evaluation of the antifungal effects of savory (satureja hortensis), dill (anethum graveolens) and cinnamon (cinnamomum zeylanicum) essential oils alone and in combination on aspergillus flavus and penicillium chrysogenum

In this research, the effects of savory, dill, and cinnamon eos alone and in combination on the growth of aspergillus flavus ptcc 5004 and penicillium chrysogenum ptcc 5033 mycelium were studied. the concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, and 1% (w/v) of the eos were prepared in sterile molten potato dextrose agar (pda). then, the mycelium of tested molds was transferred to pda containing different concentrations of eos using a sterile puncher (ø=5mm). the growth diameter of molds was measured on days 3, 5, 7, and 10 of incubation at 25 ˚c and the inhibition percentage of various concentrations of eos was calculated. the savory and dill eos alone inhibited the growth of a. flavus and p. chrysogenum 100% on different days of incubation in the tested concentrations. also, cinnamon eo alone in all concentrations inhibited the growth of p. chrysogenum by 100% and the eo alone could not inhibit the growth of a. flavus in concentrations of 0.25 and 0.5% on days 7 and 10 of incubation completely. the combination of cinnamon eo with savory and dill eos in the same concentrations enhanced the antifungal effects of cinnamon eo. it could be concluded that savory, dill and cinnamon eos alone had antifungal effects and their combination with each other in the tested concentrations, except for cinnamon eo, did not affect their antifungal activity. it is suggested to use savory, dill, and cinnamon eos as flavoring and antifungal compounds in foods and evaluate their combined effects in concentrations less than 0.25%.