Xiaowei Fu, Mingzhou Zhang, Bin Huang
Feb 1, 2009
Citations
2
Influential Citations
14
Citations
Journal
Journal of Food Process Engineering
Abstract
ABSTRACT Monolaurin (M) is a potential natural antimicrobial agent used in foods. It is considered to have an antimicrobial activity against gram-positive bacteria. A monolaurin microemulsion (MME) system inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium digitatum. Microemulsions (MEs) are transparent, isotropic solutions of oil, surfactant, cosurfactant and water, which are thermodynamically stable and have been much studied in terms of pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. The growth of B. subtilis was inhibited more strongly by MME than by M. A similar pattern was observed for E. coli, A. niger and P. digitatum, although an enhanced inhibition by MME system over that obtained in comparable M alone was not observed. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Monolaurin is considered to have an antimicrobial activity against gram-positive bacteria but not against gram-negative bacteria. A monolaurin microemulsion system inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium digitatum, and will be regarded as a “natural” antimicrobial preservative.