Antimicrobial activity of five spices against foodborne bacterias

Research has demonstrated that water extracts of some common food spices, were capable of inhibiting food spoilage microorganisms.  New formulated food preservative can be used as natural and niche preservatives for the food industry.

The antimicrobial activity of water extracts of five spices against five common meat spoilage and pathogenic bacteria was screened in cultured media from fresh sirloin steak.

The five spices are cinnamon, clove, star anise, picklyash peel and common fennel. Total coliforms were selected as indicators reflecting the freshness of sirloin steak.

Based on the antimicrobial tests on water extract of individual plant, a new food preservative formula was designed as mixture of the five plant water extracts with chitosan, the optimized concentration of which was determined by experimental uniform design as 0.2 g/L (cinnamon), 3.0 g/L (clove), 0.7 g/L (picklyash peel), 2.2 g/L (star anise), 0.6 g/L (common fennel) and 1.9 g/L (chitosan).

Examination showed that chilled steak samples treated with the new food preservative mixture remained fresh after 9 days of storage, which suggested the new naturally originated preservative being potential in practical application by food industries.

These spices are useful preservatives to inhibit microbe. In order to avoid toxicity and possible negative effects on the structure of meat and protein denaturation caused by essential oils and ethanol extracts, distilled water was used as the extraction agent in this study. In addition, a new naturally originated food preservative formula was designed as mixture of water extracts of the five plants with chitosan.

The chilled steak samples treated by the new food preservative remained fresh after 9 days of storage. 

These spice extracts as well as the new food preservative can be widely used in the food industry and are generally regarded as safe. Thus, spice extracts and the new formulated food preservative in this study can be used as natural and niche preservatives for the food industry.


Journal of Food Processing and Preservation