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Spice Extracts Battle Bacteria

Spice Extracts Battle Bacteria
Agriculture Related Info

Read the magazine story to find out more.

Extracts from plants such oregano were active against several foodborne pathogens, including E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica, in ARS tests. Photo courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

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Spice-Rack Favorites Battle E. coli and Other Foodborne Pathogens

By Marcia Wood
July 14, 2008

Herbs and spices like oregano, thyme, cinnamon and clove do more than add pleasing flavors and aromas to familiar foods. The oils from these plants, or compounds extracted from those oils, pack a powerful, antimicrobial punch—strong enough to help quell such foodborne pathogens as Escherichia coli O157:H7.

That's according to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) chemist Mendel Friedman, who several years ago evaluated the bacteria-bashing power of these and dozens of other plant compounds.

Now, some of the compounds that Friedman and co-investigators determined were the strongest combatants of E. coli, Salmonella enterica, Campylobacter jejuni, or Listeria monocytogenes in the 2002 study are being tapped for new research focused on food safety.

For example, Friedman, research leader Tara H. McHugh, and other scientists at the ARS Western Regional Research Center in Albany, Calif., are evaluating the highest-ranking botanical bactericides as potential ingredients in what are known as edible films.

A thin, pliable, edible film for the future might be made of puréed spinach spiked with carvacrol, the compound responsible for oregano's ranking as a top fighter of E. coli in the Friedman study.

The scientists want to find out whether adding small squares of carvacrol-enhanced spinach purée film to bags of chilled, ready-to-eat spinach leaves would help protect this salad green against E. coli.

Friedman is also exploring other new uses of the top-rated botanicals from the earlier study. That investigation, which he conducted with technician Philip R. Henika and research leader Robert E. Mandrell at Albany, was the most extensive of its kind at the time it was published. Also notable was the common basis of comparison, which the team established by inventing new methods to prepare and test all of the samples. For even more consistency, the scientists used the same bacterial strains—from the same suppliers—throughout the investigation.

Read more about the research in the July 2008 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.

ARS is a scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Source: USDA Agricultural Research Service

Bacteria Battle Extracts Spice

I am glad that my use of Oregano and thyme is doing my body good by keeping me E-coli free. I think this helps me when I tell people spices is a good thing to have in your meals.

Spice Extracts Battle Bacteria UFO & Writing Art Education Sciences

Its amazing how just common herbs and spices can cure the deadly diseases of the world. This is good stuff to take note of, now I just need to eat more pizza to get my oregano.

Bacteria Battle Extracts Spice

This is good news and something I did not already know. I love to add fresh herbs and spices to enhance the flavors, who knew it was also protecting against E. Coli.
Since the benefit is from the oils does are the fresh herbs more beneficial than the dried ones? I have such an abundance this year. It seems our cooler, wetter Alaskan summer is ideal for herbs to flourish in.

Bacteria Battle Extracts Spice

I would venture to say that the fresher the herb the better protection your getting from them. I know I am thinking of growing some of my own herbs too.

Spice Extracts Battle Bacteria

You should give it a shot. Fresh herbs really enhance the flavors of most dishes. And they are easy to grow, even you don't have much space you can put them in a container on a deck or window sill. And now we know they fight bacteria growth there is another reason to keep them growing year round.

Spice Extracts Battle Bacteria

I have a whole bunch of different herbs, including oregano and thyme, growing in pots by the front window of my house. They are so beautiful and green, and they make my kitchen smell so good.