Evaluación de la Actividad Antimicrobiana del Aceite Esencial de Comino (Cuminum cyminum) como Potencial Bioconservador en la Carne de Trucha.

Abstract

The objective of the research was "Evaluate the antimicrobial activity of cumin essential oil (Cuminum cyminum) as a potential bioconservative in trout meat". Tests that were carried out at the Higher Polytechnic School of Chimborazo, Faculty of Sciences. The methods used in the trial were inductive-deductive and scientific-experimental; using as raw material cumin oil at different concentrations. The test microorganisms were Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp and proteolytic species; Screening tests, CMB "in vivo" and death time "in vitro" and "in situ" were applied on trout meat adding cumin oil in the laboratory. Screening showed antimicrobial activity between 10,000 to 1,250 mg/mL. The minimum bactericidal concentration against Escherichia coli was 31.25 mg/mL. The "in vitro" death time for Escherichia coli showed a reduction in the population with a decrease of 2 to 4 log 10 CFU/mL, however "in situ" no antimicrobial activity was determined. Proteolytic bacteria were also not controlled by cumin oil, with the exception of Pseudomonas spp, which reduced its population by 1.55% per cm2 of meat and per hour of treatment. Cumin essential oil used in the appropriate concentration can be used as a biopreservative to prevent spoilage by Pseudomonas spp for trout fillet. Therefore, the use of cumin essential oil (Cuminum cyminum) is recommended to the food industry as a natural alternative to synthetic products to control the putrefaction of food susceptible to deterioration.