Ziziphora tenuior L. Essential Oil as a Bio-Based Antimicrobial and Plant-Based Preservative for Increasing the Shelf Life of Mayonnaise

The food industry is seeking alternatives to chemical additives and preservatives due to the increasing consumers’ demand for healthier food products. Ziziphora tenuior L. (Z. tenuior) is an aromatic medicinal plant that exhibits various biological properties such as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of Z. tenuior essential oil (ZTEO) incorporation (700 μg/g) into mayonnaise on its stability, as well as to investigate the potential for replacing synthetic preservatives. The results demonstrated that the ZTEO extraction yield by the Soxhlet method was 3%. The GC-MS analysis of ZTEO showed the presence of 36 different components, with pulegone (27.5%), borneol (16.5%), 1, 8-cineole (9.8%), camphor (8.37%), β-pinene (5.31%), and α-pinene (4.64%) as the major compounds. Results of antimicrobial activity showed that the highest and the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were obtained for Escherichia coli (700 μg/mL) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (10 μg/mL). Also, the inhibition zone diameter increased by increasing the level of ZTEO, and Staphylococcus aureus (33 mm) and S. cerevisiae (36 mm) had the highest inhibition zone at level of 75%. Incorporation of ZTEO into mayonnaise prevented the growth of all microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and yeast) during three months of storage. This indicates the potential of ZTEO as a natural preservative to replace synthetic preservatives. The results indicated the potential for incorporating ZTEO into mayonnaises and demonstrated the possibility of replacing commonly used preservatives with a natural alternative, offering consumers healthier food.