Enhancement of antibacterial activity of essential oil vapor released from a paper egg tray in combination with UV-C radiation against pathogenic bacteria on chicken eggs.

This study investigated the antibacterial activity of a paper egg tray containing clove oil (10–80 μg/g), or 40 μg/g of eugenol, eugenyl acetate, and a eugenol/ eugenyl acetate combination at ratios of 7:1, 1:1, and 1:7 with UV-C radiation to control the growth of Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus on chicken eggs for 30 days. The egg tray treated with the vapor phase of 40 μg/g clove oil and eugenol/eugenyl acetate combination (7:1 ratio) together with UV-C radiation exhibited activity against all pathogenic bacteria and extended the shelf life of eggs by approximately fivefold. The eggs stored in the treated egg tray exhibited good quality were reported. The synergic effect of the two main components (eugenol/ eugenyl acetate at 7:1) in the vapor phase following UV radiation was found to be the key factor of the increased antibacterial activity of the clove oil vapor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]