The impact of Clove and thyme essential oils on Listeria monocytogenes isolated from meat and poultry products

This study detected the presence of antimicrobial resistance L. monocytogenes in meat and poultry products as minced meat, luncheon, and frozen chicken fillet sold in Sohag city markets. Also, study the effect of two essential oils (EOs) like clove and thyme on the isolated strains of L. monocytogenes . Bacteriological culture and PCR were used for L. monocytogenes identification in 195 meat and poultry products samples such as minced meat, luncheon, and frozen chicken fillet (65 each). Fourteen antimicrobials were tested against L. monocytogenes using disk diffusion method. Clove and thyme EOs were used at nine concentrations (100%, 50%, 25%, 12.5%, 6. 25%, 3. 125%, 1.56%, 0.78%, and 0.39%) to detect their antibacterial effect using well diffusion method. L. monocytogenes were detected in 6 (3.1%) out of 195 meat and poultry samples. Minced meat harbors the highest infection rate, followed by luncheon and frozen chicken fillet with percentage of 4.6%, 3.1%, and 1.53%, respectively. Most of L. monocytogenes isolates were resistant to several antimicrobial from varied groups such as streptomycin, tetracycline, ampicillin, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, vancomycin, and amikacin. Clove and thyme EOs have inhibitory action on L. monocytogenes growth which significantly increased with concentration where the minimum inhibitory concentration was 3.125% for clove essential oil (EO), and 1.56% for thyme EO. The inhibitory action of Clove and thyme EOs enables them to be used in food industry as antibacterial to increase the products shelf life.