Kloucek explained that plant essential oils are lipophilic, meaning that they gravitate towards fat. "And luckily, in the cell membrane of bacteria, there is plenty of fat, which serves as a seal," he said. "Essential oils are attracted to this fat and, as their molecules squeeze in between the fat molecules, they cause leakage of the membrane." Like water poured on the wicked witch in The Wizard of Oz, the leakage causes a meltdown that can eventually kill the bacteria. If foods were treated with essential oils to prevent illness, the obvious problem to overcome is the oils' potent taste. While strong mint flavor is desirable in a candy cane, it might not work well with other foods. The solution, according to Kloucek and his team, is to carefully match the oil with the food. "To overcome unwanted flavors, an essential oil with the best scent best fitting to the taste of the treated product in the lowest possible concentration should be used," he said. "You will probably not use garlic essential oil to treat grapes, but for some semi-finished meat products it can be suitable." Monique Lacroix, a professor at the INRS-Institute Armand-Frappier in Quebec, told Discovery News she agrees that, "essential oils have a powerful antimicrobial property." She particularly liked Kloucek's study because it addressed the volatile nature of the oils by studying them in their vapor phase, as opposed to direct application. Related Links: |
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