Antimicrobial Efficacy of Benzyl Isothiocyanate

The potential value of benzyl isothiocyanate (BIT) vapor for food preservation was investigated in comparison with allyl isothiocyanate, (AIT) vapor. Measurements of minimum inhibitory concentration (MlQ against various bacteria and fungi indicated that BIT vapor shows higher antibacterial activity towards Gram-positive bacteria, including lactic acid bacteria, than AIT vapor. BIT has a similar inhibitory effect to AIT against Gram-negative bacteria, yeast and fungi, except that it was less effective against Pseudomonas fluorescens JCM 5963. Both BIT and AIT have a strong inhibitory activity against yeast and fungi. AIT vapor suppressed growth of total aerobic bacteria in bigeye tuna meat and pork mince during storage at 10 degrees C and 30 degrees C, while BIT vapor had no effect. Also, AIT vapor strongly inhibited mycelial development of Aspergillus sojae JCM 2251 and Penicillium expansum IAM 13777 inoculated on rice cakes, while BIT vapor only slightly suppressed their growth. BIT has antimicrobial activities, but further studies are needed to establish its suitability for use in food preservation.