Preservative effectiveness of essential oils in vapor phase combined with modified atmosphere packaging against spoilage bacteria on fresh cabbage

This study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial effects of various essential oils (EOs) against pathogens using the disc volatilization method. Also, combined effects of EOs in vapor phase and MAP were evaluated for reducing levels of total mesophilic microorganisms on fresh cabbage. The vapor phase activities of EOs (thyme-1, oregano-1, lemongrass-1, and lemongrass-2 oils) observed strong inhibitory effects. The MAP results showed that 100% CO2 gas packaging reduced significantly levels of total mesophilic microorganisms on cabbage and radish sprouts, and their reduction level was 1.55 and 2.26 log10 CFU/g compared to control after 21 days of storage (p ≤ 0.05). Based on previous results, combined effects of EOs in vapor phase and MAP (100% CO2) showed that lemongrass-2 oil with 20 discs showed complete inactivation by <1.0 log10 CFU/g after 14 days of storage. These results could provide useful information for developing alternative preservation method to improve the freshness and shelf-life of fresh produce using natural antimicrobials.