Chemical investigation and antimicrobial properties of mastic water and its major constituents

► Mastic water was analysed by GC−MS and the major compounds were verbenone and α-terpineol. ► The enantiomeric ratio of the major constituents was determined using chiral GC–MS. ► Mastic water extracts and pure constituents were tested for antimicrobial activity. ► Linalool and α-terpineol were found to be the most potent antimicrobial constituents. ► The stability of mastic water at different storage temperatures was studied. Mastic water is a commercial flavouring obtained during the steam distillation of mastic resin (the resin of Pistacia lentiscus var. chia) for the production of mastic oil. The mastic water extracts were analysed by GC−MS. The major compounds identified were verbenone, α-terpineol, linalool and trans-pinocarveol. Overall the composition was found to be very different from that of mastic oil. Additional GC−MS revealed the enantiomeric ratio of the chiral constituents of mastic water. The antimicrobial activity of mastic water extract, as well as that of its major constituents, was examined against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida spp. including ATCC wild clinical and food-borne strains. Linalool and α-terpineol were found to be the most potent antimicrobial constituents. Finally the stability of mastic water at different temperatures was studied, showing no change in the GC−MS profile of the organic extract for a period of 4months at storage temperatures up to 4°C.