Antifungal activity of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) essential oil in tomato sauce

Essential oils (EOs) of coriander were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Linalool (73.05 %), alpha-pinene (9.18 %), gamma-terpinene (7.65 %), geranyl acetate (2.71 %), were the main components of coriander essential oil. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of coriander was 2700 ppm in broth macrodilution. 3 x 10(5) CFU/g Byssochlamys fulva was inoculated in tomato sauce and different concentrations of EOs were added to each sample. Sodium benzoate at MIC concentration (250 ppm) was added to tomato sauce as a negative control. Samples were kept at 30 +/- 0.5 A degrees C for 2 months. The results showed that sodium benzoate completely stopped the fungi growth but 800 ppm coriander essential oils (CEO) and mixture of cinnamon (250 ppm) and coriander (800 ppm) essential oils inhibited up to 32 and 90 %, respectively.