Search

Abstract The increasing demand for safety and quality in food products has stimulated research on developing natural preservatives and their carrier systems as a novel preventive control strategy. In this study, metal-organic framework (MOF) was investigated, for the first time, as a carrier for volatile antimicrobial essential oils. Zinc metal-organic framework (Zn@MOF) was synthesized with zinc nitrate hexahydrate and 2-aminoterephthalic acid in N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Thymol was then loaded into the Zn@MOF at a loading rate of 3.96% as measured by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The crystal structure of porous MOF was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Antibacterial activity of thymol loaded Zn@MOF (T-Zn@MOF) with active thymol loading of 0.029 g/100 g was assessed against a three-strain cocktail of E. coli O157:H7 in a tryptic soy broth (TSB). E. coli O157:H7 growth in T-Zn@MOF exhibited growth inhibition without an exponential growth phase after 24 h of incubation, which could be attributed to the sustained release of thymol by incorporating it in the porous Zn@MOF through noncovalent interactions. This research demonstrates that Zn@MOF loaded with the essential oil thymol is an effective antimicrobial and may have potential indirect applications in food. Highlights • Metal-organic framework (MOF) was investigated for food safety application. • Antimicrobial essential oil, thymol, was selected as a model bioactive substance. • Zn@MOF was synthesized and characterized with a thymol loading at 3.96%. • Thymol loaded MOF showed promising antimicrobial activity against E. coli O157:H7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]