Antifungal, antitoxigenic, and antioxidant activities of the essential oil from laurel (Laurus nobilis L.): Potential use as wheat preservative

• Published in: Food science & nutrition Vol. 8; no. 9; pp. 4717 - 4729
• Main Authors: Belasli, Azem, Ben Miri, Yamina, Aboudaou, Malek, Aït Ouahioune, Lidia, Montañes, Luis, Ariño, Agustín, Djenane, Djamel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-09-2020; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Aflatoxin B1; Aflatoxins; Agricultural commodities; antifungal activity; Antifungal agents; antioxidant activity; Antioxidants; Aspergillus flavus; Bleaching; Carotene; Cereals; Chromatography; Cineole; essential oil; Essential oils; Food additives; Food contamination & poisoning; Food industry; Food processing industry; Food production; Food safety; Free radicals; Fungi; Fungicides; Gas chromatography; Laboratories; laurel; Laurus nobilis; Linoleic acid; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Minimum inhibitory concentration; Oils & fats; Original Research; Oxidation; Preservatives; Scavenging; Shelf life; Spoilage; Wheat; wheat grains; β-Carotene; Algeria; laurel; Aspergillus flavus; aflatoxin B1; wheat grains; essential oil; antifungal activity; antioxidant activity
• ISSN: 2048-7177; 2048-7177
• DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.1650

Essential oils (EOs) are widely used in the food industry as natural food preservatives to extend product shelf life and as flavoring agents. The aim of this work was to study the chemical profile of the EO from laurel (Laurus nobilis) and its antifungal, antitoxigenic, and antioxidant activities. The extractive yield of the EO from Algerian laurel was 1.13% being 1,8‐cineole the most dominant compound (35.5%) by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. The values of minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) against Aspergillus flavus were 1.75 and 2 mg/ml, respectively. The production of aflatoxin B1 was inhibited by EO concentrations between 0.25 mg/ml (15% decrease) and 1.50 mg/ml (86% decrease), and it was totally inhibited at the MFC value. The EO showed a wide antifungal spectrum against other species in a dose‐dependent manner. In a food‐model study, the L. nobilis EO showed remarkable efficacy in fumigated wheat grains, providing from 51.5% to 76.7% protection against A. flavus during 6‐month storage. The L. nobilis EO showed good free radical scavenging activity by DPPH assay (IC50 value of 602 μg/ml) and moderate antioxidant activity in the β‐carotene bleaching assay (46% inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation). The conclusions of this study justify future research for the application of EO from laurel as a natural preservative to improve food safety and extend shelf life by controlling spoilage and toxigenic molds as well as oxidative damage.
Briefly, the essential oil (EO) was obtained from leaves of Algerian Laurus nobilis (L. nobilis EO), and lots of stored wheat (Triticum aestivum) grains (moisture content 12%) samples were fumigated with the EO at the minimum inhibitory concentration value. Different lots of stored wheat were inoculated with pathogenic fungi (Aspegillus flavus) and maintained for 6 months at 15°C and 62% relative humidity. The L. nobilis EO was chemically characterized, and stored wheat samples were analyzed for Aspegillus flavus growth and aflatoxin B1 production.