The search for new alternatives to preserve foods is a growing research field that is of great interest to the food
industry. In this study, the inhibitory effect of clove and/or mustard essential oils in vapor phase was evaluated
in vitro and in vivo (strawberries) against Botrytis cinerea, a mold highly detrimental to fruits and vegetables. In
vitro and in vivo minimuminhibitory concentration (MIC) for clove essential oilwas 92.56 μL/Lair, while formustard,
essential oil was 15.42 μL/Lair. As for the combination of tested essential oils the MIC was 46.28 μL/Lair of
clove essential oil and 1.93 μL/Lair of mustard essential oil for the in vitro tests, while 11.57 μL/Lair of clove essential
oil and 1.93 μL/Lair of mustard essential oil for the in vivo tests. Furthermore, the observed inhibitory effect is due
to a synergism of tested essential oils in most of the assessed combinations.
Industrial relevance: Effectiveness of vapors of clove and/or mustard essential oils against B. cinerea was demonstrated.
The inhibitory activity exhibited by essential oils vapors can be attributed to themajor compounds identified
in clove and mustard essential oils, inhibiting B. cinerea growth in vitro and in vivo (strawberries).
Combinations of clove and mustard essential oils had a synergistic antifungal effect, confirming that the combined
use of volatile compounds from essential oils is more effective than its individual application.