**2. How plants work**

Preservatives are used to limit the growth and microbial activity in pharmaceutical products, food and cosmetics, and by interfering with cell membranes, enzymes and genetic structure of microorganisms have a preventive effect. To apply the essential oils as chemical preservatives in food, investigating their antibacterial activities alone and in combination with other factors affecting the growth of microorganisms in food and nutrition is essential in laboratory models [2]. The use of natural antimicrobial compounds such as essential oils, herbal extracts and spices for the protection of food against microbial spoilage has led to the identification of some of their unique features such as taste effects and antioxidant activity [5]. EOs have been used in human health as functional food, food additives, medicine, nutritional supplements and cosmetic manufacturing [4, 6, 7].

Essential oils and plant extracts with various biological compounds have very high potential for using as new drug combinations, healthcare and human and animal diseases as well due to the presence of anti-microbial compounds especially against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative pathogens, Anticancer, Antioxidant and Free Radical Removal Factors as one of the most important natural sources for the using of them in medicines and foods [1]. Essential oils and extracts from medicinal herbs with antimicrobial, anticancer and antioxidant compounds (due to the presence of free radicals eliminating agents) have importance as new and natural drug combinations, both in the field of health and disease management and in the protection of raw and processed foods [8].

### **3. Importance of food-borne pathogens**

Food-borne diseases recognised as one of the major public health problems worldwide, especially in developing countries, and, on the other hand, increasing incidence of food-borne disease along with its social and economic consequences have led to conducting extensive research in order to produce safer food and develop new antimicrobial agents; among them, the extensive use of probiotics and bacteriocins as biological additives is of considerable importance. With increase of urban population, tourism, immigration, a variety of food with different components, improve technology in the food industry, changes in food consumption culture and approach to food consumption, food preparation, and finally international trade in food, overburdened the more food illness in the present age, so that about 30 per cent of people in developed countries at least once a year to develop food-borne diseases [4]. Despite the reportedly strong antimicrobial activity of EOs against food-borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, their practical application as preservatives is currently limited owing to the undesirable flavour changes they cause in food products [6, 9–11].

## **4. Some of the most important plants that can be used in foods**

#### **4.1** *Mentha longifolia* **L.**

*Mentha longifolia L.* from *Lamiaceae* essentially grows in wet river banks of temperate areas of Central and South Europe, Australia, South-West Asia and Iran.

**5**

*Applications of Medicinal Herbs and Essential Oils in Food Safety*

The EOs of this plant varying in quantity according to variety and characteristic of the growing site are composed of cationic compounds especially pulegone, 15–40% total alcohols, 7–12% limonene and Dilantin. This plant bears medicinal characteristics and has proven to be of benefit for digestive system disorders, vomiting and loss of appetite, ulcerative colitis and liver malfunctions. Other reported inhibitory effects have been reported towards microorganisms causing food-borne diseases, for example, *S. aureus*, *E. coli*, *Bacillus subsp*., *Salmonella subsp*. and *Aspergillus* 

*C. cyminum* with the vernacular name of "Zireh e Sabs" (in Iran) is a plant belonging to the *Apiaceae* family applied in Iranian folk medicine since more than 200 years ago. Major constituents in *C. cyminum* essential oil (EO) are cumin aldehyde, cuminic alcohol, gamma-terpinene and ß-pinene [11, 13]. This plant has

This plant is belonging to the mint family, plateau, a height of 10 to 30 cm, with a white cottony appearance, usually in poor areas (nutrients and organic matter), rocky areas and sand dunes in Europe, the Mediterranean region, north of Africa and south west of Asia, including Iran, especially Khorasan province [2]. The studies have shown that this herb has antioxidant effects and antipyretic, antimicrobial and antispasmodic effects [15]. It has been reported that the ethanol extract of this herb has also an antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms of the show itself [16]. *Bacillus cereus* in the food samples is one of the ingredients that is inhibited by the essential oil of this

*Pimpinella anisum L*. is a plant with white leaves and small green yellowish seeds

*Echinophora* is a plant of the family *Apiaceae* that includes 10 species that have been distributed from the Mediterranean area to Iran. *E. orientalis* is a common species in Iran [19]. Two species of 10, including *E. sibthorpiana* and *E. orientalis*, are also growing in Anatolia, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Russia, Syria, the Balkans, Cyprus and Afghanistan [20, 21]. *Echinophora* EO contains alkaloid compounds and flavonoids [19]. γ-Decalactone, β-cis-ocimene and linalool L are the most important compounds in the EO of this plant [19]. This plant and its oil have antiseptic, antibacterial, antioxidant and antifungal effects and can inhibit human platelet aggregation and are also used in folk medicine to heal wounds and have carminative and digestive properties [22–25]. In the result of a study, different concentrations of *E. orientalis* EO significantly affected the growing of *S. aureus* bacterial in food model [19]. In another study, *E. tenuifolia* EO showed strong antimicrobial activity against *B.* 

and is from the *Umbelliferae* family. This plant grows in countries such as Iraq, Turkey, Iran, India, Egypt and many tropical areas of the world [14, 17]. EOs of some species of this plant are used in treating diseases such as epilepsy [18].

inhibitory effects on *E.coli*, *L. monocytopenia* and *S. aureus* [14].

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87215*

*subsp*. [8, 12].

**4.2** *Cuminum cyminum* **L.**

**4.3** *Teucrium polium* **L.**

**4.4** *Pimpinella anisum*

**4.5** *Echinophora orientalis*

*cereus* and *Staphylococcus spp* [26].

plant [2].

*Applications of Medicinal Herbs and Essential Oils in Food Safety DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87215*

The EOs of this plant varying in quantity according to variety and characteristic of the growing site are composed of cationic compounds especially pulegone, 15–40% total alcohols, 7–12% limonene and Dilantin. This plant bears medicinal characteristics and has proven to be of benefit for digestive system disorders, vomiting and loss of appetite, ulcerative colitis and liver malfunctions. Other reported inhibitory effects have been reported towards microorganisms causing food-borne diseases, for example, *S. aureus*, *E. coli*, *Bacillus subsp*., *Salmonella subsp*. and *Aspergillus subsp*. [8, 12].

#### **4.2** *Cuminum cyminum* **L.**

*Essential Oils - Oils of Nature*

**2. How plants work**

various parts of plants, and are used as flavouring agents in foods; thus the importance of the use of medicinal plants in food products can be multiple times [4].

Preservatives are used to limit the growth and microbial activity in pharmaceutical products, food and cosmetics, and by interfering with cell membranes, enzymes and genetic structure of microorganisms have a preventive effect. To apply the essential oils as chemical preservatives in food, investigating their antibacterial activities alone and in combination with other factors affecting the growth of microorganisms in food and nutrition is essential in laboratory models [2]. The use of natural antimicrobial compounds such as essential oils, herbal extracts and spices for the protection of food against microbial spoilage has led to the identification of some of their unique features such as taste effects and antioxidant activity [5]. EOs have been used in human health as functional food, food additives, medi-

Essential oils and plant extracts with various biological compounds have very high potential for using as new drug combinations, healthcare and human and animal diseases as well due to the presence of anti-microbial compounds especially against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative pathogens, Anticancer, Antioxidant and Free Radical Removal Factors as one of the most important natural sources for the using of them in medicines and foods [1]. Essential oils and extracts from medicinal herbs with antimicrobial, anticancer and antioxidant compounds (due to the presence of free radicals eliminating agents) have importance as new and natural drug combinations, both in the field of health and disease management and in the

Food-borne diseases recognised as one of the major public health problems worldwide, especially in developing countries, and, on the other hand, increasing incidence of food-borne disease along with its social and economic consequences have led to conducting extensive research in order to produce safer food and develop new antimicrobial agents; among them, the extensive use of probiotics and bacteriocins as biological additives is of considerable importance. With increase of urban population, tourism, immigration, a variety of food with different components, improve technology in the food industry, changes in food consumption culture and approach to food consumption, food preparation, and finally international trade in food, overburdened the more food illness in the present age, so that about 30 per cent of people in developed countries at least once a year to develop food-borne diseases [4]. Despite the reportedly strong antimicrobial activity of EOs against food-borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, their practical application as preservatives is currently limited owing to the undesirable flavour changes they cause in food products [6, 9–11].

**4. Some of the most important plants that can be used in foods**

*Mentha longifolia L.* from *Lamiaceae* essentially grows in wet river banks of temperate areas of Central and South Europe, Australia, South-West Asia and Iran.

cine, nutritional supplements and cosmetic manufacturing [4, 6, 7].

protection of raw and processed foods [8].

**3. Importance of food-borne pathogens**

**4**

**4.1** *Mentha longifolia* **L.**

*C. cyminum* with the vernacular name of "Zireh e Sabs" (in Iran) is a plant belonging to the *Apiaceae* family applied in Iranian folk medicine since more than 200 years ago. Major constituents in *C. cyminum* essential oil (EO) are cumin aldehyde, cuminic alcohol, gamma-terpinene and ß-pinene [11, 13]. This plant has inhibitory effects on *E.coli*, *L. monocytopenia* and *S. aureus* [14].

### **4.3** *Teucrium polium* **L.**

This plant is belonging to the mint family, plateau, a height of 10 to 30 cm, with a white cottony appearance, usually in poor areas (nutrients and organic matter), rocky areas and sand dunes in Europe, the Mediterranean region, north of Africa and south west of Asia, including Iran, especially Khorasan province [2]. The studies have shown that this herb has antioxidant effects and antipyretic, antimicrobial and antispasmodic effects [15]. It has been reported that the ethanol extract of this herb has also an antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms of the show itself [16]. *Bacillus cereus* in the food samples is one of the ingredients that is inhibited by the essential oil of this plant [2].

#### **4.4** *Pimpinella anisum*

*Pimpinella anisum L*. is a plant with white leaves and small green yellowish seeds and is from the *Umbelliferae* family. This plant grows in countries such as Iraq, Turkey, Iran, India, Egypt and many tropical areas of the world [14, 17]. EOs of some species of this plant are used in treating diseases such as epilepsy [18].

#### **4.5** *Echinophora orientalis*

*Echinophora* is a plant of the family *Apiaceae* that includes 10 species that have been distributed from the Mediterranean area to Iran. *E. orientalis* is a common species in Iran [19]. Two species of 10, including *E. sibthorpiana* and *E. orientalis*, are also growing in Anatolia, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Russia, Syria, the Balkans, Cyprus and Afghanistan [20, 21]. *Echinophora* EO contains alkaloid compounds and flavonoids [19]. γ-Decalactone, β-cis-ocimene and linalool L are the most important compounds in the EO of this plant [19]. This plant and its oil have antiseptic, antibacterial, antioxidant and antifungal effects and can inhibit human platelet aggregation and are also used in folk medicine to heal wounds and have carminative and digestive properties [22–25]. In the result of a study, different concentrations of *E. orientalis* EO significantly affected the growing of *S. aureus* bacterial in food model [19]. In another study, *E. tenuifolia* EO showed strong antimicrobial activity against *B. cereus* and *Staphylococcus spp* [26].

#### **4.6** *Aloe vera* **gel (***Aloe barbadensis Miller***)**

*Aloe vera* (*Aloe barbadensis Miller*) is a plant, which belongs to the family of *Liliaceae*. *Aloe vera* grows in arid climates and is widely distributed in India, Africa and other arid areas [27]. The 0.7% of gel of leaves is made up of solids mainly carbohydrates [28]. Activity against a variety of infectious agents has been attributed to *Aloe vera* such as antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal effects [29–31]. Some specific plant's compounds have been proposed to have direct antimicrobial activity, for example, anthraquinones, dihydroxyanthraquinones and saponins [32–35]. The antibactericidal activity of *Aloe vera* gel may be attributed to active compounds such as alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids as well as saponins which have a direct antimicrobial activity [33, 36]. In the results of a study, the antimicrobial potency of *Aloe vera* gel aqueous extract against *E. coli* has been shown in yoghurt [37]. In the study of Agarry et al. [38], they reported that leaf extracts had antibacterial activity against bacterial species such as *S. aureus*, *Klebsiella pneumoniae* and *E. coli*. In another study, the ethanol extract of *Aloe vera* gel inhibited the growth of *E. coli* and *S. aureus* [39].

#### **4.7** *Ferula sharifi*

The genus *Ferula* belongs to the family *Apiaceae* that comprises about 170 species in the world. These genera are produced from central Asia to northern Africa [40]. These plants are well documented as a good source of biologically active compounds such as sesquiterpenoids and sulphur-containing compounds [41]. Species of this genus have been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various organ disorders, for example, *F. assa-foetida* used as anticonvulsant, carminative, antispasmodic, diuretic, aphrodisiac, antihelmintic, tonic, laxative and alterative or *F. persica* used as laxative, carminative, antihysteric and for treatment of lumbago, diabetes and rheumatism [22, 40, 42–45].
