoemulsions had lower droplet size and higher stability than LG. No nanoemulsion showed cytotoxicity. Coatings reduced fruit colour evolution and preserved better firmness than control. After shelf-life, better firmness was found in LG-coated fruit. Coatings did not affect SSC and TA. Microbial growth was below the safety limits in all treatments. Fruit treated with LG-nanoemulsions did not show scald symptoms and panelists preferred LG1.25% coated fruit. Cit2% treated fruit showed the highest scald and internal browning symptoms, while LG1.25% did not show any disorders. This study suggests that LG-nanocoatings have the potential for preserving the quality of ‘Rocha’ pear. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Natural Compounds)

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