The effect of essential oils and cinnamaldehyde on the inactivation of Salmonella Enteritidis in liquid egg products: comparison to synthetic additives

Abstract

This work explores the effect of the addition of rosemary, cinnamon bark and thyme essential oils (EOs) and one of their main active compounds cinnamaldehyde (CNM) on the inactivation of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis in liquid whole egg (LWE), liquid egg white (LEW) and liquid egg yolk (LEY) stored at 4 °C. The method is proposed as an alternative to the use of synthetic additives (sorbic acid and sodium benzoate). The growth/survival of S. Enteritidis was studied by quantitative and presence/absence tests. The cinnamon bark EO showed the strongest antimicrobial activity among all the EOs tested in the egg derivatives; however, its effectiveness was higher in LEW than in LWE and LEY. The antibacterial action of the cinnamon bark oil was attributed mainly to its high content of CNM. Concentrations of 1,000 and 6,000 ppm of CNM were enough to reduce a S. Enteritidis population of 106 CFU ml−1 to undetectable levels in LEW and LWE, respectively. CNM addition did not significantly affect the pH or oBrix of egg products, but the smell and colour of cinnamon were perceptible.