Natural Preservatives as Medicinal Aromatic Plants: Implications for Sustainable and Functional Bread

In this study, the plants Melissa officinalis (Melissa), Elaeagnus angustifolia (Elaeagnus), Styrax officinalis (Styrax) and Echinops ritro (Echinops) were firstly used to prepare enriched bread and to study their effects on the shelf life of bread. Water and alcohol extracts of the plants were also prepared to determine their antibacterial and antifungal activities in-vitro. The focus is on their potential applications as natural preservatives in sustainable functional bread production. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the agar well diffusion assay. Results showed that alcohol extracts of medicinal and aromatic plants exhibited significantly higher antimicrobial activity than water extracts, with inhibition zones diameters ranging from 15-22 mm for alcohol extracts compared to 8-13 mm for water extracts. Gram-negative bacteria, such as Salmonella Paratyphi A, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, showed resistance, with inhibition zone diameters below 10 mm. However, alcohol extracts from Styrax and Elaeagnus achieved inhibition zone diameters of 12-15 mm against these pathogens. Gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, showed promising results, with alcohol extracts zones averaging 20 mm and water extracts inhibition of zone diameters averaging 14 mm. Fungal inhibition zone diameters was effective, with extracts reducing Aspergillus niger growth by 85%. A shelf life experiment revealed that bread enriched with Elaeagnus and Melissa extracts remained mold-free for 7 days, while control samples developed mold within 3-4 days. Sensory analysis indicated that 80% of participants preferred the taste and aroma of Elaeagnus seed bread, with an average score of 4.5-5. The incorporation of medicinal and aromatics plants not only enhances bread flavour but also provides health benefits besides sell life of bread. These plants serve as valuable natural preservatives, improving nutritional value, extending shelf life, and inhibiting harmful microorganisms in sustainable bread production.