Application of essential oils as natural antimicrobials in lactic acid bacteria contaminating fermentation for the production of organic cachaça.

Sugarcane-based fermentation is an essential process for different sectors of economic importance, such as the food industry with fermented and distilled beverages. However, this process can suffer from high contamination by wild yeasts and bacteria, especially lactic acid bacteria (LAB). This makes it necessary to use decontamination strategies and search for new methods that have a low environmental impact and contribute to the production of organic products.