Oregano-cranberry mix cuts deadly Listeria bacteria

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Oregano-cranberry mix cuts deadly Listeria bacteria

 

20/09/2004 - An oregano and cranberry concoction could be a potent

anti-microbial agent for food processors under constant pressure to

reduce the risk of foodborne diseases in the ever-expanding food

production chain.

 

Scientists from the department of food science at the University of

Massachusetts in the US say that cranberry and oregano extracts

combined with lactic acid may inhibit the growth of the deadly food

pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in meat and fish, a hardy bacterium

capable of growing in refrigerated temperatures making it very

difficult to control.

 

" Oregano and cranberry, useful botanicals generally regarded as safe

for food flavouring and as functional ingredients are known for their

antimicrobial activity linked to the phenolic moiety [specific segment

of a molecule] and therefore are suitable as antimicrobial natural

extracts when effectively combined with lactic acid, " said the

researchers.

 

The food protection market is currently enjoying decent growth because

shelf life longevity and preservation are key concerns for food and

beverage manufacturers operating into today's increasingly

`convenient' food culture.

 

Market analysts Global Information pitch the global food preservative

market at $517.9 billion (€422.7 billion) reaching $634.3 billion by

2008 thanks to a buoyant annual growth rate of 4.1 per cent. In the

US, growth in food preservatives will push 5.5 per cent rising to

$257.7 billion in 2008 from $196.8 billion last year.

 

And while chemically synthetic preservatives are viewed with some

suspicion by consumers, 'natural' chemical preservatives, such as the

oregano-cranberry mix, are growing in both stature and respect.

 

Recent studies have highlighted the very high concentrations of

antioxidants (i.e. greater than 75 mmol/100 g) of the popular herb

oregano and food processors have already started to use oregano-based

products, notably those designed to be stable at high temperatures, to

preserve a range of food products.

 

For this latest study the scientists said that antimicrobial activity

increased when oregano and cranberry extracts were mixed at a ratio of

75 per cent oregano and 25 per cent cranberry (wt/wt) with 0.1 mg of

phenolic per disk or ml.

 

" The efficacy was further enhanced by lactic acid, " they add,

reporting their findings in the September issue of Applied and

Environmental Microbiology, (5672-5678, Vol. 70, No. 9).

 

According to their research, the inhibition by `phytochemical and

lactic acid synergies' was most effective when beef and fish slices

were stored at 4°C.

 

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