Unraveling the antimicrobial performance and mechanisms of Syzygium aromaticum and Myristica fragrans extracts-based coatings in strawberries storage.

Food contamination caused by spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms motivates the necessity for natural antimicrobial agents. However, the effectiveness of natural antimicrobial agents as substitutes for chemical preservatives, as well as the underlying microbial mechanisms of their broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, remain unclear. Here, the performance of Syzygium aromaticum and Myristica fragrans extracts in food preservation and the underlying antimicrobial mechanisms were evaluated in comparison with the chemical preservative sodium benzoate. Using strawberry as a representative example, the results showed that S. aromaticum extract had superior preservation efficacy to both M. fragrans extract and sodium benzoate. S. aromaticum extract inhibits spoilage by significantly promoting the proliferation of beneficial microorganisms, which form a protective film on fruit surface, thereby reducing the attachment of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. This study offers a novel microbiological rationale for using S. aromaticum as a natural alternative to chemical preservatives, enhancing safety and quality of perishable fruits.