EUROPEAN FOOD RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, vol.248, no.7, pp.1803-1813, 2022 (SCI-Expanded)
The effects of sumac, cumin, black pepper and red pepper diethyl ether extracts on the growth of eight foodborne pathogens (FBP) and their biogenic amine (BA) production were investigated in histidine decarboxylase broth. The antimicrobial effect was determined by the minimum inhibitory (MIC) and minimum bactericidal (MBC) concentrations. Sumac extract showed the highest antimicrobial activity against FBP. Enterococcus faecalis and Aeromonas hydrophila were the most susceptible strains to sumac extract. The MBC of spice extracts on the FBP was generally above 50 mg/mL. Cumin extract was the most effective in decreasing bacterial loads, inhibiting significantly the microbial growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Campylobacter jejuni and A. hydrophila. Histamine production ranged from 0.14 (Yersinia enterocolitica) to 39.29 mg/L (S. aureus). Cumin extract significantly inhibited the histamine formation by S. aureus and Salmonella paratyphi A. Black and red pepper extracts promoted the histamine formation by most of FBP under scrutiny. Red pepper extract generally increased formation of BA, while sumac and cumin extracts proved to be the most effective antimicrobials and BA formation inhibitors. This research study allowed to conclude that sumac and cumin extracts can be used as natural preservatives in the agro-food industry.