Evaluación de la eficacia antibacteriana del aceite esencial de comino (Cuminum cyminum) frente a Escherichia coli en la elaboración de embutidos frescos de cerdo

Abstract

In recent years, the use of essential oils (EOs) in food preservation has been increasing, and research has focused on their antimicrobial properties, especially cumin EO, as well as terpene molecules which provide antimicrobial activity. The purpose of this investigation wasto evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of cumin essential oil (Cuminum cyminum) against Escherichia coli in fresh pork sausages. This experimental work sought to extract the essential oil of cumin (Cuminum cyminum) by means of the steam distillation technique, for the formulation of the adequate concentration of essential oil, the agar diffusion method was used, establishing the concentrations of 5%; 2.5%; 1.25%; 0.6% and 0.3%, once the inhibition percentage was obtained, the toxicity test against Artemia salina was carried out to verify its LD50. In the same way, to establish the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), the broth dilution method was used from the same concentrations already mentioned, to determine the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil in the sausage, a mixture of Essential Oil (EA) was made with the meat of the sausage by means of which they were evaluated with Petrilfilm rapid tests. The results presented a greater inhibitory effect at 5%, with a 16mm inhibition halo diameter, while for the MIC a percentage of 1.25% was obtained, with respect to the LD50 an optimal range between 0.6% and 0.3% was obtained, in relation to the count of viable Escherichia coli in the sausage it was significantly reduced in the 1.25% concentration. Concluding that cumin essential oil does have antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, but its use is not recommended as a food additive because its essential oil has high toxicity.