Spice Essential Oils Research Articles

Zeytinyağının Bazı Fiziko-Kimyasal Özellikleri Üzerine, Ticari Antioksidan ve Esansiyel Yağ Bileşenlerinin Etkilerinin Belirlenmesi

Bu çalışmada, 60oC de birkaç baharat esansiyel yağının ve bazı bileşenlerin % 0.1 seviyesinde, zeytinyağının oksidatif stabilitesi üzerindeki antioksidan aktivitesi belirlenmiştir. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, zeytinyağına farklı ilaveler ile yağın serbest yağ asitliği değerleri, birinci haftadan dördüncü haftaya kadar sırasıyla % 1.61-2.01, % 1.81-2.17, % 1.67-2.23, %1.79-2.62 arasında değişmiştir. Peroksit sayısı değerleri, birinci haftadan dördüncü haftaya kadar sırasıyla 11.98-15.10 meq O2/kg, 15.48-19.64 meq O2/kg, 18.22-27.50 meq O2/kg, 18.70-39.60 meq O2/kg arasında değişmiştir. Viskozite değerleri, 39.90-55.45 m.Pas, 53.35-59.60 m.Pas, 33.10-54.70 m.Pas, 34.00-50.80 m.Pas arasında değişmiştir. Araştırmanın ilk haftasında yağın peroksit değerleri 11.98 meq O2 / kg ile 15.10 meq O2 / kg (p <0.05) arasında değişmiştir. En zayıf etki, sater yağında belirlenmiştir. Thujene en yüksek antioksidan etkiyi göstermiş olup, ardından okaliptol, ocimene, mersin beyazı, BHA (bütillenmiş hidroksianisol) ve rezene izlemiştir. Zeytinyağlarının yağ asidi bileşimleri, esansansiyal yağlardan (% 0.1) ve buna karşılık gelen bazı bileşenlerden (% 0.01) kısmen etkilenmiştir. Zeytin yağının toplam yağ asidi miktarı % 96,86 ile% 99,99 arasında değişmiştir. En çok etkilenen yağ asitleri linoleik asit, ardından oleik ve linolenik asitler olmuştur.

Modeling the Combined Effect of pH, Protein Content, and Mexican Oregano Essential Oil Against Food Spoilage Molds

Hurdle technologies are among the novel food processing techniques for food preservation, where there is a combination of mild antimicrobial factors, which can interact on the inhibition of microbial spoilage. Spices essential oils are widely known as antimicrobial compounds that can have a preservation effect on food, but their effect can be affected by food components. In order to evaluate the effect of pH (4.5-7.0) and protein content (2-8%) on the antifungal effect of Mexican oregano essential oil (150-600 mg/L), a Box-Benkhen design was used to test the effect of the treatments on the radial growth of two food-related fungi, Penicillium expansum (NRRL 2304) and Aspergillus ochraceus (ATCC 22947). Three essential oils were used, these with a different chemical composition. The first chemotype of Lippia berlandieri Schauer, presented a higher proportion of carvacrol (58.23%). The second Lippia berlandieri Schauer essential oil presented a higher concentration of thymol (60.15%). Essential oil from Poliomintha longiflora Gray contained a 43.02% of thymol. Kinetic growth parameters were obtained using the modified Gompertz equation. The maximum mold growth (A) of the molds was affected in a lineal concentration-dependent effect by the three Mexican oregano essential oils and protein concentration. This phenomenon is independent of the chemistry variability in the composition of the three OEO. The higher concentration of protein (8%) was also related to an increase in lag time (λ). These two growth parameters were mainly statistically significant of all treatments evaluated, when considering as intrinsic parameters in food such as pH and protein content. The action of OEO was higher against A. ochraceus, positioning itself as the most sensitive microorganism. The use of predictive modelling can provide valuable information on the interaction of food components to enhance or decrease the antifungal capacity of essential oils.

Antivirulence properties and related mechanisms of spice essential oils: A comprehensive review.

In recent decades, reduced antimicrobial effectiveness, increased bacterial infection, and newly emerged microbial resistance have become global public issues, leading to an urgent need to find effective strategies to counteract these problems. Strategies targeting bacterial virulence factors rather than bacterial survival have attracted increasing interest, since the modulation of virulence factors may prevent the development of drug resistance in bacteria. Spices are promising natural sources of antivirulence compounds owing to their wide availability, diverse antivirulence phytochemical constituents, and generally favorable safety profiles. Essential oils are the predominant and most important antivirulence components of spices. This review addresses the recent efforts of using spice essential oils to inhibit main bacterial virulence traits, including the quorum sensing system, biofilm formation, motility, and toxin production, with an intensive discussion of related mechanisms. We hope that this review can provide a better understanding of the antivirulence properties of spice essential oils, which have the potential to be used as antibiotic alternatives by targeting bacterial virulence.

Effect of Nanoemulsification on the Antibacterial and Anti-biofilm Activities of Selected Spice Essential Oils and Their Major Constituents Against Salmonella enterica Typhimurium

In the present study, EOs of commonly used spices i.e. coriander, cumin, fennel, lemongrass and pepper and their major components (linalool, cuminaldehyde, anethole, citral and beta-caryophyllene) were nanoemulsified and investigated for their antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities against Salmonella enterica Typhimurium. The mean droplet size of the nanoemulsion ranged from 16.99 to 165.20 nm for EOs and 22.40 to 223.90 nm for their major compounds. Nanoemulsion of all EOs and their compounds (cuminaldehyde, anethol and citral) were stable for 30 days while phase separation was noticed in linalool and beta-caryophyllene after 5 and 10 days of storage, respectively. Among the investigated samples, citral nanoemulsion showed the highest antibacterial (MIC 0.156%) and anti-biofilm activity (79.9%) and was therefore selected for its application in fresh cut pineapple model. Treatment with citral nanoemulsion on the cut pineapple surface led to 2.57 log CFU/g reduction of the S. enterica Typhimurium population. Scanning electron microscopy revealed reduction of biofilms on the cut pineapple surface upon citral nanoemulsion treatment. Hence, we envisage that citral nanoemulsion can be further explored as natural antibacterial and anti-biofilm agent for food preservation applications.

The inhibitory effects of spice essential oils and rapidly prediction on the growth of Clostridium perfringens in cooked chicken breast

In this study, the effects of spices essential oils on the growth of C. perfringens were investigated. The in vitro inhibitory activities and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of different essential oils on C. perfringens were determined using the Oxford cup and two-fold dilution method. And two models (the parameter-adjusted Gompertz kinetic model, and least square support vector machine (LS-SVM) model) were used to rapidly predict the relative growth/survival of C. perfringens in cooked chicken breast under different essential oil concentrations. The results indicated that cinnamon essential oil exhibited a notable inhibitory effect on C. perfringens in vitro. Moreover, cinnamon essential oil had the lowest inhibitory concentration, and the growth of C. perfringens ceased completely at 19.12 mg/mL and 22.72 mg/mL, respectively. By comparing, the LS-SVM model is the optimum model. The prediction accuracy of the LS-SVM model was greater than 0.99, and the degree of fitting is higher than adjusted Gompertz kinetic model. The results present illustrate that the model using LS-SVM has high prediction accuracy and can be employed to predict the number of C. perfringens under different essential oils. This work could contribute to control and rapid assessment of food safety hazards of C. perfringens during meat processing.

IFST Winning Articles

IFST Winning Articles

Comparative evaluation of the chemical composition and bioactivities of essential oils from four spice plants (Lauraceae) against stored-product insects

Spices are popular commodities with highly edible and medicinal values. At ancient times, people took advantage of spices to prevent insect infestation and mold erosion in stored-products. The Lauraceae family offers abundant raw materials as spices and plants from this family have widely biological activities. Here, the essential oils (EOs) of four spice plants from the Lauraceae, namely Cinnamomum burmannii, Cinnamomum migao, Litsea pungens and Laurus nobilis were analyzed for their chemical composition by GC–MS. The EOs and some of their individual components mainly monoterpenoids were evaluated for their bioactivities against stored-product insects. Three modes of action were selected: fumigant, contact toxicity and repellent activity. Target insects were adults of Tribolium castaneum and Liposcelis bostrychophila. Results of GC–MS analysis denoted that the chemical composition of EOs from these spice plants had certain similarity and diversity. All the EOs were rich in monoterpenoids, and the major components were limonene, sabinene, linalool, eucalyptol, borneol, α-terpineol, 4-terpinenol, α-terpinyl acetate, β-caryophyllene, spathulenol and 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene. The results of bioassays indicated that all the EOs were toxic and repellent to T. castaneum and L. bostrychophila. Common monoterpenoids limonene, sabinene, linalool, eucalyptol, borneol, α-terpineol, 4-terpinenol and α-terpinyl acetate showed different levels of insecticidal or repellent activities against the two insect species. Among these monoterpenoids, borneol had no fumigant toxicity, but possessed contact toxicity and beneficial repellency at the concentration range of 63.17-2.53 nL/cm2 against L. bostrychophila. Sabinene and α-terpineol were significantly repellent to T. castaneum within the testing concentration range of 78.63-3.15 nL/cm2. Furthermore, β-caryophyllene (sesquiterpenoids) and 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene (aromatics) were also assessed. β-caryophyllene exhibited contact toxicity and repellency against T. castaneum and L. bostrychophila. 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene was toxic to these target insects in fumigant and contact assays. This work provides some evidence for explaining insecticidal and repellent activities of several spices from the Lauraceae based on individual active substances. It suggests that these spice EOs have promising potential to serve as bio-insecticides and green repellents for controlling pest damage in warehouses and grain stores.

Characterization of aromatic compounds and antimicrobial properties of four spice essential oils from family Lamiaceae

Characterization of aromatic compounds and antimicrobial properties of four spice essential oils from family Lamiaceae

Nitric Oxide Inhibitory and Cytotoxic Activities of Spice Essential Oils

Nitric Oxide Inhibitory and Cytotoxic Activities of Spice Essential Oils

Sunflower oil flavored by essential oil from Punica granatum cv. Heyinshiliu peels improved its oxidative stability and sensory properties

The preparation of flavored oils using essential oils of spices is considered as an effective method to obtain oils with good oxidative stability and consumers’ acceptance. In the present study, the flavored sunflower oil was produced by adding essential oil obtained from the peels of Punica granatum cv. Heyinshiliu (pomegranate, PPEO), which had significant antioxidant effects. During the accelerated storage of sunflower oil at 65 °C for 30 days, PPEO at 800 ppm not only can restrain the increases of its acidity value (AV), peroxide value (PV), p-anisidine value (AnV) and total oxidation values (TOTOX), but also can inhibit the improvements of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total polar compounds (TPC), and the absorbance at 232 nm (K232) and 268 nm (K268) of sunflower oil. In addition, the change of fatty acid composition was inhibited as well. Additionally, the sunflower oil flavored by PPEO had better flavor, taste, appearance and overall acceptability in the sensory evaluation. Therefore, sunflower oil flavored by PPEO could be developed as a condiment in the cooking.

Antimicrobial activity of spices essential oils and its effectiveness on mature biofilms of human pathogens

The antibacterial activity of Pimpinella anisum L., Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Syzygium aromaticum, and Cuminum cyminum L. essential oils (EOs) against some common pathogenic microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 14990, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 1915, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Aeromonas hydrophila ATCC 7966, Proteus mirabilis ATCC 10005, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13883, and Candida albicans ATCC 10231) and their biofilms was studied. The EOs inhibitory effects were evaluated by both Agar Well Diffusion assay and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) determination. The most active EOs, cinnamon and cloves, were also tested on 18, 24, 48, 72 hours mature biofilms. Cinnamon and cloves exhibited the best results showing a significant activity against all the tested bacteria. Concerning biofilm, results suggest that Cinnamomum zeylanicum oil may be a useful approach to impair the biofilm produced by the tested Gram-negative bacteria.

Incorporation of spice essential oils into poly-lactic acid film matrix with the aim of extending microbiological and sensorial shelf life of ground beef

Abstract: Plant-derived essential oils (EOs) are generally accepted as great potential to be used for extending shelf life of meat and meat products. In this study, biodegradable active PLA composite films were produced via addition of different percentage of Mentha piperita EO (MPO), Bunium percicum EO (BPO) and nanocellulose (NC), and their organoleptic and antibacterial effects were assessed in ground beef during 12 days storage at 4 °C. Physical examinations of the films revealed that regardless of type of the EOs, a negative correlation was recorded between water vapor permeability of the composites and the concentration of active agents, and with addition of the EOs yellowness and lightness parameters of the resultant composites negatively changed. Based on microbiological analysis of the meat samples, both MPO and BPO showed effective antibacterial activity against all of the tested microorganisms, where in terms of total bacterial counts, combination of higher concentrations (1% v/v) of both EOs in the primary formulation of active film extended the product shelf life (from 4 to 7 days) in comparison with control sample. Furthermore, concerning organoleptic characteristics, the treated ground beef samples were generally acceptable and treatment with PLA/0.5MPO/NC film resulted in the best outcome.

Betacaryophyllene – A phytocannabinoid as potential therapeutic modality for human sepsis?

Sepsis is a clinical condition resulting from a dysregulated immune response to an infection that leads to organ dysfunction. Despite numerous efforts to optimize treatment, sepsis remains to be the main cause of death in most intensive care units. The endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in inflammation. Cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R) activation is immunosuppressive, which might be beneficial during the hyper-inflammatory phase of sepsis. Beta-caryophyllene (BCP) is a non-psychoactive natural cannabinoid (phytocannabinoid) found in Cannabis sativa and in essential oils of spices and food plants, that acts as a selective agonist of CB2R. We propose BCP administration as novel treatment to reduce hyper-inflammation in human sepsis.

In Vitro Anti-Cariogenic Plaque Effects of Essential Oils Extracted from Culinary Herbs.

Cariogenic bacteria including mutans streptococci and lactobacilli are partly but significantly involved in dental caries development. An effective prevention strategy against dental caries is to decrease the accumulation of this microbiota either in planktonic or in biofilm form. To examine the antimicrobial and anti-plaque effects of some culinary herbs (spices), so the herbs are plausibly used as alternative and effective herbal plaque control supplements to promote good oral health. Essential oils extracted from sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix), black pepper (Piper nigrum), peppermint (Mentha piperita), and spearmint (Mentha spicata) were primarily examined for their antimicrobial activities against the cariogenic bacteria (Streptococcus mutans KPSK2 and Lactobacillus casei) using the agar disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods, respectively. These essential oils were then analysed for anti-plaque effects (retardation of S. mutans biofilm formation and reduction of the in vitro established biofilm). This experimental study was performed at the Department of Oral Microbiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University during June 2015 till August 2016. All selected essential oils showed different degrees of antimicrobial activity against the planktonic form of both cariogenic bacteria. Cinnamon bark essential oil expressed the strongest inhibitory effect against S. mutans {MIC of 0.08% (v/v)} and L. casei {MIC of 0.16% (v/v)}, whereas the weakest effect was found in kaffir lime essential oil {MIC values of 2.5% and 5.0% (v/v) for S. mutans and L. casei, respectively}. Up to 80% of S. mutans biofilm was retarded to form on the substratum primed with these spice essential oils, especially cinnamon oil. The preventive effect of these oils was in dose- and exposure time-dependent manners. For reductive effect against the 24-hour pre-established S. mutans biofilm, at least 50% of the biofilm mass was reduced when the biofilm was treated with each essential oil at the MIC for an hour. The reductive effect against the in vitro established S. mutans biofilm of these culinary herb essential oils only depended on the exposure time. Cinnamon and sweet basil essential oils with impressive in vitro anti-cariogenic bacteria and anti-plaque effects may be proposed as alternative and effective supplements to promote oral health status.

Chemical characterization and antimicrobial properties of herbs and spices essential oils against pathogens and spoilage bacteria associated to dry-cured meat products

Use of herbs and spices essential oils (EOs) in meat products may be interesting to food processors due to their antimicrobial characteristics. The current study determines the chemical composition of selected EOS of herbs and spices with potential utilization in traditional meat products manufacture and their in vitro antimicrobial effect against selected food borne and spoilage microorganisms. The antimicrobial effect of EOs studied was variable according to their chemical composition. Thus, EOs of thyme, garlic and cinnamon presented the best antimicrobial activity however, EOs of orange, basil and tarragon were considered non inhibitory. Other EOs such as cumin, bay, black pepper, lemon, parsley or nutmeg displayed an interesting antimicrobial effect however, their potential utilization could be difficult due to punctual microbial inhibition and/or by high MIC values. However, some of the EOs tested, albeit the expected sensory implications, might be useful in the manufacture of dry-cured meat products, once these products in several European formulations are strongly aromatised by wine and smoke and it is expected a synergistic effect with other hurdles to microbial growth and survival.

Physical and antimicrobial properties of cinnamon bark oil co-nanoemulsified by lauric arginate and Tween 80

Lauric arginate (LAE) is a water-soluble cationic surfactant which has antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of foodborne pathogens. Some spice essential oils are effective lipophilic antimicrobials. Combining both antimicrobials may reduce their usage levels and possible negative sensory impacts when applied in complex food matrices. The objective of this study was to combine a nonionic surfactant (Tween 80) with LAE to form stable nanoemulsions with cinnamon bark essential oil (CBO) and to characterize the antimicrobial activity of these nanoemulsions. CBO was homogenized at 1% w/w in the aqueous phase with 3% w/w Tween 80 and 0.05–0.375% w/w LAE, followed by heating at 90°C for 30min to obtain final emulsions. With 0.125% and higher LAE, transparent emulsions with ~100nm in hydrodynamic diameter were observed to be stable during 30-day storage at 21°C. Antimicrobial activities of the nanoemulsion prepared with Tween 80 and 0.375% w/w LAE were studied. The respective minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the nanoemulsion in tryptic soy broth (TSB) were 12, 7, and 8ppm LAE for Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes, while those of free LAE were 11, 6, and 6ppm, respectively. MICs of CBO were 400ppm for the tested bacteria and Tween 80 at 6% w/w did not show inhibitory effect. Growth kinetics of the bacteria in TSB treated with the nanoemulsion or individual components at concentrations corresponding to the MICs of free LAE showed that binding among the LAE and Tween 80 and CBO components resulted in the antibacterial activity of nanoemulsion being lower than same concentrations of free LAE and CBO. Conversely, little difference was observed for the individual antimicrobials and the nanoemulsion in 2% reduced fat milk, and 750ppm LAE and 2000ppm CBO were observed to be the dominant antimicrobial against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively. The growth of L. monocytogenes in 2% reduced fat milk at 4°C was not observed when treated by the nanoemulsion corresponding to 187.5ppm LAE and 500ppm CBO. Therefore, stable and transparent nanoemulsions of EOs can be prepared with the combination of LAE and Tween 80 without compromising antimicrobial activities.

Evaluation of corn oil as an additive in the pre-enrichment step to increase recovery of Salmonella enterica from oregano

Phenolic compounds associated with essential oils of spices and herbs possess a variety of antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that interfere with Salmonella detection from fresh and dried products. Finding a compound to neutralize the effect of these antimicrobial compounds, while allowing Salmonella growth during pre-enrichment, is a crucial step in both traditional pathogen isolation and molecular detection from these foods. This study evaluated the effectiveness of corn oil as a component of the pre-enrichment broth to counteract antimicrobial compounds properties and increase the recovery of Salmonella from spices. Oregano samples artificially contaminated with Salmonella enterica were pre-enriched in modified Buffered Peptone Water (mBPW) supplemented with and without 2% (vol/vol) corn oil respectively. Samples were incubated overnight at 37 °C. The results showed that recovery of Salmonella from oregano samples was increased by ≥50% when pre-enriched with corn oil. Serovars were confirmed using a PCR serotyping method. In addition, shot-gun metagenomics analyses demonstrated bacterial diversity and the effect of corn oil on the relative prevalence of Salmonella in the oregano samples. Modifying pre-enrichment broths with corn oil improved the detection and isolation of Salmonella from oregano, and may provide an alternative method for pathogen detection in dried food matrices such as spices.

Feeding and oviposition deterrent activities of microencapsulated cardamom oleoresin and eucalyptol against Cydia pomonella

Behavioral manipulation of codling moth with spice-based deterrents may provide an alternative control strategy. Microencapsulation technology could lead to more effective use of spice essential oils and oleoresins in the field by extending their residual activity. The feeding and oviposition deterrent potential of the microencapsulated cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum [L.] Maton) oleoresin (MEC-C) and eucalyptol (MEC-E) were evaluated against codling moth, Cydia pomonella Linnaeus, 1758. MEC-C capsules contained both 1,8-cineole and a-terpinyl acetate, whereas MEC-E capsules contained only 1,8-cineole. In larval feeding bioassays, MEC-E exhibited the lowest feeding deterrent activity (33%) while MEC-C at 100 mg mL-1 had the highest (91%). The highest oviposition deterrence activity against gravid females was also shown by MEC-C at 100 mg mL-1 with 84% effective repellency. In 2010 and 2011, two apple orchards were divided into four 1 ha blocks and sprayed with the following treatments in ultra-low volume sprays: (a) MEC-E at 100 g L-1, (b) MEC-C at 50 g L-1, (c) MEC-C at 100 g L-1, and (d) MEC-pyrethrin at 15 mL L-1. Water-treated abandoned orchards were used as negative controls. Moth catches were monitored weekly using Ajar traps baited with the combination of codlemone, pear ester, and terpinyl acetate. Based on pooled data, mean cumulative moth catch per trap per week was significantly higher in the MEC-E blocks (26.3 male and 13.5 female moths) than those in other treatments except the abandoned blocks. At mid-season and pre-harvest damage assessment, the percentage of infested fruits with live larvae in the high dose MEC-C-treated blocks was reduced to 1.9% and 2.3% in 2010 and to 1.1% and 1.8% in 2011, respectively. Since fruit damage exceeded the economic damage threshold of 1%, high-dose MEC-C treatment may only offer supplementary protection against codling moth in integrated pest management programs.

Potential application of corn starch edible films with spice essential oils for the shelf life extension of red meat.

To investigate the effect of corn starch (CS) edible films with spice oils on the stability of raw beef during refrigerated storage. The antimicrobial properties of corn starch films containing 0-4·0% (w/v) ratios of clove (CL) and cinnamon (CI) essential oils (EOs) were tested against seven meat spoilage organisms by zone inhibition test. Effects of CS films containing 3% CL or CI or a mixture of CL+CI were also tested in raw beef stored at 4°C. Meat samples were analysed for pH, microbial counts, colour values and Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values for a period of 15days. CS films with CL+CI resulted in a significant reduction in microbial populations in the meat samples and also improved meat colour stability at the end of storage period. The incorporation of spice EOs in CS films may provide antimicrobial and antioxidant activities that could improve the stability of raw meat. Results from this study may be applied in meat industries as an additional barrier to control microbial spoilage as well as lipid oxidation in meat products.

Behaviour of food-borne pathogens on dry cured sausage manufactured with herbs and spices essential oils and their sensorial acceptability

Dry cured sausages such as Portuguese chouriço de vinho are made generally with roughly minced pork and fat and seasoned with a large variety of herbs and spices. It is a particular sausage because meat is marinated in wine with other seasonings during 24–48 h before stuffing. Nowadays, health concerns of consumers have left food processors with less flexibility to choose preservative substances and methods. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the antimicrobial effect of essential oils (EOs) of herbs and spices traditionally used in seasoning dry cured sausage chouriço against Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. First, antibacterial activity of 14 EOs was screened by disk diffusion assay. Those EOs that displayed antimicrobial activity were further characterized by GC–MS and added as natural antimicrobial substances to the manufacture of chouriço at two concentrations (0.005% and 0.05%). Samples were analyzed 24 h after the preparation of the batter and after 3, 8, 15 and 21 days.After 15 days of drying, Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes counts decreased by ca. 2 log cfu/g in all samples. At 3 days, Salmonella spp. was already undetectable in chouriço made with 0.05% of garlic and oregano EOs. Both Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes were not detected after 8 and 15 days of drying respectively. S. aureus was still presented after 21 days of drying although its counts were not high enough to a potential enterotoxins presence. Utilization of EOs in manufacture of dry cured sausage resulted in an interesting strategy to improve its safety against Salmonella spp, L. monocytogenes and S. aureus, but with sensory limitations, that does not allow its use in high concentrations, that are those more interesting for pathogen inhibition.However, results with good potential to be applied by the industry were found, once the level of addition of 0.005% contributed for significant reductions on the pathogen's counts and for a shorter period to achieve the not detectable level, allowing the industry to shorten the drying period and, thereafter increasing yield production.