Abstract
Antimicrobial property of sucrose fatty acid esters (SE), and monoglycerol (MG) and polyglycerol fatty acid esters (PGE) were examined in vitro and in postharvest treatment. The growth of gray mold (Botrysis cinerea PEAS.) was suppressed by all SE at a concentration of 1% in the test medium. Caprylic acid (C8) completely suppressed the growth of mold, but the suppression by other SE decreased as the number of carbon of fatty acid increased, such as caprate (C10), laurate (C12), myristate (C14), palmitate (C16) and stearate (C18). Suppression of growth decreased as the concentration of SE in the medium was decreased. Caprylic acid monoglyceride also inhibited the mold growth in the medium. Lauric acid polyglyceride suppressed the growth by 40%; whereas, stearic acid polyglyceride had no effect. The effect of 1% SE and MG on fungal growth on fruit was evaluated as a postharvest treatment. The antimicrobial effect of SE was found in caprylic acid ester treatment but in caprylic acid monoglyceride treatment, not found as apparent in the above in the medium study.
