title: Reduction of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in poultry skin by fruit extracts.
abstract: Campylobacter spp. are a major cause of foodborne bacterial gastroenteritis in humans, and current methods to control Campylobacter contamination in foods are not completely successful. Plants are a promising source of antimicrobial agents, particularly given the growing interest in "all natural" foods. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of extracts from 28 edible plants against Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli was evaluated in vitro and in a poultry skin model. Nine of 28 extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity in a diffusion assay, and MBCs were determined for the three most active extracts, i.e., lime, plum, and sour orange peel (MBCs of 2 to 3 mg/ml). Mixtures of the lime, plum, and sour orange peel extracts were applied to chicken skin inoculated with 10(5) CFU of Campylobacter to test for synergistic or antagonist effects. After incubation (48 h at 4 degrees C) with any extract mixture, no Campylobacter CFUs were detectable. A panel of tasters determined that the mixture of lime and plum gave the best flavor to chicken wings. These active extracts from edible fruits are simple to prepare and are alternatives to reduce or eliminate Campylobacter contamination of chicken products.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza, N.L., México.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Valtierra-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Norma L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Heredia
authors.forename: Santos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sánchez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017000:Campylobacter coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010945:Plants, Edible / Q000737:chemistry; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts