Caraway Essential Oil as a Post-Preservative Agent in Low-Salt Cheese Brine

White brined cheeses, particularly Bulgarian white brined cheese, are emblematic of the Balkans and northeastern Mediterranean culinary traditions, characterized by aging in brine to ensure microbial safety and distinctive sensory qualities. Carum carvi L. (caraway), a plant renowned for its aromatic profile, is gaining recognition for its antimicrobial properties. This study evaluated the efficacy of caraway essential oil (rich in carvone, 69.8%, and limonene, 28.19%) as a natural preservative in brine and white brined cheese, focusing on its antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The results demonstrated that at a concentration of 0.12% (v/v), caraway essential oil effectively inhibited microbial growth, completely suppressing E. coli even under high contamination loads and significantly reducing S. aureus within 24 h. The minimum bactericidal concentration was identified as 0.25% (v/v) in both cheese and brine. Importantly, organoleptic assessments confirmed that the essential oil did not compromise sensory qualities, with the cheese maintaining a perfect score of 100 points. These findings underscore the potential of caraway essential oil as a natural preservative for cheese production and storage, offering dual benefits of microbial safety and sensory integrity. Its incorporation aligns with growing consumer demand for natural and sustainable food preservation methods, supporting its application in the dairy industry.