Effect of potassium sorbate and pH on the survival of Staphylococcus aureus in saturated sugar solutions.
Addition of 0.3% (w/w) of potassium sorbate (a permitted food additive) coupled with a reduction of pH from 7 to 6 or 5.5, resulted in a dramatic decrease in the survival of two S. aureus strains inoculated (10(8) c.f.u./ml) in laboratory media supplemented with sugar (227 g sugar/100 g water) and incubated at 35 degrees C. These in vitro results may be of potential value to improve the efficacy of sugar therapy for the treatment of certain infected wounds; however, clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.
Chirife
J
J
Departamento de Industrias, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Herszage
L
L
Joseph
A
A
Kohn
E S
ES
D005503:Food Additives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions / Q000494:pharmacology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D013011:Sorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D013395:Sucrose / Q000494:pharmacology*
D005503:Food Additives; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions; D013395:Sucrose; D013011:Sorbic Acid