Antimicrobial and Preservative Activities of Lippia Multiflora Essential Oil on Smoked Mackerel (Scomber Scombrus) Fish

Objectives: The present study aims to exploit antimicrobial potentialities of the essential oil of Lippia multiflora in preserving smoked mackerel fish. Methods and findings: Essential oil extracted from Lippia multiflora was applied on smoked mackerel (Scomber scombrus) fish samples obtained from smoking and selling outlets in Yamoussoukro metropolis (Cote d'Ivoire). Microbiological quality determinations include microbial load counts, using enumerations of total aerobic mesophilic flora, total coliforms, yeasts & moulds and Staphylococcus aureus, before and after application of essential oil, and during fish samples preservation studies. The contamination levels of market smoked fish samples were total aerobic mesophilic flora (4.3 log10 CFU/g); total coliforms (1.42 log10 CFU/g); yeasts & moulds (2.45 log10 CFU/g) and Staphylococcus aureus (1.41 log10 CFU/g). There were no microbial loads recorded for the freshly smoked mackerel fish samples. One ml of L. multiflora essential oil added to 70 g of fish samples inhibited the growth of total aerobic mesophilic flora by 100% in 24 h, while the smoked fish samples were preserved for 3 days without repeated smoking. Conclusion: L. multiflora essential oil can serve as a bio-preservative for smoked mackerel fish instead of repeated smoking or chemical preservation.