ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF EDIBLE CHITOSAN COATINGS INCORPORATED WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

Abstract

The antibacterial and antioxidant activities of edible chitosan coatings (ECC) with or without essential oils (EO) as Ceylon cinnamon type (CO), cinnamon bark (CBO), carvacrol (CAR), rosemary (RMO), tea tree (TTO) and olive (OLO) was investigated. Each of the mentioned oils was used at three different concentrations, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% (v/v) in order to test their antibacterial and antioxidant capacity. ECC solution did not show antibacterial activity without addition of EO. The incorporation of CO, CBO and CAR in high concentrations into ECC significantly decreased the activity against S. aureus, S. typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 (p<0.05) compared to EO alone. Even though of this reduction, ECC with essential oils conserved antibacterial properties. On the other hand, the addition of CO, CBO and CAR potentiated the antioxidant activity of the ECC (p<0.05). The edible coatings with essential oils (ECEO) of CO, CBO and CAR at a concentration of 1.5% showed enhanced antioxidant and antibacterial activities.