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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #291959
Title: Antibacterial activity of plant extracts on foodborne bacterial pathogens and food spoilage bacteria

Author
item MURALI, N - University Of Arkansas
item KUMAR-PHILIPS, G - University Of Arkansas
item Rath, Narayan
item MARCY, J - University Of Arkansas
item SLAVIK, M - University Of Arkansas

Submitted to: Agriculture, Food and Analytical Bacteriology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2012
Publication Date: 11/1/2012
Citation: Murali, N., Kumar-Philips, G.S., Rath, N.C., Marcy, J., Slavik, M.F. 2012. Antibacterial activity of plant extracts on foodborne bacterial pathogens and food spoilage bacteria. Agriculture, Food and Analytical Bacteriology. 2(3):209-221.

Interpretive Summary: Bacterial foodborne diseases are caused by consumption of foods contaminated with bacteria and/or their toxins. The antibacterial properties of plant products Turmeric, lemon, and different teas were tested using bacterial culture some of which such as lemon showed good antibacterial propery.

Technical Abstract: Bacterial foodborne diseases are caused by consumption of foods contaminated with bacteria and/or their toxins. In this study, we evaluated antibacterial properties of twelve different extracts including turmeric, lemon and different kinds of teas against four major pathogenic foodborne bacteria including Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Enteritidis and Staphylococcus aureus and food spoilage bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida. Of the twelve extracts, lemon extract was found to be most antibacterial and killed all the bacteria within 24 h of incubation. Among the bacterial pathogens, E. coli O157:H7 was most susceptible to lemon extract and C. jejuni was the least susceptible. Turmeric was found to kill all the C. jejuni isolates and MRSA within 36 h but killed E. coli and S. Enteritidis only after 48 h of incubation. However, turmeric showed maximum activity against P. putida which was killed within 24 h of incubation, but failed to kill P. aeruginosa even after 48 h of incubation. Among the different teas tested, green and white tea extracts were found to be the most antibacterial and white tea killed all the bacteria except C. jejuni 81176 within 48 h of incubation. Other tea varieties including Rose of Suzhou, Sweet Fruit Garden and Silver Needle had various degrees of bactericidal effects. These results demonstrate the potential for using plant extracts, especially lemon extracts, as successful antibacterial agents. These extracts could be used as food additives to certain foods to reduce or eliminate foodborne bacterial pathogens and food spoilage bacteria.