mostafa rahmati-joneidabad

Considering the sensitivity of apple fruit to many pests and diseases and the sensitivity of consumers to synthetic pesticides, the use of plant essential oils has increased to increase the lifespan of various horticultural products, including apples. In this research, total phenol, total flavonoid and antioxidant properties of Elettaria cardamomum essential oil were investigated. In addition, the antimicrobial property of this essential oil was evaluated on a number of fungi that cause spoilage of apple fruit, including Penicillium expansum, Botrytis cinerea, and Alternaria alternata. The phenol and flavonoid content of E. cardamomum essential oil was equal to 69.60 mg of gallic acid per gram of essential oil and 27.40 mg of quercetin per gram of essential oil, respectively. The amount of antioxidant property of E. cardamomum essential oil in DPPH and ABTS free radical inhibition method was obtained as 57.30% and 63.60%, respectively. In the investigation of the antifungal property, the largest inhibition zone was observed in P. expansum by disk diffusion and agar well methods, and the minimum inhibitory concentration for P. expansum and B. cinerea fungi was 8 mg/ml and minimum fungicidal concentration was 64 mg/ml. Considering the high antioxidant and antifungal properties of E. cardamomum essential oil, it can be used as a suitable alternative to synthetic fungicides.

The growth of fungal pathogens on the grape fruit causes a decrease in its quality and shelf life. In this study, the antifungal activity of ginger (Zingiber officinale) essential oil was investigated against fungal pathogens that cause spoilage in grape fruit. Ginger essential oil was extracted using hydrodistillation method and the content of total phenol, total flavonoid, antioxidant activity based on the inhibition of DPPH and ABTS free radicals and its antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer and Botrytis cinerea strains based on disc diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum fungicidal concentration were evaluated. The results showed that ginger essential oil has 89.80 mg GA/g total phenol and 38.60 mg QE/g total flavonoid. Its antioxidant activity against DPPH and ABTS free radicals was 73.45 and 66.53 μg/ml, respectively. The results of antifungal activity showed that A. niger and B. cinerea were the most sensitive and resistant fungal strains to essential oil, respectively, and the diameter of the inhibition zone in the disc diffusion and well diffusion agar methods, the minimum inhibitory concentration, and the minimum fungicidal concentration for the A. niger strain was equal to 13.90 mm, 14.50 mm, 8 mg/mL and 64 mg/mL, respectively. In general, ginger essential oil can be used as an antioxidant and antimicrobial agent to increase the shelf life of agricultural products.

In this study, the hydroalcoholic extract of Ferula persica was extracted based on soaking method, and then the content of total phenols, total flavonoids, free radical scavenging activity (based on DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging methods) and antifungal effect (based on antimicrobial methods of disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentrations, and minimum fungicidal concentrations) were evaluated against fungi species causing strawberry and grape fruits rot (Botrytis cinerea, Aspergillus niger, and Rhizopus stolonifer). The results of this study showed that the hydroalcoholic extract of Ferula persica contained 101.38 mg GAE/g total phenols and 37.41 mg QE/g total flavonoids. In addition, the antioxidant activity of hydroalcoholic extract based on the percentage of inhibition of DPPH and ABTS free radicals was 68.59 and 63.32%, respectively. Findings of antifungal activity based on disk diffusion agar and well diffusion agar tests showed that the antifungal effect of the extract was dependent on its concentration and increasing the concentration caused a significant increase in the diameter of the growth inhibition zone. Rhizopus stolonifer and Aspergillus niger were the most resistant and sensitive fungal strains to the hydroalcoholic extract, respectively, and the minimum lethal concentrations for these two strains were 256 and 64 mg/ml, respectively. Therefore, Ferula persica hydroalcoholic extract can be used as a natural preservative to increase the shelf life of horticultural products.

In this study, the effect of vine training system and storage time were evaluated on some grape characteristics, such as berry contamination percentage, berry shedding percentage, berry browning rate, titratable acidity, soluble solids, total phenol and the activity of peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase enzymes, in order to maintain the quality of grape during storage time. Factorial experiment was conducted based on completely randomized design with two factors of vine training system (khazandeh, pergola and cordon) and storage time (zero, 20, 40 and 60 days after storage) with three replications during 2018-2019. After transferring the fruits to the cold storage with temperature of +4◦C, relative humidity of 85-90% and storage for two months, some characteristics of grape were examined on different days after storage. The results showed that the effect of storage time on berry browning was significant at the level of 1% probability. Also, the effect of interaction between vine training system and storage time on titratable acidity and on the other measured characteristics was significant at the level of 5% and 1% probability, respectively. In general, the results showed that the cordon training system had the best effect in maintaining the characteristics of grape during the storage period compared to other training methods.

Citrus paradisi belongs to the Rutaceae family, which is found in the north and south of Iran. The purpose of this study was to extract grapefruit essential oil (GEO) by water distillation and identify its chemical compounds with the help of a gas chromatography device connected to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Also, the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity and antifungal effect were investigated.

In this study, GEO was first extracted by water distillation method and its chemical compounds were identified with the help of a GC-MS. The TPC and the TFC of the essential oil were determined using Folin–Ciocalteu method and aluminum chloride colorimetry, respectively. Antioxidant activity of essential oil with 3 methods of DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical inhibition, ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) free radical inhibition and decolorization β-carotene-linoleic acid was determined. Four different methods were used to evaluate the antifungal properties of GEO on Rhizopus stolonifer (ATCC 14037), Botrytis cinerea (ATCC 28387) and Aspergillus niger (PTCC 5010).

The main compound in GEO was limonene (77.50%). The essential oil had TPC equal to 92.75 mg of gallic acid per gram and TFC equal to 61.50 mg of quercetin per gram. The antioxidant activity was of GEO against DPPH radicals (29.90 mg/mL), ABTS (26.60 mg/mL) and β-carotene oxidation (60.25%). According to the results of disk diffusion agar, Botrytis cinerea showed the largest inhibition zone (17.80 mm), while Aspergillus niger showed the smallest (13.30 mm). The minimum inhibitory concentration values ​​for Botrytis cinerea were equal to 4 mg/mL and for Aspergillus niger equal to 16 mg/mL.

It is suggested that more research on other pathogenic fungi and also the effect of essential oil on horticultural products should be investigated.

The use of safe ingredients to preserve food is steadily increasing. The high time and cost of production and approval of synthetic food additives and the reduction of public acceptance of these compounds have caused serious problems in their utilization. Excessive use of synthetic preservatives, which some of them are suspected to be toxic, has completely eliminated these additives and led to the use of natural alternatives to preserve or extend the shelf life of food products. Many plant-based bioactive compounds are good alternatives to synthetic antimicrobial and antioxidant supplements. Plant extracts have significant biological activity including antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, which has increased their use in food products. In addition, plant-derived antimicrobial compounds have been considered in the pharmaceutical industry to control microbial pathogens. Natural antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds are receiving a lot of research and industrial attention in food preservation technologies. In the last 2 decades, the use of herbal medicines rich in bioactive molecules (including polyphenols, carotenoids and flavonoids) with medicinal and health effects such as delaying the onset of some diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, and cancer have increased.The plant Prosopis farcta grown in arid and semi-arid regions. In Iran, it is found in the southern regions of the country. In traditional medicine, this plant is used to prevent hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia, to treat hemorrhoids, intestinal diseases and diarrhea, and leprosy, and to reduce abortion. In addition, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of various species of Prosopis have been reported. Accordingly, in this study, after examining the of total phenols and flavonoids concentrations, the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of ethanolic extract of Prosopis farcta were determined. 

The ethanolic extract of P. farcta was obtained maceration method. Total phenol content (by Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method), total flavonoid content (by aluminum chloride method), antioxidant activity (by DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging and beta-carotene bleaching methods), and antimicrobial effect against Escherichia coli, Shigella dysentery, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis (by disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum fungicidal concentration) of the extract were evaluated. 

farcta ethanolic extract showed high phenol content (145.58 ± 1.30 mg GAE/g), while its total flavonoid content was 72.37 ± 1.48 mg QE/g. Antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract of melon root using different methods of DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging and beta-carotene bleaching inhibition were 62.60, 71.82 and 54.50%, respectively. Antibacterial activity of P. farcta ethanolic extract against Escherichia coli, Shigella dysentery, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis according to disk diffusion agar and well diffusion agar methods showed that the antimicrobial activity of the extract was concentration dependent and Shigella dysentery and Staphylococcus aureus were the most resistant and sensitive bacterial strains to the extract respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of ethanolic extract of P. farcta root for Escherichia coli, Shigella dysentery, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis were 8, 8, 4 and 4 mg/ml, respectively; while the minimum bactericidal concentrations for these bacteria were 128, 256, 32 and 64 mg/ml, respectively. 

In the present study, ethanolic extract obtained from the roots of P. farcta was identified as a rich source of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. The ethanolic extract showed effective antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The results greatly indicated the promising effect of P. farcta root extract against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species. As the microbial resistance is constantly increasing, ethanolic extract of P. farcta root can be considered as a suitable complementary option to tackle this problem. In addition, the identification of individual components of P. farcta ethanolic extract and their biological functions or their combination with common antioxidant and antimicrobial agents could be the subject of future research.

In many developing countries, natural resource conservation has not been a priority despite an increase in production, resulting in reduced agricultural productivity and compromised sustainability. Sustainable agriculture, as a rapidly expanding concept, emphasizes the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of producing food and energy for present and future generations. Smart agriculture, including the intelligentization of agricultural production units and greenhouses, is a key solution to address sustainability challenges by optimizing crop production through environmental control and reducing the impact of climate change. While sustainability is interpreted differently across fields and regions, there is a consensus on the need to use sustainability indicators to measure changes. This study aims to evaluate and validate the environmental sustainability indicators of smart greenhouses, which are unique to each region and country. By adopting a sustainability perspective, this study contributes to a better understanding of the multidimensional nature of agricultural sustainability and the need to consider the social and environmental implications of agricultural practices. The results of this study can help policymakers and practitioners in the field of smart agriculture to develop and implement sustainable agricultural practices that maximize productivity while minimizing environmental and social impacts. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of evaluating and validating the environmental sustainability indicators of smart greenhouses.

This study targeted greenhouse managers in Isfahan province who utilized intelligent greenhouse management equipment in their production units due to the technological nature of the subject and climatic conditions. The agricultural Jihad Organization's statistics showed that there were 303 greenhouse units in the province, of which 170 were selected as the statistical sample. Isfahan province, known for its advanced technology and high greenhouse production, ranks fourth in greenhouse products in Iran, accounting for 12.33% of the country's greenhouse products.The data collection tool in this research is a questionnaire designed by the researcher in the form of a 5-option Likert scale including "very low", "low", "moderate", "much", "very much". To develop a measurement tool, the study identified three components of economic justification, environmental renewability, and social viability by systematically reviewing previous research on sustainable agriculture:Economic justificationSEC1 Increasing crop productivity using precision agricultureSEC2 reduction of consumption inputs in smart agricultureSEC3 increasing the income of smart greenhouses compared to traditional production unitsSEC4 Improving the quality and marketability of productsSEC5 Optimal management of water consumption in smart greenhousesSEC6 Optimum energy consumption in smart greenhousesEnvironmental renewal SEM1 Use of biological and non-chemical control to control pests and weedsSEM2 use of bio and green fertilizersSEM3 Planting modified and resistant seed varietiesSEM4 Utilization of renewable energiesSEM5 planning of recycling process and waste managementSEM6 Modifying and meeting the needs of the soil or planting bedSocial viabilitySSC1 Employing expert and educated personnel in the production unitSSC2 desire to learn and acquire knowledge of smart technologiesSSC3 Reducing human error in smart greenhouse managementSSC4 Creating sustainable employment for local youth in the regionConfirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to measure the factor structure of the environmental sustainability measurement index. The calculated indices in the research measurement model showed good validity and reliability. One of the advantages of using CFA to evaluate environmental sustainability indicators of smart greenhouses is its ability to systematically measure the validity and reliability of the measurement tool. This approach can be used continuously in similar environments in the future. This study contributes to the literature by providing a systematic approach to measure environmental sustainability in smart greenhouses, which can inform policymakers and practitioners in sustainable agriculture to maximize productivity while minimizing environmental and social impacts.

Descriptive statistics revealed that most greenhouse owners were between the ages of 31-40 and held university degrees, and the majority of production units were personally owned. Given the need for human and financial resources, there is potential for developing the cooperative sector and knowledge-based companies in this field.The study introduced 15 indicators for measuring the environmental sustainability of greenhouses, and factor loading values and t values for each index showed that all identified factors played an important role in explaining the sustainability of smart greenhouses. The factor load values for the selected markers (above 0.5) were statistically significant at the error level of one percent (P<0.01).The confirmatory model revealed that the components of social livability and environmental renewability had a greater role than economic justification in explaining the underlying variable of sustainability, with path coefficients of 0.844 and 0.858, respectively. The results highlight the importance of paying more attention to natural resources and empowering active human resources in the sector. While most agricultural policies in Iran prioritize increasing productivity and efficiency, less attention is given to aspects of justice, social welfare, durability, stability, and compatibility. The study emphasizes that agricultural sustainability is a multidimensional phenomenon, and policymakers should consider other dimensions of efficiency beyond crop production and productivity.

This study has made a significant contribution to the development of scientific concepts and sustainability evaluation indicators in new technologies in the field of agriculture.Despite numerous studies on agricultural sustainability, few efforts have been made to design and validate sustainability measurement indicators specifically for smart agriculture, particularly in greenhouse production units. Valid and reliable indicators are crucial for the agricultural sector worldwide, as farmers, policy makers, decision makers, and agricultural extension workers require accurate information about agricultural activities.However, in most cases, these stakeholders lack the tools to evaluate such information, leading to incorrect decisions, policies, and actions due to the absence of documented knowledge and indices on the sustainability of smart agriculture. Therefore, this article presents a multi-step process for designing and validating sustainability indicators for smart greenhouses in future research. This process is essential to improve the accuracy and reliability of sustainability information and promote sustainable agricultural practices in the greenhouse sector.The development and validation of the environmental sustainability index in this study can have a significant impact on the direction of agricultural policies in the field of intelligentizing greenhouse activities. Researchers, decision-makers, and policymakers face significant challenges in achieving greenhouse sustainability, and this study provides valuable insights and recommendations for addressing these challenges.

The aim of this article was to present a strategic plan for the development of smart greenhouses in Isfahan province using the qualitative method of SWOT analysis. In this paper, the solutions for developing smart greenhouses based on maximum use of strengths by relying on opportunities, overcoming weaknesses by exploiting opportunities, using strengths to reduce threats and minimizing weaknesses by avoiding threats are presented. The results of this research show that the development of smart greenhouses in Isfahan province while reducing water consumption and environmental effects can increase product quality and profitability. On the other hand, the development of smart greenhouses in this province needs to overcome limitations such as high initial investment cost, technical complexity, need for maintenance and dependence on external factors. Also, the results show that the development of smart greenhouses in Isfahan province can use some favorable external factors such as increasing demand and low prices of greenhouse products compared to the global market. Some adverse external factors, such as sanctions, social resistance in accepting innovation, and market fluctuations also affect this process. This article provides suggestions for future research policy and addressing the cause of some gaps, limitations and challenges in supporting the smartening of greenhouses in Isfahan province.

Strawberries are prone to spoilage post-harvest majorly due to the mold growth and decay, leading to a shortened shelf life. This study aimed to investigate storage of fresh strawberries using Plantago major seed mucilage incorporated with grapefruit essential oil as an edible coating.

The study investigated storage of an edible coating prepared from Plantago major seed mucilage containing grapefruit essential oil on the physical and chemical characteristics (pH, acidity, total soluble solids and firmness), microbial quality (fungal count) and sensory attributes (color, odor, texture and overall acceptability) of refrigerated strawberries. Strawberries were coated with Plantago major seed mucilage alone or Plantago major seed mucilage with three various concentrations (0.2, 0.6 and 1%) of grapefruit essential oil and then stored at 4 °C for 10 d.

Microbial load increased significantly with prolonged storage time in all the treatments. While Plantago major seed mucilage coating alone modestly slowed microbial growth, combining Plantago major seed mucilage with 1% grapefruit essential oil substantially delayed microbial growth by 18%, compared to the control sample. By the end of the storage, fungal counts orderly included 4.80, 3.95, 3.83, 3.66 and 3.45 log CFU/ml for the control, Plantago major seed mucilage, Plantago major seed mucilage and 0.2% grapefruit essential oil, Plantago major seed mucilage and 0.6% grapefruit essential oil, and Plantago major seed mucilage and 1% grapefruit essential oil coated strawberries, respectively. Physicochemical and sensory characteristics (pH, acidity, total soluble solids, firmness, color, odor, texture and overall acceptability) of strawberries treated with the coating consistently outcarried out those of the untreated control. While Plantago major seed mucilage coating alone showed preservation benefits, combination of Plantago major seed mucilage with grapefruit essential oil was further effective.

This study suggests that a Plantago major seed mucilage coating incorporating 1% of grapefruit essential oil can serve as a bioactive packaging solution to extend shelf life as well as serving as an alternative to pesticides.

Genetic diversity and the use of different cultivars and genotypes are important in pomegranate breeding and cultivation. Although, the quantitative and qualitative fruit characteristics of pomegranate genotypes have been studied in different regions of Iran, there are still regions, including Kurdistan province in the west of Iran, where no report has been published about the pomegranate genetic diversity. The present experiment investigated the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of fourteen pomegranate genotypes collected from four regions in Oraman, Kurdistan. Investigating the biochemical characteristics of fruit juice showed that the amounts of total acidity and ascorbic acid, total phenol, and total flavonoids were significantly different, but total soluble solids, taste index (soluble solids/acidity) and Brima-A index were not different. Also, the examination of fruit color indices showed significant differences in total anthocyanin, color intensity, pure red color intensity, and the ratio of total phenol to anthocyanin. Results showed that identifying and collecting pomegranate genotypes in other regions of Kurdistan province can increase the genetic diversity information of pomegranate. Furthermore, these studies can be utilized to introduce suitable genoypes in Kurdistan province or to implement breeding programs to introduce new pomegranate cultivars adapted to the climatic conditions of Kurdistan.

In this study, Ocimum basilicum essential oil was extracted according to hydrodistillation method and its antifungal activity (based on disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum fungicidal concentration) against fungi causing postharvest rots in apple was investigated. In addition, its constituents (by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer), total phenol content, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activity (based on DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging methods) were determined. Estragole was the main constituent of Ocimum basilicum essential oil with 65.43%. The essential oil contained 38.14 mg GAE/g total phenol and 11.17 mg QE/g total flavonoids. The results of antioxidant activity test showed that the free radical scavenging activity based on DPPH and ABTS methods were 66.85% and 73.70%, respectively. According to the results of disk diffusion agar and well diffusion agar methods, Penicillium expansum and Botrytis cinerea with the highest and lowest diameter of growth inhibition zones, respectively, were the most sensitive and resistant fungal strains to the essential oils. The results of minimum inhibitory and fungicidal concentration tests of essential oil showed a similar trend. In general, Ocimum basilicum essential oil contains many bioactive compounds with significant antioxidant and antifungal activity, which shows its ability as a natural preservative to improve the shelf life of horticultural products.

Chitosan, as a bio-polymer, has many applications in agriculture. Coating fruits and vegetables with chitosan plays a positive role in increasing their shelf-life, since the chitosan coating reduce growth of fungi and preserves the quality of the fruits longer.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of chitosan treatments (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1%) and storage time (0, 20, 40 and 60 days) on maintaining quantitative and qualitative parameters and shelf life of grape fruit of Fakhri cultivar. The experiments were factorial based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The fruits were stored for 2 months. Some characteristics of fruits including percentage of weight loss, percentage of berries abscission, percentage of decay of berries, browning of berries and biochemical characteristics including titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content, total phenol, enzymes activity including peroxidase (POD), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) were measured in order to investigate the best treatment.

 The results showed that the traits under study were affected by different concentrations of chitosan, with the lowest percentage of weight loss associated with the concentration of 0.5% chitosan. Chitosan, by forming a semi-permeable membrane, regulates gases,and reduces the transfer of water from fruit tissues. The lowest amount of browning of berries was observed in the concentration of 0.5% chitosan. Chitosan is partly prevented from increasing the activity of brown-peroxidase in chitosan-treated fruits. There was no significant difference in concentration of 0.5% chitosan with 1% concentration. The lowest percentage of contamination and percentage of berries abscission was observed in 1% chitosan concentration. It seems that these treatments prevent the effects of ethylene levels and the formation of a swab layer at the site of fruit attachment to the cluster. The slightest increase in the titratable acidity and the lowest decrease of ascorbic acid was observed in the concentration of 1% chitosan. Higher levels of ascorbic acid in fruits that are coated with chitosan may be due to decreased oxygen levels and respiration inhibition. The highest total phenol was related to the control treatment, which may be due to the loss of chlorophyll and the onset of synthesis of phenolic compounds. The highest level of activity of PAL enzyme was observed in the concentration of 0.5% chitosan and the control. This enzyme is stimulated by various live and non-living stresses. In general, the highest activity of peroxidase enzyme was observed in the concentration of 0.5% chitosan and the highest activity of polyphenol oxidase in 1% concentration of chitosan.

 It seems that the concentration of 1% chitosan can improve the quality of fruits for a longer time while increasing the shelf life of fruit.

The aim of this study was to isolate the ethanolic extract of Quercus persica leaves via maceration method and determination of its total phenol content (via Folin-Ciocalteu method), total flavonoid content (via aluminium chloride colorimetric method), antioxidant activity (based on DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging methods), and antimicrobial effect (based on disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration procedures). The extract contained 79.21 mg GAE/g phenolic compounds and 35.10 mg QE/g flavonoid compounds. The leaf ethanolic extract of Q. persica had a remarkable antioxidant activity, and it showed 52.60% DPPH free radical scavenging effect and 60.50% ABTS free radical scavenging activity. The extract had a concentration-dependent antimicrobial activity. The highest and lowest inhibition zones were respectively observed for Staphylococcus epidermidis (18.60 mm) and Salmonella typhi (14.80 mm), through disk diffusion agar method, in the presence of 100 mg.ml-1 extract. In well diffusion agar method, the inhibition zones for the above bacterial species were 14.90 mm and 15.10 mm, respectively. Moreover, the minimum inhibitory concentrations for the sensitive species (S. epidermidis) and the resistant bacteria (S. typhi) were 32 and 256 mg.ml-1, respectively. The results of this study show that the leaf ethanolic extract of Q. persica could be used as a naturally bioactive compound to substitute synthetic preservative agents.

The aim of this study was to investigate the phytochemical analysis and antifungal activities of ethanolic extract of Ficus benghalensis on the growth of fungal strains causing rot in orange fruit during storage (Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum). Total phenol content was evaluated according to Folin-Ciocalteu method, total flavonoid content was evaluated according to aluminum chloride colorimetric method, and antioxidant activity was evaluated based on DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging methods. Various methods (disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum fungicidal concentration) were used to evaluate the antifungal activity of ethanolic extract of F. benghalensis. The amount of phenol and flavonoids in the whole extract was 110.49 mg GAE/g and 62.60 mg QE/g, respectively. Antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract of F. benghalensis based on DPPH and ABTS radical inhibition methods was 48.56 and 57.20 μg/ml, respectively. The results of disk diffusion agar and well diffusion agar tests showed that the antifungal activity of the extract was concentration dependent and the fungal strains of Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum with the lowest and highest diameter of growth inhibition zone, were the most resistant and sensitive species to the extract, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentrations for the above strains were 16 and 8 mg/ml, respectively, and the minimum fungicidal concentrations were 512 and 128 mg/ml, respectively. According to the results, ethanolic extract of F. benghalensis is an important source of antioxidant and antifungal compounds and can be used to increase the shelf life of food products.

The aim of this study was to extract Salvia mirzayanii essential oil, and determine its chemical properties and antifungal activity against fungi causing post-harvest rot in apple fruit (Penicillium expansum, Botrytis cinerea, and Alternaria alternata). Total phenol content (by Folin Ciocalteu method), total flavonoid content (by aluminum chloride colorimetric method), antioxidant activity (based on DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging methods), and antifungal activity (based on disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum fungicidal concentration) of the essential oil were determined. The essential oil contained 43.40 mg GAE/g total phenol and 17.19 mg QE/g total flavonoids. In addition, S. mirzayanii essential oil significantly inhibited DPPH (62.70 μg/ml) and ABTS (78.80 μg/ml) free radicals. According to the results of antifungal tests, Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium expansum were the most sensitive and resistant fungal strains to the essential oil, respectively. In general, S. mirzayanii essential oil can be used to control the oxidation reactions and fungal spoilage in food products.

Economic losses can occur due to the growth of fungi on foods that lead to food spoilage and plant diseases. Fruits and vegetables are often exposed to microbial activity, caused by pathogenic fungi, during post-harvest storage. Diseases of food origin are a growing public health problem. Thus, food safety has become a major public concern as microbial contamination increases the risk of foodborne illnesses and shortens the shelf life of foods. Infection with fungi such as Aspergillus, Rhizopus, and Penicillium species is considered as the primary cause of rapid spoilage of fresh produce, which reduces their quality and shelf life. Synthetic fungicides have been applied to solve this problem for many years. Nonetheless, the adverse effects of synthetic chemicals on human health and the emergence of fungicide-resistant strains have motivated the scientists and food industries to find out safe preservatives to control postharvest rot/diseases. On this point, natural antimicrobial agents such as plant extracts and essential oils are gaining more and more interest. In this study, we used Levisticum officinale Koch essential oil, which its antimicrobial and antioxidant activity has been reported in literatures. 

L. officinale Koch essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation method and its total phenol content, total flavonoids, antioxidant activity (based on DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging and β-carotene bleaching tests) and its antifungal effect against fungi causing apple and orange rotting (Alternaria alternata, Penicillium expansum, Penicillium digitatum, Penicillium italicum, and Botrytis cinerea) were examined according to antimicrobial tests of disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum fungicidal concentration. 

L. officinale Koch essential oil contained 61.27 ± 0.34 mg GAE/g and 20.14 ± 0.21 mg QE/g total phenol and flavonoids, respectively. Its antioxidant activity, based on DPPH free radical scavenging, ABTS free radical scavenging, and β-carotene bleaching inhibition were 69.72 ± 0.65%, 78.54 ± 0.3% and 57.50 ± 0.41%, respectively. L. officinale Koch essential oil was effective against all fungal species and the highest susceptibility was observed for Penicillium expansum. According to the results, L. officinale Koch essential oil can be used as a natural antifungal agent to prevent post-harvest diseases of fruits and vegetables.

Oxidation and food pathogens are considered two important and influential factors affecting food quality and health. Recently, due to the increasing demand for natural products, the application of synthetic preservatives to control microbial growth and lipid oxidation have been decreased significantly. Therefore, natural antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds are receiving more attention in food preservation technologies. In the last 2 decades, the use of herbal medicines rich in bioactive molecules (including polyphenols, carotenoids and flavonoids) with medicinal and health effects such as delaying the onset of some diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, and cancer have increased. Furthermore, secondary metabolites in plant extracts and essential oils are able to control and inhibit free radical-mediated reactions. The olive tree (Olea europaea) is an evergreen plant that grows in tropical and subtropical regions. Iran is one of the most important olive growers in the world due to its suitable conditions for olive cultivation. The leaves of the olive plant have a high potential for the production of various products such as tea and extracts. Olive leaf extract can be used as a raw material in the production of various products, due to exhibiting various biological activities such as antimicrobial and antiviral activity, lipid stabilizer, blood pressure regulator, antioxidant activity, and free radical scavenger. The leaves of the olive tree also contain various phenolic compounds, mainly Oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Therefore, in this study, the amount of phenolic and flavonoid compounds of olive leaf ethanolic extract and its antioxidant effect and antimicrobial properties on Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenesis, Bacillus cereus and Listeria innocua were investigated. 

The olive leaf ethanolic extract was prepared through maceration method and its total phenolic content (Folin-Ciocalteu method), total flavonoids content (aluminum chloride colorimetric assay), antioxidant activity (ABTS and DPPH free radical scavenging methods), and antimicrobial effect on E. coli, E. aerogenesis, B. cereus and L. innocua (based on disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration) were determined according to standard methods. Data were analyzed by SPSS software through one-way ANOVA and Duncan test at p<0.05.  

The ethanolic extract of olive leaves contained 176.58 ± 0.72 mg GAE/g total phenol and 69.85 ± 0.26 mg QE/g total flavonoids. In addition, ethanolic extract of olive leaf was able to inhibit free radicals DPPH (70.62 ± 0.59%) and ABTS (76.15 ± 0.43%). The antimicrobial results showed that the antimicrobial effect of the extract depended on its concentration and type of bacteria. Antimicrobial effect was increased as a function of ethanolic extract, and Gram-positive bacteria (B. cereus and L. innocua) were more sensitive to ethanolic extract of olive leaf than Gram-negative bacteria (E. aerogenesis and E. coli). Generally, B. cereus and E. aerogenesis were the most sensitive and resistant microbial strains to ethanolic extract of olive leaf, respectively.The results of this study showed that the high antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of olive leaf ethanolic extract is mainly due to its phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Olive leaf ethanolic extract was able to neutralize DPPH and ABTS free radicals. Also, Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive to ethanolic extract of olive leaf than Gram-negative bacteria. In general, the ethanolic extract of olive leaf can be used as a nutraceutical to control or prevent the growth of spoilage/infection-causing microorganisms and free radical reactions in food and the human body. However, more in-depth studies are needed to determine the mechanism of antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of olive ethanolic extract in vitro and in vivo.

Infectious diseases caused by pathogenic bacterial strains are increasing in many countries, including Iran. Hippophae rhamnoides L. is an important source of natural antimicrobial agents. The aim of this study was to extract methanolic extract of H. rhamnoides leaf and to evaluate its antimicrobial activity against Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Bacillus cereus.

In this study, methanolic extract of H. rhamnoides leaf was extracted by the maceration method and then its antibacterial effect against bacterial pathogens Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Bacillus cereus was evaluated using disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration.

The results of disk/well diffusion agar tests showed that increasing the extract concentration from 5 to 35 mg/ml caused a significant increase in the diameter of the growth inhibition zone for all microbial strains. Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most resistant strains and Streptococcus pyogenes was found to be the most sensitive strains to the extract. The minimum inhibitory concentration for Gram-positive bacteria (4 mg/ml) was lower than that for Gramnegative bacteria (16 mg/ml). Also, the minimum bactericidal concentration for Streptococcus pyogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 256 and 512 mg/ml, respectively.

The results of the antimicrobial activity of the methanolic extract of H. rhamnoides leaf showed that it is possible to use the extract for medicinal purposes and food preservation.

In this study, the ethanolic extract of Humulus lupulus was prepared by the maceration method. Its antimicrobial effect was evaluated against pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Enterobacter aerogenes) through disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration. Total phenol and flavonoid contents of the extract were measured by Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. The antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extract was also measured by DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging methods. The highest and lowest inhibition zones in disk diffusion agar (16.9 mm vs. 12.5 mm) and well diffusion agar (17.6 mm vs. 13.9 mm) methods were accounted for S. aureus and E. aerogenes, respectively. Gram-positive bacterial species were more sensitive to H. lupulus ethanolic extract compared to Gram-negative ones. Total phenol and flavonoid contents of the extract were found to be 96.47 mg GAE/g and 28.5 mg QE/g, respectively. The antioxidant effects of the H. lupulus ethanolic extract, based on DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities, were 58.63% and 66.5%, respectively. Based on the results, the ethanolic extract of H. lupulus could be used as a natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agent to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and lipid oxidation progression in various food products.

The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical and antimicrobial properties of hydroalcoholic extract of artichoke (Cynara scolymus) on fungi (Botrytis cinerea, Aspergillus niger, and Rhizopus stolonifer) causing rot and decay in strawberry fruit after harvesting. Artichoke extract was obtained with water/ethanol solvent and the content of total phenol, total flavonoids, antioxidant activity (in terms of DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging) and its antifungal effect based on disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum fungicidal concentration were investigated. The extract contained 47.30 mg GAE/g of total phenol, 35.19 mg QE/g of total flavonoids, and its antioxidant activity was 58.45% and 54.37% in terms of inhibition of DPPH and ABTS free radicals, respectively. The results of disk diffusion agar and well diffusion agar tests showed that Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer are the most sensitive and resistant fungal strains to hydroalcoholic extract of artichoke, respectively. In addition, the minimum fungicidal concentration of the extract for Aspergillus niger (the most sensitive strain) was 512 mg/mL. The results of this study show that the hydroalcoholic extract of artichoke can be used as a natural antifungal compound to control the decay of strawberry fruit during storage.

The aim of this study was to isolate ethanolic extract from Urtica dioica leaves, and determination of its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. On this point, the ethanolic extract was obtained by the maceration method and its total phenol content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity) and antimicrobial effect (disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration) against Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, and Listeria innocua, were determined. The extract contained 65.42 ± 0.49 mg GAE/g total phenol content and 22.19 ± 0.30 mg QE/g total flavonoid content. The ethanolic extract of U. dioica leaves was able to scavenge DPPH (61.90 ± 0.54%) and ABTS (70.10 ± 0.47%) free radicals. The antimicrobial effect results showed that Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus and Listeria innocua) were more sensitive than Gram-negative ones (Salmonella typhi and Escherichia coli) toward the ethanolic extract. Generally, U. dioica leaves’ ethanolic extract is able to be used as a natural bioactive compound to improve shelf-life of food products.

Due to potential toxicity and other concerns, the current generation believes in natural products instead of synthetic ones. Therefore, one of the emerging technologies is the extraction of extracts from various plant organs and there in the pharmaceutical and food industries. In this study, ethanolic extract of Laurus nobilis was obtained and its antioxidant and antimicrobial activity was investigated.

In this study, disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration were used to determine the antibacterial activity of L. nobilis ethanolic extract against Shigella dysenteriae, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, total phenol content, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activity (based on DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging and β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching tests) of the extract were investigated.

Concentration of 60 mg/ml of the extract caused the highest antimicrobial effect. The mean diameter of the growth inhibition zone was larger for Gram-positive bacteria than for Gramnegative bacteria, and lower concentrations of the extract were required to prevent the growth of or kill Staphylococcus aureus. The contents of total phenols and flavonoids in L. nobilis extract were 29.32 mg of gallic acid and 19.16 mg of quercetin per gram of extract. The extract quenched DPPH and ABTS free radicals by 70.60 and 66.50% and inhibited the bleaching of β-carotene/linoleic acid solution by 59.34%.

The results of showed that of ethanolic extract of Laurus nobilis L leaves the extract is rich in phenolic and flavonoid contents with high antioxidant and antimicrobial activity.

Rubia florida have various medicinal effects such as anti-cancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant and antiseptic properties. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effect of ethanolic extract of R. florida against pathogenic bacteria Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Antimicrobial methods of disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration were used to evaluate the antibacterial effect of ethanolic extract of R. florida against Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus epidermidis.

The antibacterial effect of the extract was concentration dependent and increasing its concentration increased the diameter of the growth inhibition zone. According to the results of disk diffusion agar and well diffusion agar tests, Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most sensitive bacterial strain to the extract. The diameter of growth inhibition zone in the presence of 40 mg/ml of extract for this strain in disk diffusion agar and well diffusion agar was 14.60 and 15.80 mm, respectively. In addition, the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations for Gram-positive bacteria were lower than for Gram-negative bacteria.

Ethanolic extract of R. florida can be used as a natural antimicrobial agent to prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.

In the present study, the hydroalcoholic extract of Seidlitzia rosmarinus was obtained using maceration method and its antifungal effect against fungi species causing orange fruit rot (Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum) according to disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum fungicidal concentration were evaluated. In addition, the content of total phenols and flavonoids and the antioxidant activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of S. rosmarinus were determined. According to the results of disk diffusion and well diffusion agar tests, the antifungal activity of the extract was dependent on its concentration and P. digitatum was the most sensitive fungal strain to the extract. Moreover, both fungal strains were unable to grow in the presence of 32 mg/ml extract and the minimum fungicidal concentration for P. digitatum was 512 mg/ml. The contents of total phenols and total flavonoids of the extract were 26.19 mg GAE/g and 11.10 mg QE/g, respectively. The results of antioxidant activity showed that the hydroalcoholic extract of S. rosmarinus is able to scavenge DPPH (112.14 μg/ml) and ABTS (103.46 μg/ml) free radicals. In general, the results of this study show that the hydroalcoholic extract of S. rosmarinus plant contains phenolic compounds with antifungal and antioxidant potential.

Plants have always been the main source of food and medicine for humans. Plant extracts have been considered in the food industry as antimicrobials, flavor enhancers, preservatives, and nutrients. Plant extracts are an excellent candidate for the replacement of synthetic compounds that have toxic and carcinogenic effects. In this study, ethanolic extract of Capparis spinosa was extracted by maceration method and the content of total phenols (by Folin Ciocalteu method), total flavonoids (by aluminum chloride colorimetry), antioxidant activity (by DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging methods), and its antimicrobial effect (by disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration) against Enterobacter aerogenesis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes, were evaluated. The total phenols and total flavonoids of the extract were 40.28 mg GAE/g and 5.20 mg QE/g, respectively. The antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract based on inhibition of free radicals DPPH and ABTS was 52.73 and 58.62%, respectively. The antimicrobial effect of the extract was dependent on its concentration and bacterial type; increasing the concentration of the extract caused a significant increase in the diameter of the growth inhibition halo in disk diffusion agar and well diffusion agar tests. In addition, Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus and L. monocytogenes) were more sensitive to the extract than Gram-negative strains (E. aerogenesis and E. coli). Also, S. aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 4 mg/ml and a minimum bactericidal concentration of 512 mg/ml was the most sensitive species to the ethanolic extract of C. spinosa. The results of the present research show that the ethanolic extract of Capparis spinosa can be used as a natural additive in various food products.