Antimicrobial Activity of Iranian Zataria multiflora Boiss. Essential Oil and Ethanolic Garlic Extract in a Protein-Rich Food

Background: Ready-to-cook breast chicken is susceptible to bacterial changes, which, in turn, adversely affect both food quality and consumers’ health. Objectives: This study was intended to investigate the antibacterial potency of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil (ZEO) and ethanolic garlic extract (EGE) against four bacterial strains, namely S. aureus, B. licheniformis, E. coli O157:H7, and S. enteritidis in ready-to-cook breast chicken. Methods: Initially, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were measured to define baseline concentrations for in-vivo applications. Afterward, the chicken pieces were contaminated with the given microorganisms before marinating them with ZEO and EGE. Cell viabilities were computed throughout storage at 4°C. A five-scale test was carried out to assess organoleptic features. Results and Conclusions: The findings indicated that the two agents could successfully reduce the bacterial growth although ZEO was more effective than EGE. A better in-vivo antimicrobial performance was observed for ZEO in contrast to EGE, approximately demonstrating a comparable behavior under in-vitro and in-vivo conditions. The concentrations of EGE and ZEO with significant bacterial growth showed lower scores in the sensory survey.