Increased antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of lemongrass and cinnamon essential oils with tea polyphenols and its application in the preservation of marine fish.

This article focuses on the combined use of lemongrass essential oil (LEO), cinnamon essential oil (CEO), and tea polyphenols (TP) to enhance antioxidant and antimicrobial activities for marine fish preservation. In vitro experiments demonstrated that mixtures of essential oils with TP exhibited greater antioxidant and antibacterial effects against common spoilage bacteria than individual components. Application to Dusky Spinefoot fish showed that while microbial growth inhibition was modest, the combination significantly reduced surface decay, flavor deterioration, and biogenic amine production, which are key indicators of spoilage. Additionally, films incorporating both essential oils and TP maintained strong antimicrobial properties, suggesting potential for use in food packaging. These findings indicate that the synergistic effects of essential oils and tea polyphenols offer promising prospects for developing natural, cost-effective hurdle technologies to extend the shelf life and safety of marine fish products.