2016, Pages 775–782
Abstract
Acorus calamus
Linn, sweet flag (Araceae family), is commonly used as a traditional
medicine as well as against a number of invertebrate pests, including
stored grain insects. Essential oil, an aromatic and volatile liquid,
can be extracted from sweet flag. The chemicals in sweet flag oils are
secondary metabolites, which play an important role in food preservation
as they possess insecticidal and antimicrobial properties. Furthermore,
food-borne diseases are a growing public health problem worldwide,
calling for more effective preservation strategies. The antibacterial
antifungal properties of sweet flag oil and their constituents have been
documented extensively. Sweet flag oils have potential for developing
into natural insecticide for food preservation. The purpose of this
chapter is to provide an overview of current knowledge about the
insecticidal and antimicrobial properties and the mode of action of
sweet flag oils, to identify research avenues that can facilitate
implementation of sweet flag oils as a natural preservative in food.
Keywords
- Acorus calamus;
- Antimicrobial;
- Asarone;
- Essential oil;
- Food preservation;
- Mode of action;
- Natural insecticide;
- Sweet flag
Abbreviations
- EO
- Essential oil
- LC50
- Median lethal concentration
- MIC
- Minimum inhibitory concentration
- MRSA
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
