<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <article key="pdf/11623" mdate="2011-09-26 00:00:00"> <author>P. O. Angienda and D. J. Hill</author> <title>The Effect of Sodium Chloride and pH on the Antimicrobial Effectiveness of Essential Oils Against Pathogenic and Food Spoilage BacteriaImplications in Food Safety</title> <pages>572 - 577</pages> <year>2011</year> <volume>5</volume> <number>9</number> <journal>International Journal of Nutrition and Food Engineering</journal> <ee>https://publications.waset.org/pdf/11623</ee> <url>https://publications.waset.org/vol/57</url> <publisher>World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology</publisher> <abstract>The purpose of this study was to elucidate the factors affecting antimicrobial effectiveness of essential oils against food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. The minimum inhibition concentrations (MIC) of the essential oils, were determined by turbidimetric technique using Biocreen C, analyzer. The effects of pH ranging from 7.3 to 5.5 in absence and presence of essential oils andor NaCl on the lag time and mean generation time of the bacteria at 370C, were carried out and results were determined showed that, combination of low pH and essential oil at 370C had additive effects against the test microorganisms. The combination of 1.2 (wv) of NaCl and clove essential oil at 0.0325 (vv) was effective against E. coli. The use of concentrations less than MIC in combination with low pH and or NaCl has the potential of being used as an alternative to &amp;amp;ldquo;traditional food preservatives&amp;amp;quot;. </abstract> <index>Open Science Index 57, 2011</index> </article>