Acetic acid bacteria belonging to the genus Asaia spp. are relatively new microbial contaminants in the beverage industry. These bacteria cause organoleptic changes such as increased turbidity, haziness and sour odor. In addition, they are able to form biofilms on the inner parts of production lines, and finally they can cause secondary contamination of final products. For this reason, new methods using effective and safe preservatives are being developed to improve microbial stability of soft beverages. The aim of the research was to investigate the effects of Mentha piperita L. ethanol extract against Asaia spp. biofilm formation. The bacterial adhesion was evaluated by a plate count method and luminometry, as well as fluorescence microscopy. The polyphenolic profile of the mint extract was determined on the basis of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The obtained microbiological results indicate bacteriostatic effect of mint extract at 10% (v/v) concentration. The plant extract also reduces the number of adhered bacterial cells on polystyrene surface.
Keywords: Asaia spp.; Mentha piperita L.; antiadhesion effect; antibacterial effect; functional beverages.