Origanum essential oil: a potential food additive

We worked with Origanum x applii (criollo) and Origanum x majoricum (mendocino), cultivated in La Consulta, Mendoza, Argentina. The essential oil was obtained by steam distillation. The antioxidant and antibacterial activity was evaluated as: yield, total phenols content, quantification of thymol and carvacrol by HPTLC, as well as the free radical scavenging capacity using the DPPH method. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated in vitro, by the agar diffusion method, against pure cultures of five pathogenic bacteria and six strains of lactic bacteria that affect food. Yields were higher as compared to those reported in the literature for samples of the oregano spices coming from different countries. The concentration of polyphenols shown, in both samples, was higher than that reported in literature, prevailing thymol over carvacrol. This is consistent with a higher level of free radicals scavenging capacity with regard to mentioned in the literature. They inhibited all strains tested and were more effective against Staphylococcus aureus. The exposed thing corroborates the antioxidant and preserving activity of the Origanum x applii and Origanum x majoricum.