Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity of Some Plant Extracts against Different Food Spoilage and Pathogenic Microbes
Abdullah S. Seddiek *
Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Gamal M. Hamad
Department of Food Technology, Arid Land Cultivation Research Institute (ALCRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA- CITY), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt.
A. A. Zeitoun
Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
M. A. M. Zeitoun
Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Salim Ali
Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: Guava (Psidium guajava), pomegranate (Punica granatum), olive (Olea europaea L.), and moringa (Moringa oleifera( extracts which are assumed to contain active components and which are renewable sources in fighting infections of microbes. This study aimed to investigate its antioxidant and antimicrobial activity.
Methodology: The agar well diffusion technique, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and the free radical scavenging activity of the plant extracts were applied.
Results: All extracts exhibited different results against the microorganism used in the research. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for bacteria and fungi ranged from 25 to 300 mg/mL. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by using DPPH radical scavenging assay. In addition, the amount of total phenolic content (TPC) of the extracts ranged from 48.08 to 324.08 mg/g, while total flavonoid content (TFC) ranged from11.53 to 65.85 mg/g.
Conclusion: It could be noticed that the guava and pomegranate extracts had strong antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, while olive extract had a moderate effect, but moringa showed a very weak effect against tested microbes. Therefore, the herbal extracts of guava and pomegranate could be used as novel, safe, and effective food preservatives instead of chemical ones.
Keywords: Antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, guava extract, pomegranate extract, olive extract, Moringa extract.