BACKGROUND: Nowadays, the tendency to use food packaging with antimicrobial activity of natural origin has increased. The use of edible and biodegradable films has been considered as an appropriate alternative to non-degradable plastic coatings. OBJECTIVES: In this study, the effect of coating with wheat starch and Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium essential oil was investigated on microbial and physicochemical characteristics of rainbow trout fillet in cold conditions. METHODS: For this purpose, different treatments under the influence of starch, starch and Pennyroyal essential oil (1%), starch and Pennyroyal essential oil (2%) were prepared and physicochemical and microbial changes were evaluated at specified intervals (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 days). RESULTS: In the microbial test, the count of total bacterial and other bacteria by starch and starch + 1% and 2%, the essential oil was decreased in different days, also the difference between the control group and other treatments was significant (p < /em>≥0.05). The highest effect of pH reduction belonged to starch + 1% and 2% essential oil in different studied days. The level of pH was not different among different treatments on day 0 of storage. However, there was a significant difference between the control group and treatments on the fourth, eighth, twelfth, and sixteenth days of storage (p < /em>≥0.05). The results of the oxidative test showed that on the 16th day of storage, the lowest level of TBA was related to the treatment with starch + 2% essential oil and the highest value was related to the control group. In fact, the application of the coating layer delayed the oxidation process. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the composition of edible starch and pennyroyal essential oil on the increased shelf-life of Rainbow trout fillet.

Bovine mastitis is an inflammatory disease of the udder that causes important economic losses in the animal breeding and dairy product industries. Nowadays, the conventional livestock antibiotic treatments are slowly being replaced by alternative treatments. In this context, the main aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of natural products in alternative treatment of bovine mastitis. Two natural formulations with previously suggested in vitro antimicrobial effect were tested in vivo on mastitic cows. Animals with a positive diagnosis for mastitis (n = 20) were divided into three treatment groups: two groups (n = 8) were administered formulations of propolis, alcoholic extracts of Brewers Gold and Perle hops, plum lichen, common mallow, marigold, absinthe wormwood, black poplar buds, lemon balm, and essential oils of oregano, lavender, and rosemary designated R4 and R7 (differing only in the latter being more concentrated) and one group (n = 4) a conventional antibiotic mixture. In vivo efficacy of treatments was evaluated by somatic cell and standard plate counts, the treatment being considered efficacious when both parameters were under the maximum limit. R7 was effective in the most cases, being therapeutically bactericidal in six out of eight cows, while R4 gave good results in three out of eight cows, and conventional antibiotics cured one out of four. These results suggest the possible therapeutic potential of these natural products in bovine mastitis.

Today, the use of components obtained from plant extracts is rapidly increasing, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. Eight different plants, which are used as winter tea and are frequently consumed among herbal teas, were selected in the study. The aim of study was to investigate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of teas obtained from medicinal and aromatic plants such as Linden, Ginger, Cinnamon, Sage, Daisy, Turmeric, Clove and Rosehip. Five different pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were selected from common disease-causing pathogens. A total of 21 combinations were made for each plant. Disc diffusion and Minimum inhibition concentration methods were used to determine antimicrobial activity. DPPH (2,2 Difenil-1Pikrohidrozil) method was used to determine antioxidant activity. The amount of total phenolic and tannins contents contained of herbal teas were also determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent (FCR) method.The highest value among the antimicrobial activities of herbal teas (triple combination) was measured against E. faecalis (25.11 mm). The herbal combination with the highest value measured was found in the ginger+cinnamon+clove group. The highest antioxidant value was measured in this mixture (36.8 mg/mL).Because some plants have more bioavailability, these benefits can be suppressed in a mixture. When determining these mixtures, the consumption will be more beneficial for public health, given the recommendations of researchers and experts.