The present study aimed to investigate major volatile compounds, organic acid, phenolic and mineral contents, and antiradical and antimicrobial properties of home-made apple/grape vinegar. Grape vinegar showed higher total acidity, organic acid content, total phenolic content (TPC), antiradical activity and lower minimum 2 2 inhibitory concentration (MIC) values compared to apple vinegar. While acetic and tartaric acids were the most abundant organic acids in grape vinegar, acetic and succinic acids were the most abundant organic acids in apple vinegar. The most abundant phenolic compound was gallic acid in both grape and apple vinegar. A total of 18 and 9 volatile compounds were determined in grape vinegar samples and apple vinegar samples, respectively. The most abundant volatile compounds were acetic acid and acetoin in grape vinegar, acetic acid, ethyl acetate and 2,4,5-trimethyl-1,3-dioxolane in apple vinegar. K, Ca and Na were common minerals in both vinegar and more in the grape vinegar compared to apple vinegar. Although MIC value for grape vinegar was at 6.25% with minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values ranged from 6.25% to 12.50%, MIC value for apple vinegar was at 12.50% with MBC values ranged from 12.50% to 25.00% for all test bacteria. The antiradical and antibacterial activities of the vinegar samples were correlated with their TPC and organic acid contents.

No abstract

The most common honey bee diseases are American foulbrood (AFB) caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae, Chalkbrood caused by fungus Ascosphaera apis and diseases caused by parasitic mites such as Acarapis woodi, Varroa destructor. These diseases and pests not only cause economic loss but also cause ecological problems related to the role of honey bees, as the most important pollinators on Earth. Synthetic acaricides and antibiotics are used to keep the diseases and mites in control. Use of the drugs lead to the development of drug-resistant organisms, detrimental effect on non-target organisms and the residue problem in bee products. For this reasons, the need for alternative control methods has become compulsory in recent years. It has been known that some plant oils used widely in perfumery and food industry for flavor and smell have been used as repellent to certain insects, bactericide and fungicide. Therefore, intensive studies have been carried out on plants with anti-mites, antibacterial and antifungal potentials and these studies are still going on. Recently, studies in this area have shown that essential oils of plants such as thyme, cloves, mint, lemon grass, cinnamon, grapefruit, rosemary, marigold, are lethal to some mites, bacteria and fungi. In addition, it has been reported that some components, isolated from these plants such as sanguinarine, thymoquinone, capsaicin, carvacrol, citral, eugenol, thymol, show these effects on the organisms. As a result, in countries rich in biodiversity due to endemic plant species, the essential oils used in control of these diseases should be favored instead of or in combination with conventional drugs in integrated the disease management programs because of the lack of harmful effects of essential oils on non-target organisms and environment.

No abstract

The occurrence of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is an important causative agent of mastitis in cattle and of foodborne diseases. It is a worldwide concern, making it essential to develop alternative treatments to fight against the bacteria. Thus, the aim of this study is to determine the ability of carvacrol to inhibit the growth of S. aureus isolated from bulk tank milk in Turkey’s Burdur Province. All strains (n = 31) were used to investigate the antimicrobial activity of carvacrol, including the methicillin-resistant S. aureus and strains from the American Type Culture Collection and England’s National Collection of Type Cultures. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined via a microdilution method, and the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles via a disk diffusion method. Antibiotic resistance was detected in 20 strains (64.5%). Multidrug resistance was observed in 8 strains (25.8%). Carvacrol exhibited strong antimicrobial activity, with MIC value at 0.058-0.234 mg/ml, in the microdilution method. Inhibition zones of carvacrol were in the range of 19 to 45 mm. The results of this study emphasize the promising role of carvacrol among new antibacterial agents that can combat S. aureus strains.