Abstract
This study utilized pomelo steam distillation to isolate pomelo peel essential oil. The constituents were then analyzed through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and the antibacterial activity of the essential oil emulsions at different homogenizer speed conditions and concentrations of water-soluble chitosan (degree of acetylation, DA = 54.8%) against S. aureus and E. coli was examined. Analysis of the essential oil composition identified a total of 33 compounds with the main constituent, limonene accounting for 87.5% (940.07 mg/g) of the total. The pomelo peel oil was emulsified through homogenization at 24,000 rpm, resulting in a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for E. coli that was 1.9 times lower than that of the essential oil without homogenization. In addition, a mixture of 0.4% essential oil emulsion and 0.03% water-soluble chitosan had the strongest synergetic antibacterial effect on S. aureus and E. coli at pH 7.4. In comparison with chitosan alone, the MIC value of this mixture was significantly 2.4 and 2.5 times lower. Hence, this study suggests using a mixture of emulsified pomelo peel oil and water-soluble chitosan to develop a novel natural food preservative, and that the processability of food, as well as the economic value of the byproducts of the Taiwan Matou pomelo and chitosan, could be increased.
Highlights
IntroductionFood safety is closely related to public health, a topic that has gained increasing attention
Food safety is closely related to public health, a topic that has gained increasing attention.According to current knowledge, ingesting food contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, may increase health risks
The results showed that the antibacterial effect of water-soluble chitosan on S. aureus and E. coli increased with the concentration of chitosan
Summary
Food safety is closely related to public health, a topic that has gained increasing attention. According to current knowledge, ingesting food contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, may increase health risks. To prevent food from being contaminated by microorganisms, chemosynthetic preservatives are prevalent in the food industry [1]. As consumers have become more aware of food safety issues, the demand for food free of chemical preservatives has gradually grown. The development of a natural and safe antimicrobial agent has become more important. Citrus grandis Osbeck, known as pomelo, is a popular seasonal fruit in Taiwan. It is regularly consumed in Asian countries as a whole fruit, juice, or preserved snack [2]. The annual yield of Molecules 2018, 23, 840; doi:10.3390/molecules23040840 www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules
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