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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Produce Safety and Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #303170
Title: Antimicrobial activities of natural antimicrobial compounds against susceptible and antibiotic-resistant pathogens in the absence and presence of food

Author
item Friedman, Mendel
item Levin, Carol

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/25/2014
Publication Date: 11/21/2014
Citation: Friedman, M., Levin, C.E. 2014. Antimicrobial Activities of Natural Antimicrobial Compounds against Susceptible and Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogens in the Absence and Presence of Food. Meeting Abstract. Bacteriology and Inectious Diseases 5:4 6.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In an effort to improve microbial food safety, we are studying the antimicrobial activities of different classes of natural compounds including plant essential oils, apple, grape, olive, and tea extracts, bioactive components, and seashell-derived chitosans against multiple foodborne pathogens in culture and in/on food. Our studies and those by other investigators showed that plant essential oils and oil compounds (a) inactivated susceptible strains of Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, and Vibrio cholerae as well as resistant strains of Campylobacter jejuni, E. coli, Mycobacterium luteus, Salmonella Typhi, and Staphylococcus aureus as well as fungi, viruses, and parasitic protozoa; (b) inhibited bacterial biofilms and (c) inactivated foodborne pathogens in fruits, fruit juices, vegetables, vegetable juices, wines, and in cereal, dairy, egg, meat, poultry, and seafood products. The results suggest that the most active formulations can be used as broad-spectrum antibiotics to protect food against contamination by pathogenic bacteria. Research needs include determining whether natural food-compatible antimicrobials can complement of replace medicinal antibiotics against susceptible (nonresistant) and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms used to treat infectious diseases.