Study Reveals Enhanced Benefits of Fennel Seed Essential Oil Through Bio-Organic Fertilization

Key Takeaways:

• The study by Abdelbaky et al., 2023, focuses on the effects of different bio-organic fertilization methods on fennel seed essential oil (FSEO).
• Combining poultry manure (PM) or farmyard manure (FM) with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) and Lactococcus lactis (LL) yielded the best results.
• The triple combination treatments showed significant antioxidative and antimicrobial activities, suggesting potential industrial applications.

A recent study by Abdelbaky et al., 2023, delves into the aromatic fennel plant, explicitly focusing on the impact of various bio-organic fertilization (BOF) methods on the yield, chemical composition, and biological activities of fennel seed essential oil (FSEO). The study provides the first in-depth analysis of Egyptian fennel seeds processed using BOF treatments, revealing that certain combinations yield high-quality FSEO with significant antioxidative and antimicrobial properties.

Methodology and Results

The study experimented with different types of BOF, including farmyard manure (FM), poultry manure (PM), and combinations with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) and/or Lactococcus lactis (LL). The results showed that the combinations of PM + LP + LL and FM + LP + LL were the most effective in enhancing the quality of FSEO.

Among the 17 identified FSEO components, trans-anethole, fenchone, limonene, and estragole were highly abundant in the triple combination treatments. These components are known for their medicinal and nutritional values.

Antioxidative and Antimicrobial Activities

The study also found that the triple combination treatments exhibited the lowest half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values, indicating antioxidative solid activity. Furthermore, in vitro studies revealed that FSEO obtained from these treatments showed significant inhibition zones against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains and pathogenic fungi.

Implications for Industrial Applications

The findings suggest that the triple application of PM or FM with LP and LL can produce high-quality FSEO with enhanced antioxidative and antimicrobial properties. This opens up possibilities for the industrial application of FSEO, particularly in healthcare, food preservation, and cosmetics.

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