BACKGROUND It is well known that plant essential oils have good antimicrobial activity. However, their strong volatility and intense odor limit their application. Mesoporous silica (MCM‐41), a non‐toxic mesoporous material with excellent loading capability, is a promising delivery system for different types of food ingredients in the food industry. RESULTS In this study, we first performed component analysis of pepper fragrant essential oil (PFEO) by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC–MS), then the MCM‐41 host was prepared, and the essential oil functionalized nanoparticles (EONs) were formed by embedding PFEO into mesoporous silica particles. Further analysis indicated that the particle size and zeta potential of EONs were 717 ± 13.38 nm and − 43.90 ± 0.67 mV, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that EONs had an inerratic morphology and stable structure. The bactericidal activities of PFEO and EONs against Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella enterica (S. enterica), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) were subsequently tested using the twofold dilution method. Results indicated that, after 48 h incubation, minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of EONs used against gram‐negative bacteria were decreased to a greater degree than those of PFEO, suggesting that nanoencapsulation by MCM‐41 can improve antimicrobial activity. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) observation also confirmed that EONs showed a notable inhibitory effect against E. coli by disrupting cell membrane structure. CONCLUSION Pepper fragrant essential oil nanoencapsulation could be a very promising organic delivery system in food industry for antimicrobial activity enhancement. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

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The hydrolysis process of Grass Carp fish skin can be simplified, and the peptides with molecular weights below 1000 Da in the hydrolysates are the best nitrogen source for proliferation of S. thermophilus. This work can provide a fundamental theoretical basis for the production of multi-component functional foods, especially in milk drinks or yogurt. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

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