Essential Oils Derived from Traditional Chinese Medicinal Herbs as Natural Antimicrobial Candidates for Foodborne Pathogen Control: Antibacterial Activity, Biofilm Removal, and Volatile Composition.

Foodborne pathogens and their biofilms threaten microbial safety in food systems, highlighting the need for antimicrobial candidates. This study compared nine essential oils derived from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs (TCM herb essential oils) for antibacterial activity, mature biofilm removal, volatile composition, and candidate compounds against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella paratyphi B using DIZ, MIC, crystal violet staining, GC-MS, growth curves, and SEM. Among the tested oils, Lonicera japonica, Sinomenium acutum, and Scutellaria baicalensis essential oils showed relatively broad antibacterial activity. Lonicera japonica essential oil (LJEO) displayed the most notable overall performance, producing DIZ values of 38.29, 25.29, and 24.75 mm against S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, and S. paratyphi B, respectively, and low MIC against S. aureus and L. monocytogenes at 0.15625% and 0.3125%. LJEO removed mature biofilms of L. monocytogenes, E. coli, and S. paratyphi B by 60.58%, 50.80%, and 47.82%, respectively, but showed limited activity against S. aureus biofilms. GC-MS identified 156 volatile compounds, with LJEO characterized by abundant linalool, p-cymene, borneol, cineoles, and limonene. Growth curves and SEM indicated that LJEO inhibited bacterial proliferation and damaged cell surface structures. These findings suggest that TCM herb essential oils, especially LJEO, may serve as natural antimicrobial candidates for foodborne pathogen control and food preservation.