Uso de óleos essenciais de orégano e alho como antimicrobianos naturais contra Salmonella sp. em maionese caseira

Abstract

Foodborne Diseases represent a significant challenge to public health, with Salmonella Enteritidis being one of the main causes of food outbreaks, often associated with the consumption of raw eggs and egg products. Homemade mayonnaise, despite being popular, can be a vehicle for contamination due to its nutritional characteristics favorable to microbial growth. In this context, oregano and garlic essential oils, known for their antimicrobial properties, have the potential to increase the microbiological safety of foods. Thus, this study had the general objective of evaluating the application of oregano and garlic essential oils as natural antimicrobials in homemade mayonnaise contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis. The specific objectives included the formulation of mayonnaise, testing the application of essential oils against S. Enteritidis isolated in mayonnaise, physical-chemical analysis, including pH, titratable acidity and humidity, and carrying out an online questionnaire on the acceptance of flavored mayonnaise. with essential oils. Mayonnaise samples were prepared with and without the addition of oregano and garlic essential oils, these were used at a concentration of 0.2% p/v. Samples contaminated with S. Enteritidis at a concentration of 1x10⁶ UFC/mL were incubated at 4°C for 24 hours. Bacterial counts were performed on Salmonella-Shigella agar. Samples with oregano oil and garlic showed no growth of S. Enteritidis, while the contaminated sample showed characteristic colonies on SS agar. The pH of mayonnaise with oregano oil was the most acidic, around 3.61, but still within legal standards <4.2. No considerable changes were observed in the titratable acidity, which was between 0.57 and 0.58g of acetic acid/100g, as for humidity, the samples were around 20%. In the questionnaire, 82% of participants indicated an interest in consuming mayonnaise flavored with essential oils, especially garlic and oregano oils. The results demonstrate that oregano and garlic essential oils have effective antimicrobial action against S. Enteritidis in homemade mayonnaise, without compromising its physicochemical characteristics. Furthermore, high consumer acceptance reinforces the potential of these compounds as natural preservatives for food products.