Abstract
This work evaluated the potential of natural antimicrobial compounds to prevent histamine formation by inhibiting the microbial growth of Lentilactobacillus parabuchneri and Limosilactobacillus reuteri, bacteria selected for their ability to produce histamine in cheese. Of the evaluated compounds, eugenol, carvacrol, thymol and cinnamaldehyde were the most effective in inhibiting histamine-forming lactic acid bacteria and, therefore, in reducing histamine generation, even at concentrations below the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Carvacrol significantly impacted both microbial viability and the metabolism of bacteria with the inhibition of decarboxylase activity. In the case of L. parabuchneri, the use of 0.7 mg/mL carvacrol (MBC/2) resulted in an 88% reduction in histamine content, and for L. reuteri a 96% reduction was observed by using 0.65 mg/(MBC/2). Therefore, using essential oil components during food processing and preservation would be a good strategy to prevent histamine accumulating in cheese and to, consequently, mitigate its adverse effects.
