Anti-bacterial Activity of Alginate Based Edible Coating Solution Added with Lemongrass Essential Oil Against Some Pathogenic Bacteria

Abstract

Abstract Edible coating is a thin layer that can be made of several materials, one of which is polysaccharides, such as alginates, carrageenan, agar, chitin, chitosan, pectin, starch, cellulose derivatives, and gums. The application of food products with edible coatings has been widely carried out and has been proven to improve quality and extend the shelf life of the product. Antibacterial agent can be added to improve the performance of edible coating. This study was aimed to explore the potential of lemongrass essential oil as an antibacterial agent in alginate based antibacterial edible coating solutions, especially against pathogenic bacteria. Edible coating is made of alginate powder, modified cassava flour (Mocaf), beeswax, glycerol and antibacterial agent. The additional levels of lemongrass essential oil into edible coating formula were 0.25, 1.50 and 0.75%. The antibacterial activity of the edible coating solution produced was tested against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by employing a disk diffusion testing method. Antibacterial agents used in previous studies to develop alginate-based antibacterial edible coatings and potential applications of the developed alginate-based edible coatings incorporated with lemongrass essential oil were identified by browsing through the internet. The results showed that various antibacterial agents have been explored to improve the performance of alginate based edible coatings. An antibacterial activity study exhibited that the highest antibacterial activity was found in the edible coating with the addition of 0.50% lemongrass essential oil, except for S. aureus at the addition level of 0.75%. This study suggests that the addition of lemongrass essential oil for the manufacture of alginate based edible coating solution is 0.50%. The potential uses of edible coatings made from alginate with the addition of lemongrass essential oil are to coat various animal and plant based food products.