Inhibition of Cronobacter sakazakii by Litsea cubeba Essential Oil and the Antibacterial Mechanism

Haoran Wang; Yulu Li; Zhuo Li; Run Ma; Xiangyang Bai; Xiangjun Zhan; Kunyao Luo; Ruiying Su; Xuejiao Li; Xiaodong Xia; Chao Shi

doi:10.3390/foods11233900

Foods (Dec 2022)

Inhibition of Cronobacter sakazakii by Litsea cubeba Essential Oil and the Antibacterial Mechanism

Haoran Wang,
Yulu Li,
Zhuo Li,
Run Ma,
Xiangyang Bai,
Xiangjun Zhan,
Kunyao Luo,
Ruiying Su,
Xuejiao Li,
Xiaodong Xia,
Chao Shi

Affiliations

Haoran Wang: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Yulu Li: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Zhuo Li: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Run Ma: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Xiangyang Bai: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Xiangjun Zhan: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Kunyao Luo: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Ruiying Su: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Xuejiao Li: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Xiaodong Xia: National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116304, China
Chao Shi: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11233900
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 23
p. 3900

Abstract

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Litsea cubeba essential oil (LC-EO) has anti-insecticidal, antioxidant, and anticancer proper-ties; however, its antimicrobial activity toward Cronobacter sakazakii has not yet been researched extensively. The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects of LC-EO toward C. sakazakii, along with the underlying mechanisms. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of LC-EO toward eight different C. sakazakii strains ranged from 1.5 to 4.0 μL/mL, and LC-EO exposure showed a longer lag phase and lower specific growth compared to untreated bacteria. LC-EO increased reactive oxygen species production, decreased the integrity of the cell membrane, caused cell membrane depolarization, and decreased the ATP concentration in the cell, showing that LC-EO caused cellular damage associated with membrane permeability. LC-EO induced morphological changes in the cells. LC-EO inhibited C. sakazakii in reconstituted infant milk formula at 50 °C, and showed effective inactivation of C. sakazakii biofilms on stainless steel surfaces. Confocal laser scanning and attenuated total reflection–Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry indicated that the biofilms were disrupted by LC-EO. These findings suggest a potential for applying LC-EO in the prevention and control of C. sakazakii in the dairy industry as a natural antimicrobial and antibiofilm agent.

Published in Foods

ISSN: 2304-8158 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology: Chemical technology
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/foods

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