Citrus are the most produced fruits in the world. Brazil ranks first in global production and export of orange juice. The State of Rio Grande Do Sul is an important producer of citrus. During farming and processing of citrus, tons of residues are generated, with low commercial value and great potential for use in the field of food production. These residues possess many nutrients, pigments and bioactive compounds, as well as low toxicity and cost. There is evidence that the peel of citrus have antibacterial and antifungal activity. In this work, we aim to determine the antibacterial activity of ethanolic extracts of citrus peels in the perspective of disinfection and preservation of food, presenting sustainable and natural alternatives directed at consumers concerned with health. Ethanolic extracts of crude peel of ripe ponkan tangerine (Citrus reticulata Blanco), pomelo (Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr.) and rangpur lime (Citrus limonia Osbeck) were obtained from ecological family farms. Their antibacterial activities were evaluated regarding Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) against five different bacterial strains. The rangpur lime extract presented the best antibacterial activity, with about 24 mg.mL-1 MIC and 42 mg.mL-1 MBC for the most resistant strain. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most sensitive strain. All ethanolic extracts inhibited or inactivated all tested strains, indicating they could be used as natural alternatives in food disinfection and preservation.
Citrus peel; Antibacterial activity; Crude ethanolic extract; Natural disinfectant; MIC; MBC
