Inhibitory effects of vanillin on some food spoilage yeasts in laboratory media and fruit purées.

The effect of vanillin and essential oil of mint on the growth of different strains of food spoilage yeasts in laboratory media and fruit purées was studied. Growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, Debaryomyces hansenii and Z. bailii was inhibited in culture media and apple purée containing 2000 ppm of vanillin for 40 days storage at 27 degrees C and a(w) 0.99 or 0.95. But 3000 ppm of the spice were not effective to inhibit Z. bailii growth in banana purée. Growth of yeasts was not affected by 100 ppm of essential oil of mint.