U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service, Lincoln, Nebraska

 

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

3-1-2001

Comments

Published in APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Mar. 2001, p. 1366–1370.

Abstract

Carvacrol and thymol in combination at 6.7 mM each completely inhibited the production of short-chain volatile fatty acids and lactate from cattle waste in anoxic flasks over 23 days. Fecal coliforms were reduced from 4.6 x 106 to 2.0 x 103 cells per ml 2 days after treatment and were nondetectable within 4 days. Total anaerobic bacteria were reduced from 8.4 x 1010 to 1.5 x 107 cells per ml after 2 days and continued to be suppressed to that level after 14 days. If the concentration of carvacrol or thymol were doubled (13.3 mM), either could be used to obtain the same inhibitory fermentation effect. We conclude that carvacrol or thymol may be useful as an antimicrobial chemical to control pathogens and odor in stored livestock waste.

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