https://doi.org/10.17113/ftb.57.02.19.5957   


Characterization, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils and Their Encapsulation into Biodegradable Material Followed by Freeze Drying    


Mariia Kokina¹, Ana Salević¹, Ana Kalušević^1,2, Steva Lević¹, Milena Pantić¹, Dejan Pljevljakušić³, Katarina Šavikin³, Mark Shamtsyan⁴, Miomir Nikšić¹ and Viktor Nedović¹*  


¹University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Food Technology and Biochemistry, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia 
²Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia  
³Institute for Medicinal Plants Research “Dr Josif Pančić”, Tadeuša Košćuška 1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia 
⁴Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology (Technical University), Department of Technology of Microbiological Synthesis, Moskovsky Prospect 26, 190013 Saint Petersburg, Russia  



Article history: 
Received: 25 July 2018 
Accepted: 21 March 2019
  



Key words: 
alginate, essential oils, high volatility, natural preservatives   



Summary:  
The study assessed the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of commonly used and commercially available essential oils as an alternative to synthetic preservatives. The plant sources were as follows: lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), bergamot (Citrus bergamia) and peppermint (Mentha piperita). The antioxidant activity of essential oils was tested by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2´-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) methods. The microdilution broth susceptibility assay revealed that lavender and bergamot essential oils were more efficient in inhibiting the bacterial growth than other tested oils, with the minimum inhibitory concentration of 5 μg/mL. This study also reports the successful implementation of an electrostatic extrusion technique for encapsulating essential oils into alginate beads, which enables the essential oils to maintain their free radical scavenging ability over time.   




*Corresponding author:    +381114413154
                                             vnedovic@agrif.bg.ac.rs