Effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss. Essential Oil on Enterotoxin Production by Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538

Abstract

Background: Staphylococcal food poisoning does not result from the ingestion of S. aureus per se, but rather from enterotoxins which are pre-formed within the food. There is no report on effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil on enterotoxin production by this microorganism. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil on enterotoxin production by S. aureus. Methods: This study was done as a factorial model using different concentrations of EO (0, 0.005, 0.015 and 0.03%).The bacterial growth was evaluated during 43 days of incubation and enterotoxin production was analyzed using a enterotoxin assay kit. Results: The growth of the organism was completely inhibited by the EO = 0.03%. Enterotoxin production was not affected by sub-inhibitory concentration of EO at level of 0.005%, while it was significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited by increasing subinhibitory concentration of EO to 0.015%. Conclusion: The adverse effect of sub-inhibitory concentration of Zataria multiflora Boiss. EO on enterotoxin production by S. aureus, demonstrated in this study, suggests the potential application of this EO as a natural antimicrobial in foods.

Keywords

• zataria multiflora boiss
• staphylococcus aureus
• enterotoxin