New research has found cinnamon and oregano essential oils (EO) provide antimicrobial properties when mixed with certain plastics.
The Spanish scientists said cinnamaldahyde in cinnamon is the antimicrobial constituent which is believed to have the highest anti-fungal activity among aliphatic aldenhydes.
The report published in the Foodbourne Pathogens and Disease journal said carvacrol and thymol are the relevant compounds in oregano that prohibit fungal growth.
The substances were used to measure the effectiveness of inhibiting growth of gram-positive listeria monocytogenes, gram-negative salmonella chloreraesuis, the yeast candida albicans and the mould aspergillus flavus.
The study found polypropylene (PP) to be more effective among plastics than polyethylene and EVOH.
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