Open AccessSynergistic effects of nisin and thymol on antimicrobial activities in Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus subtilis
Author(s) -
Ettayebi Khalil,
El Yamani Jamal,
RossiHassani BadrDin
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2000.tb08956.x
Subject(s) - nisin , listeria monocytogenes , thymol , bacillus subtilis , lactococcus lactis , bacteriocin , microbiology and biotechnology , antimicrobial , food science , bacteria , lactobacillus , chemistry , listeria , antibacterial agent , antibacterial activity , biology , fermentation , lactic acid , antibiotics , essential oil , genetics
Nisin Z and thymol were tested, alone and in combination, for antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644 and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 33712. The antibacterial effect of nisin Z, produced by Lactococcus lactis KE3 isolated from the traditional Moroccan fermented milk, was greatly potentiated by sub‐inhibitory concentrations of thymol in both bacterial strains. Our data showed that the concentration of nisin required for effective control of food‐borne pathogenic bacteria could be considerably lowered by the use of thymol in combination. The use of low concentrations of nisin could lead to a less favourable condition for the occurrence of nisin‐resistant bacterial sub‐populations.