S-CARVONE AS A NATURAL POTATO SPROUT INHIBITING, FUNGISTATIC AND BACTERISTATIC COMPOUND

S-Carvone, a common monoterpene found in caraway (Carum carvi L.), inh ibits the sprouting of potatoes very efficiently at continuous low hea d space concentrations. The length growth of potato sprouts was inhibi ted within 2 days following exposure to S-carvone. Sprouts were able t o convert S-carvone into more reduced compounds. In addition, growth o f the plant-pathogenic fungi Fusarium solani and Fusarium sulphureum w as found to be inhibited by S-carvone at concentrations between 1 and 3 mM. At sub-inhibitory concentration, both F. solani and F. sulphureu m converted S-carvone into more reduced compounds which were shown to be less toxic as compared to S-carvone. Finally, the growth rate of St reptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis and Escherichia coli decr eased at S-carvone concentrations above 1 mM. This decrease correlated with a dissipation of the proton motive force generated in these cell s.