The hydro distillation method was used in this study to get essential oils (EOs) from cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.), clove (Eugenia caryohyllata) and Elecampane (Inula helenium L.) and the co-hydro distillation method (addition of fatty acid ethyl esters as extraction cosolvents) to get functional extracts (EFs). The MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) and the MBC (Minimum Bactericidal Concentration) were determined on five pathogenic strains (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus and Toxoplasma Gondi). The results showed that essential oils of cumin and clove and their functional extracts are effective on concentrations from 500 mg/L to 750 mg/L. The essential oils with functional extracts were used on meat samples at three different concentrations: 750, 1,500 and 2,250 μL. The cumin essential oil produced a reduction of 3.78 log UFC/g with the application of 750 μL, the clove essential oil produced a reduction of 3.78 log UFC/g with the application of 2,250 μL and the cumin and clove functional extracts got a reduction of 3.6 log UFC/g. By chromatography, eugenol was identified in the clove oil, cuminaldehyde in the cumin oil and the isoalactolactones and alactolactones in the elecampane oil as main compounds on the chemical composition of the essential oils and functional extracts obtained.

β-Cyclodextrin inclusion complexes containing clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) and Mexican oregano (Lippia berlandieri) essential oils: Preparation, physicochemical and antimicrobial characterization. (2017) Food Packaging and Shelf Life, 14 (Part B). 96-101.

In this study, hydrodistillation was used to obtain essential oils (EOs) from pepper (Piper nigrum L.) and clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) and co-hydrodistillation (addition of fatty acid ethyl esters as extraction co-solvents) was used to obtain functional extracts (FEs). Antifungal activity of EOs and FEs was evaluated by determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus niger. The results showed that pepper (Piper nigrum) and clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) essential oils and their functional extracts are effective in vitro at concentrations from 400 to 500 ppm after 10 days of culturing. The essential oils and functional extracts were used on tomato fruit samples at three different concentrations: 350, 400, and 450 ppm5. Clove essential oil reduced the growth of Aspergillus niger from 50% to 70% and Fusarium oxysporum to 40%. The functional extracts (FEs) of clove and pepper, mixed with ethyl decanoate (FEs-C10), were the best combination for protecting the tomato fruit in vivo against both phytopathogenic fungi. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to identify eugenol as the principal compound in clove oil and limonene, sabinene, and β-caryophyllene in pepper oil.

In recent years there has been a growing concern about environmental pollution linked to the generation of agroindustrial waste. The wine industry generates approximately 8.49 million tons of grape pomace per year worldwide; this residue can be used to obtain compounds with biological activity. Grape pomace is a source of anthocyanins, pigments that have antioxidant properties and help prevent cardiovascular disease. The development of sustainable extraction, purification and identification techniques constitutes an important step in adding value to this waste. Therefore, the present research has focused on presenting a review of works carried out in the last years.

Compounds from spices and herbs extracts are being explored as natural antibacterial additives. A plant extract used in traditional folk medicine is Hibiscus sabdariffa L., also known as Roselle. Therefore, the potential use of a phenolic hibiscus extract as antibacterial or natural food preservative was analyzed in vitro and in situ. A phenolic extract was obtained from hibiscus calyces and fractionated, and then the fractions were tested against foodborne pathogen bacteria. Liquid–liquid extraction and solid-phase extraction were used to fractionate the hibiscus extract, and HPLC was employed to analyze the fractions’ phenolic composition. Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) were calculated for brute hibiscus phenolic extract, each of the fractions and pure commercial phenolic compounds. Bacteria tested were Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus. The fraction obtained after liquid–liquid extraction presented the best performance of MBC and MIC against the bacteria tested. Furthermore, a hibiscus ethanolic extract was employed as a natural preservative to extend the shelf-life of beef. Microbiological, color and sensory analyses were performed to the meat during the shelf-life test. The application of the phenolic hibiscus extract also showed an increase of the duration of the meat`s shelf life.