Identification of natural antimicrobial substances in red muscadine juice against Cronobacter sakazakii

J Food Sci. 2010 Apr;75(3):M150-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01531.x.

Abstract

Red muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.) juices with natural organic, phenolic acids and polyphenol compounds were tested against Cronobacter sakazakii. The concentration of total phenolic compounds of commercial baby juices ranged from 176.7 to 347.7 mg/mL. Commercial baby juices showed poor antimicrobial activity, reducing less than 1-log of C. sakazakii in juice samples for 2 h at 37 degrees C. Red muscadine juices, regardless of processing methods (filtration, pasteurization, and sterilization), achieved a 6-log reduction of C. sakazakii in the same time period (2 h). The mixture of synthetic organic acids (malic and tartaric acids) and polyphenolic acid (tannic acid) showed strong antimicrobial activity against C. sakazakii. Among synthetic organic acids, tannic acid was undetected in commercial baby juices. Tannic acid showed the highest antimicrobial activity (1.4- to 3.8-log reduction) against C. sakazakii, while malic and tartaric acids showed less than 0.5-log reduction. These results suggest that red muscadine juice could be utilized as a natural antimicrobial in baby food formulations to inhibit C. sakazakii.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents / analysis*
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Beverages / analysis*
  • Cronobacter sakazakii / drug effects*
  • Cronobacter sakazakii / growth & development*
  • Ellagic Acid / analysis
  • Flavonoids / analysis
  • Food Handling / methods
  • Food Microbiology
  • Food Preservatives / analysis
  • Fruit / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Infant
  • Infant Food / analysis
  • Malates / analysis
  • Malates / pharmacology
  • Phenols / analysis
  • Polyphenols
  • Resveratrol
  • Stilbenes / analysis
  • Tannins / analysis
  • Tannins / pharmacology
  • Tartrates / analysis
  • Tartrates / pharmacology
  • Vitis / chemistry*

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Flavonoids
  • Food Preservatives
  • Malates
  • Phenols
  • Polyphenols
  • Stilbenes
  • Tannins
  • Tartrates
  • Ellagic Acid
  • malic acid
  • Resveratrol
  • tartaric acid