Antifungal potential of essential oils for use as natural preservatives in pan breads

• Grant number: 23/02768-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2023
• End date: May 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal Investigator: Caroline Joy Steel
• Grantee: Laís Pereira Lima Duarte da Conceição
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Considering the current demand from the population for food free from chemical and/or synthetic additives, research regarding replacements in this sector is extremely promising. In view of this market trend, one possible substitute for chemical preservatives are essential oils (EO), since they present volatile compounds with antimicrobial activity in their composition. Thus, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the antifungal potential of essential oils from rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, and garlic used as natural preservatives in pan breads. The inhibition halo technique will be used to evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of these EO against Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium roqueforti and Aspergillus niger, which are some of the main spoilage fungi in pan breads. After the selection of the EO with the best antifungal potential for the evaluated fungi, its MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) and MFC (Minimum Fungicidal Concentration) will be performed to determine base concentrations for application in the product. Finally, trials will be conducted with bread, through physical-chemical and microbiological analyses. There will be four formulations: negative control (no preservatives), positive control (0.35% calcium propionate) and two formulations with the EO, developed according to the in vitro study. The results will be submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey test with 95 % confidence interval (± = 0.05).