Development of Basil Essential Oil (BEO) as a Novel Alternative to Prolong the Storage of Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum L.)

Abstract

Antimicrobial compounds used as post-harvest treatment of fruit and vegetables can extend their shelf life by reducing the rate of microbial growth. Essential oils extracted from herbs or spices can also enhance shelf life due to their antimicrobial nature. Tomatoes harvested at consumption maturity were treated by spraying with aqueous solutions of basil essential oil (BEO) and glycerol in different concentrations (50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 ppm) and stored by refrigeration at 8 ∘C and 85% relative humidity. The BEO used was obtained by extraction from indigenous crops of Ocimum basilicum and was analyzed by GC-MS for discerning of the constituents present in it. The main components identified in BEO were: eucalyptol, linalool, estragol, eugenol methyl-cinamate, trans-α-bergamotene, germacrene D, γ-cadinene and T-cadinol. During storage, in order to highlight the effect of the applied treatment, the following were determined: dry matter (DM), total soluble content (TSS), total phenols content (TP), antioxidant activity (AOA), color, weight loss and total number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB) during storage. It has been shown that spraying the fruit with solutions of different concentrations of BEO has significant effects on weight loss, DM, TSS, TP, AOA, color and TAMB, during storage. The lowest TP value was found in the control and the variant treated only with 2.5% aqueous glycerol solution (52.18 mg/100 g fw GAE) and the highest value in the variants treated with concentrations of 200, 250 and 300 ppm BEO (54.37, 55.00 and 57.81 mg GAE/100 g fw). The highest AOA values were found in the 300 ppm BEO-treated variant (119.23 μmol TE/100 g fw). Spraying tomatoes with aqueous solutions of glycerol 2.5% and BEO at a dose of 250 ppm prolongs their storage while maintaining their quality for fresh consumption.

Using the Essential Oils of Sage and Anise to Enhance the Shelf Life of the Williams (sin. Bartlett) Pear

“…Weight loss was assessed by weighing the pears with a digital scale (Sartorius 157 CP124S, Epsom, UK, accuracy = 0.01 g) both at the beginning of the experiment and every 30 days of storage and the results obtained were expressed as percentage weight loss from initial weight [34].…”

“…For determining the total soluble solids content (TSS %), a digital refractometer (Hanna Instruments, Woonsocket, RI, USA) was employed. A sample obtained by blending the pears in an electric mixer was used, and the results were presented as a percentage of total soluble solids [34]. To characterize the internal quality of the pears, the firmness of the fruits was determined from the opposite parts of each fruit, with a digital texturometer for vegetables and fruits (Multilab, Baia de Aramă, Romania) provided with a penetrometric ponson of 8 mm in diameter.…”

“…The concentrations of EOs used were based on previous research [34]. Several analyses and determinations were performed: weight loss, firmness, dry matter (DM), total soluble content (TSS %), total phenols content (TP mg GAE/100 g fw), antioxidant activity (AOA %), skin color during storage.…”

The Effect of Peppermint, Clove, Cinnamon, Sage and Orange Essential Oils on Lactobacillus Bulgaricus Bacteria

“…Thus, they have been widely used for medicinal, bactericidal, virucidal, fungicidal, antiparasitic, insecticidal and antioxidant purposes. Essential oils, which are synthesised by the secondary metabolism of plants, extracted by hydro-distillation can be used to extend the shelf life of some foods with their antioxidant and antimicrobial qualities (Ionica et al 2022). Their composition may vary, due to intrinsic factors: depending on the part of the plant used (roots, stems, leaves, seeds, flowers and others), and extrinsic factors: extraction method -water or steam distillation, solvent extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, supercritical fluid extraction and subcritical water extraction (Cassel et al, Essential oils have antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.…”