Clove essential oil (Syzygiumaromaticum) application as a biopreservative in leafy green vegetables: preharvest and postharvest effect on quality.

G GOÑI; ROURA S.; A. PONCE; M. MOREIRA

Essential oil in food preservation, flavor and safety

Academic Press

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2016; p. 349 - 356

Clove essential oil (Syzygiumaromaticum) has been used as a topical anesthetic and flavoring for years. It is known to have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, mostly related to its content in eugenol and other polyphenolic compounds. Recently, other uses of clove have arisen, like insect repellent or growing promoter agent. Clove essential oil has a controlling effect over native microflora and over pathogenic microorganisms as E. coli O157:H7. Clove has been successfully employed as a surface sanitizer agent in lettuce seeds, as a biopreservative in leafy green vegetables (both applied preharvest or postharvest). The application of clove in leafy vegetables also reduced peroxidase activity. Clove essential oil should be considered as viable alternative to chlorine as a sanitizer agent, due to its low toxicity and low environmental impact.