Preservation Properties of Citrus Essential Oils in Fruits Against Food Spoilage Microorganisms

Pre- and post-harvest spoilage of fruits due to microbial contamination leads to significant economic losses. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial and preservative potential of citrus essential oils (CEOs) extracted from the peels of lime (Citrus aurantifolia), lemon (Citrus limon), and grapefruit (Citrus paradisi). Microorganisms were isolated from apples, cucumbers, tomatoes and oranges using conventional microbiological methods. The in vivo antimicrobial activity of CEOs was assessed against microorganisms in apparently healthy oranges and apples. Bacillus cereus and Penicillium digitatum caused the largest lesions on fruits, with diameters ranging from 28 to 37 mm and 36 to 46 mm, respectively. Disease severity of 86.55% and 91.67 % was observed in the untreated oranges following inoculation with Bacillus cereus and Penicillium digitatum, respectively. The combination of CEOs, applied at a concentration of 100 mg/mL, effectively prevented disease occurrence in both apples and oranges. In contrast, the unpreserved apples and oranges had the highest fungal counts of 9.40 x 10⁶ and 3.55 x 10⁷ CFU/g, respectively. CEOs were found to extend the shelf life of fruits and preserve their quality without altering organoleptic properties. The bioactive compounds in CEOs can be extracted and utilized as preservative agents to mitigate microbial spoilage of fruits.