November 17, 2006

U.S. and Spanish researchers say they have added a bacteria-killing oil to existing edible food wraps used to protect fruits and vegetables.

Made from apple puree and oregano oil, the wrap "shows promise in laboratory studies of becoming a long-lasting, potent alternative to conventional produce washes," a release from the American Chemical Society said.

Oregano has well-known antibacterial properties.

Tara McHugh, a food chemist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, headed a team that did lab tests of various antibacterial agents mixed with the fruit wraps, which she and colleagues developed three years ago.

"While all of the oils tested inhibited the growth of E. coli, oregano oil was the most effective, killing over 50 per cent of sample bacteria in three minutes at concentrations as small as 0.034 per cent," she said.

The researchers, including scientists from University of Lleida in Spain, are working on raising the kill rate.

The wraps have yet to be tested on fresh produce, but already the scientists are trying them out or planning experiments targeting other food bacteria, including salmonella.

Because the apple film is sticky, it stays on fruits and vegetables longer than conventional water-based product washes. And the stickiness keeps the oregano oil in close contact to the surfaces where the bacteria grow.

The antibacterial coating could also be used as a spray or dip for fresh fruits and vegetables. That may leave an oregano taste, but that can be an advantage for some salads, McHugh said.

The researchers' study is set to be published in the society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry on Nov. 29.

E. coli on U.S. spinach killed three people recently, and there have been repeated scares about salmonella and other contaminants.

From: http://www.cbc.ca/health/

Good Grief, either I'm going blind or MSN is messin' with me again, there should be a number of articles about Oregano oil here.....  More to follow then !