They become increasingly popular as natural antimicrobial and
antioxidant agents that may be used in food preservation. Public
concern about the use of antibiotics in livestock feed has increased,
because of the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria and their
possible transmission from livestock to humans. In fact, in the European
Union the use of synthetic antibiotics, health and growth
promoters as additives in livestock feed has been prohibited since
2006 by the European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC
No.1831/2003). In this context, one of the possible solutions is the
use of EOs such as those found in the genus Origanum and in its 3
species used for this study: Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum, Origanum
onites and Origanum marjorana.