Application of some antifungal and antioxidant compounds extracted from some herbs to be used in cakes as biopreservatives

It is highly desirable to employ biopreservatives of the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties to avoid the side effects associated with the use of synthetic preservatives. Cake batters containing essential oil extracts of some such Iranian native herbs as: Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), Camel thorn (Alhagi maurorum) and Ajwain (Trachyspermum copticum), were prepared. The chemical compositions of the essential oil were determined through GC–MS experiments. The shelf lives of the cakes were estimated by TBA (ThioBarbituric Acid) along with mould count measurements at room temperature during a 6 week storage period. The results revealed that these essential oils were fully effective in retarding mould growth and fat rancidity in the cakes. It was therefore concluded that these essential oils are of the potential to be used in the food industry as promising biopreservatives.