Antibacterial activity of Amomum tsaoko essential oil and its interaction with Staphylococcus aureus

Amomum tsaoko is a medicinal and edible plant mainly distributed in southwest China and Southeast Asia. This study investigated the antibacterial activity of Amomum tsaoko essential oil (AEO) against typical foodborne pathogenic bacteria and the interaction of AEO with Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that AEO exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogenic bacteria, with the most performance against S. aureus, with MIC and MBC values of 0.20 mg/mL and 0.39 mg/mL, respectively. In addition, the effects of AEO on S. aureus might include affecting cell membrane permeability, integrity, bacterial energy, and respiratory metabolism. Furthermore, the (E)-dec-2-enal in AEO was considered a vital antibacterial component. Overall, AEO presented positive antibacterial properties, suggesting that AEO can be served as a potential inhibitor against S. aureus and contribute to the application of AEO in food preservation.