Investigating the effect of garlic (Allium sativum) essential oil on foodborne pathogenic microorganisms

Abstract

Garlic is a plant that is native to Central Asia and belongs to the Alliaceae family. When garlic bulbs are crushed, they release a sulfoxide molecule called alliin, which is the precursor to the garlic's distinctive scent and flavor. Fresh garlic and its essential oil are used in the food sector as natural antioxidant agents, flavorings, and antimicrobials, notably in processed chicken and meat products. In this research, on a number of pathogenic strains, the garlic essential oil’s antibacterial activity was investigated in vitro using minimum bactericidal concentration, minimum inhibitory concentration, and the disk diffusion technique. Gas chromatography was used to identify the garlic essential oil’s chemical components. Aluminum chloride colorimetric, Folin-Ciocalteu, and radical reduction capacity methods were used to measure flavonoid, total phenol, and antioxidant content. It was shown that the most resistant to essential garlic oil were gram-negative bacteria, including Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The mixture of diallyl disulfide was 40.3% greater, according to the results of the chemical compound identification of essential garlic oil. Antioxidant activity, flavonoids, and total phenol of essential garlic oil were 80%, 0.24 mg quercetin in grams, and 0.33 mg gallic acid in gram, respectively. The findings of this investigation revealed that garlic might be exploited as a source of medicinal chemicals.

Keywords:
inhibition zone diameter; reducing radical capacity; total phenol; garlic essential oil