Essential Oils and Bacteriocin-Based Active Edible Coating: An Innovative, Natural and Sustainable Approach for the Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Seafoods

The anti-Listeria monocytogenes activity of four essential oils (EOs) (Salvia officinalis, Citrus limon, Mentha piperita and Thymus vulgaris) and bacteriocin bacLP17, added alone or in mixture in active edible coatings, was determined in artificially contaminated shrimps. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the EOs were determined against the NCTC 10888 strain of L. monocytogenes by using the broth microdilution method. The checkerboard method was carried out in tryptic soy broth (TSB), using microdilution to obtain the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index (FIC-Index) for six associations of EOs, chosen based on the best MIC results. All the EOs confirmed their anti-Listeria activity, both “in vitro” and inside the coatings. The coating matrix was suitable for use in the food field, allowing a gradual release of the EOs in packaged food. When the EOs were used in association (EO/EO) they were demonstrated to act synergistically, leading to a significant reduction in the amount (10–20 times) of EOs needing to be used, and consequently a decrease in the strong smell on the food. This effect was also confirmed when the compounds were incorporated into the coatings. The inclusion of the EOs within the coating not only ensured the anti-Listeria activity by increasing the shelf-life of food products, but also further mitigated the strong smell of the EOs, improving the organoleptic impact on the food and its sensory properties.