Table 5 Control point 168th hour from the study of the preservative potential of brine (2% sodium chloride) enriched with OEO against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, in cheese and brine samples.

From: Pilot study on the potential of low-salt brine with oregano essential oil for post-preservation of white brined cheese

Control points—168th hour (7 days)

Control samples

OEO added to the cheese brine (%, v/v)

(−) control

(+) control

0.012

0.025

0.05

0.1–5.0

Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 (log CFU/g cheese /log CFU/mLbrine)

 37 °C

      

  C

NG

4.42 ± 1.01

2.42 ± 0.95*

NG

NG

NG

  B

NG

4.68 ± 0.67

2.72 ± 0.40*

2.54 ± 0.89*

2.42 ± 0.21*

NG

 4 °C

      

  C

NG

2.94 ± 0.99

2.41 ± 0.19*

2.15 ± 0.51*

NG

NG

  B

NG

3.77 ± 0.50

2.53 ± 0.18*

2.31 ± 0.18*

NG

NG

Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 (log CFU/g cheese/log CFU/mL brine)

 37 °C

      

  C

NG

2.39 ± 0.57

1.43 ± 0.67*

NG

NG

NG

  B

NG

3.02 ± 1.01

1.77 ± 0.99*

NG

NG

NG

 4 °C

      

  C

NG

1.30 ± 0.67

1.19 ± 0.19*

NG

NG

NG

  B

NG

2.54 ± 0.31

1.23 ± 0.21*

NG

NG

NG

  1. The data represent mean values and standard division from the results of three consecutive experiments. CFU, colony-forming units; C, cheese sample; B, brine sample.
  2. (−) control contains 2% sodium chloride brine and cheese; (+) control contains 2% sodium chloride brine, cheese and 0.5 MF microbial strain.
  3. NG—no growth (according to the relevant ISO guideline: coagulase-positive staphylococci < 100 CFU/g in cheese, < 10 CFU/mL in brine; β-glucuronidase-positive Escherichia coli < 10 CFU/g in cheese, < 1 CFU/mL in brine).
  4. *Statistically significant difference compared to the positive control (p < 0.05, one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test).
  5. Significant values are in bold.