Evolution of Bactericidal Activity of Selected Food Additives Against Food Borne Microbial Pathogens

Samy A. Selim¹*, Sahar M. El Alfy², Mohamed H. Abdel Aziz², Mona S. Mashait³ and Mona F. Warrad²

¹Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Jouf University, P.O. 2014, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia. ² Department of Botany, Microbiology Section, Faculty of Sciences, Suez Canal University, Ismailia- 415 22, Egypt. ³Women Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Khaled University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.

ABSTRACT: The present study was undertaken in order to examine the bactericidal effects of some selected food additives on food-borne pathogenic bacteria. The antibacterial effect of 9 chemical food additives on our isolates was performed which representing different groups. The study shown that phloxine, nisine, ascorbic acid and sorbic acid had very good antibacterial activity to 4 isolates, this effect was similar to the effect of antibiotics on 4 isolates. Thus, this additives used as preservatives in food. Four isolates were sensitive to small quantities of all tested food additives. Phloxine had best results against gram positive and gram negative isolates, while nisine had more antibacterial activity against gram positive than gram negative. Time kill curves for most potent food additives were performed (phloxine, nisine, sorbic acid, ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate). The results shown that ascorbic acid kill 100% of E. coli, Salmonella indica and Staphylococcus aureus after 2 hours, while it need 24 hours to kill Bacillus cereus. Phloxine killed 100% of Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus after 2, 24 hours respectively. It needs more than 48 hour to kill E.coli or Salmonella indica. Nisine kill 100% of E. coli, Salmonella indica and Staphylococcus aureus after 12, 2 and 4 hours respectively. Nisine can't kill Bacillns cereus or Staphylococcus aureus until 48 hours, while killed E.coli and Salmonella indica after 2, 8 hours respectively. E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus killed completely after 2, 24 hours after treated with sodium benzoate, while Bacillus cereus and Salmonella indica didn't killed completely until 48 hours. The data suggest that these food addatives may have some potential anti-microbial applications.

KEYWORDS: Bactericidal; food additives; food borne microbial pathogens

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