Aromatic and spice plants: uses in food safety

 

 

Sylvia Gaysinsky and Jochen Weiss^*

Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Chenoweth Laboratory, Amherst, MA, USA

 

 

Abstract

This review article examines the use and ability of herbs and spices and their extracts to improve the safety of food products. A brief review of the nature of food antimicrobials is given, the chemical nature of the key antimicrobial constituents of herb and spice plants is discussed and their antimicrobial activity with respect to key foodborne pathogens is reviewed. An overview of the suggested mechanisms of action of antimicrobials and in particular spice and herb essential oil extracts is also given. Critical limitations in the applicability of naturally-occurring antimicrobials from these plants are highlighted, and emerging methodologies for improving the activity of these compounds in food including emulsions, microemulsions and liposomes are addressed. The article concludes with research challenges that have to be met prior to a more widespread use of herb and spice essences as novel preservation systems.

 

Keywords: antimicrobials; essential oils; phytophenols; inhibition; secondary metabolites; spices

 

Stewart Postharvest Review 2007, 4:5

Published online 01 August 2007

doi: 10.2212/spr.2007.4.5