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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #251276
Title: Antibacterial effect of trans-cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, carvacrol, and thymol on Salmonella Enteritidis and Campylobacter jejuni in chicken cecal contents in vitro

Author
item KOLLANNOR, JOHNY - University Of Connecticut
item DARRE, M - University Of Connecticut
item Donoghue, Ann - Annie
item DONOGHUE, DAN - University Of Arkansas
item VENKITANARAYANAN, K - University Of Connecticut

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Poultry Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2012
Publication Date: 9/1/2010
Citation: Kollannor, J.A., Darre, M.J., Donoghue, A.M., Donoghue, D.J., Venkitanarayanan, K. 2010. Antibacterial effect of trans-cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, carvacrol, and thymol on Salmonella Enteritidis and Campylobacter jejuni in chicken cecal contents in vitro. Journal of Applied Poultry Research. 19:237-244.

Interpretive Summary: Salmonella Enteritidis and Campylobacter jejuni are two major food-borne pathogens that are transmitted through poultry products. These pathogens colonize the chicken cecum, leading to contamination of carcasses during slaughter and subsequent processing operations. We investigated the antimicrobial efficacy of four GRAS-status, plant-derived molecules, namely trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), eugenol (EUG), carvacrol (CAR), and thymol (THY), against Salmonella Enteritidis and Campylobacter jejuni in chicken cecal contents in vitro. The plant molecules were added at different concentrations (ranging from 10 to 75 mM for S. Enteritidis and 10 to 30 mM for C. jejuni) to autoclaved chicken cecal contents inoculated with Salmonella or Campylobacter. The pathogen populations in the cecal contents after 15 sec, 8 h and 24 h of incubation at 39C were determined. Campylobacter was more sensitive to all the molecules than Salmonella (P<0.05). All molecules were highly bactericidal, with the lowest concentration of TC significantly reducing Salmonella populations after 8 and 24 hours of incubation. TC at 25 mM completely inactivated Salmonella by 8 hours of incubation. On the other hand, TC at all tested concentrations (10, 20, and 30 mM) completely killed Campylobacter after 8 and 24 hours of incubation. CAR and EUG completely inactivated Salmonella and Campylobacter at 50 and 75 mM and 20 and 30 mM, respectively. THY was also equally effective in killing both pathogens. The results indicate that these aforementioned molecules could potentially be used to reduce S. Enteritidis and C. jejuni in chicken ceca, however follow up in vivo studies are necessary.

Technical Abstract: Salmonella Enteritidis and Campylobacter jejuni are two major food-borne pathogens that are transmitted through poultry products. These pathogens colonize the chicken cecum leading, to contamination of carcasses during slaughter and subsequent processing operations. We investigated the antimicrobial efficacy of four GRAS-status, plant-derived molecules, namely trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), eugenol (EUG), carvacrol (CAR) and thymol (THY), against Salmonella Enteritidis and Campylobacter jejuni in chicken cecal contents in vitro. The plant molecules were added at different concentrations (ranging from 10 to 75 mM for S. Enteritidis and 10 to 30 mM for C. jejuni) to autoclaved chicken cecal contents inoculated with 7.0 log10 cfu/ml of S. Enteritidis or 5.0 log10 cfu/ml C. jejuni. The pathogen populations in the cecal contents after 15 sec, 8 h, and 24 h of incubation at 39C were determined. Duplicate samples of treatments and control were included, and the study was replicated three times. C. jejuni was more sensitive to all the molecules than S. Enteritidis (P<0.05). All molecules were highly bactericidal, with the lowest concentration of TC (10 mM) significantly reducing (P<0.05) S. Enteritidis populations by >6.0 log10 cfu/mL after 8 h and >8.0 log10 cfu/mL after 24 h of incubation. TC at 25 mM completely inactivated (P<0.05) S. Enteritidis by 8 h of incubation. On the other hand, TC at all tested concentrations (10, 20, and 30 mM) completely killed C. jejuni (P<0.05) after 8 and 24 h of incubation. CAR and EUG completely inactivated S. Enteritidis and C. jejuni at 50 and 75 mM and 20 and 30 mM, respectively. THY was also equally effective in killing both pathogens. The results indicate that these aforementioned molecules could potentially be used to reduce S. Enteritidis and C. jejuni in chicken ceca; however, follow up in vivo studies are necessary.