Effect of caraway, basil, and oregano extracts and their binary mixtures on fungi in growth medium and on shredded cabbage

Abstract

In this study the effect of individual and binary mixtures of caraway, oregano and basil extracts on the growth of Cladosporium cladosporioides, Aspergillus wentii, Eurotium herbariorum, Penicillium aurantiogriseum and Fusarium verticillioides isolated from food was investigated. Caraway extract at a concentration of 0.70 mL/100 mL and basil extract at a concentration of 1.5 mL/100 mL were fungicidal (MFC) to C. cladosporioides, A. wentii, E. herbariorum and F. verticillioides, and inhibitory (MIC) to P. aurantiogriseum. Oregano extract at a concentration of 2.5 mL/100 mL showed minimal fungicidal effects (MFC) on the growth of C. cladosporioides, A. wentii, E. herbariorum and P. aurantiogriseum and partially inhibited the growth of F. verticillioides. Binary mixtures of extracts showed stronger inhibitory effects on the tested fungi in comparison to the individual extracts. Some of the tested mixtures exhibited synergistic effect on the inhibition of C. cladosporioides, A. wentii, E. herbariorum, and F. verticillioides growth with the FICindex of 0.70–0.97.The addition of binary mixtures of caraway and basil in the shredded cabbage inoculated with C. cladosporioides and P. aurantiogriseum reduced the initial fungal contamination.