Given the increasing consumer demand for raw, nonprocessed, safe, and long shelf-life fish and seafood products, research concerning the application of natural antimicrobials as alternatives to preservatives is of great interest. The aim of the following paper was to evaluate the effect of essential oils (EOs) from black pepper (BPEO) and tarragon (TEO), and their bioactive compounds: limonene (LIM), β-caryophyllene (CAR), methyl eugenol (ME), and β-phellandrene (PHE) on the lipolytic activity and type II secretion system (T2SS) of Pseudomonas psychrophila KM02 (KM02) fish isolates grown in vitro and in fish model conditions. Spectrophotometric analysis with the p-NPP reagent showed inhibition of lipolysis from 11 to 46%. These results were confirmed by RT-qPCR, as the expression levels of lipA, lipB, and genes encoding T2SS were also considerably decreased. The supplementation of marinade with BPEO and TEO contributed to KM02 growth inhibition during vacuum packaging of salmon fillets relative to control samples. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) provided insight into the spoilage potential of KM02, proving its importance as a spoilage microorganism whose metabolic activity should be inhibited to maintain the quality and safety of fresh fish in the food market.
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