Abstract:
Biofilms arise in many everyday settings, including natural environments such as streams, soils, and caves, or home and commercial environments such as restrooms, kitchens, and industries. Food safety and sanitation is a constant concern for the growing population as bacterial biofilms transmitted through the food industry are implicated in an increasing variety of human diseases. Bacteria cultured from ultra high temperature (URT) treated milk are of interest, showing the ability of some bacteria to survive processes meant to eliminate all potentially harmful microbes. It has become important to discover new methods of biofilm control. Carvacrol, an essential oil isolated from oregano (Origanum vulgare), has been shown to inhibit the biofilm formation of Bacillus species of bacteria cultured from commercial milk, including the flagship species Bacillus cereus. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and several other Bacillus species has also been cultured from commercial milk and may be inhibited by carvacrol treatment. Carvacrol has a pleasant odor, is safe for human consumption, and may be a potentially useful tool for food industry biofilm control.
