Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. on alfalfa seeds by caprylic acid and monocaprylin

Use of silica supports for enhancing the stability of folates and developing antimicrobial agents

“…A wide range of concentrations of between 5 and 100 mM of CA, dispersed in nutrient broth, was tested according to previous references of FFA inhibitory activity (Bergsson et al, 2001;Chang et al, 2010;Nair et al, 2004;Nobmann et al, 2009;Vasudevan et al, 2005). To achieve final concentrations in test tubes, different volumes of CA (between 8 and 158 μL) were added to 10 mL of TSB.…”

“…Among various natural antimicrobial compounds, lipids, such as fatty alcohols, free fatty acids (FFAs) and monoglycerides of fatty acids, are known to be potent antimicrobial agents against enveloped viruses, bacteria and fungi (Chang et al, 2010;Hirazawa et al, 2001). The antibacterial mechanisms of action of FFAs are still not completely understood, but the prime target seems to be the bacterial cell membrane via targeting various essential processes that occur within and on the membrane.…”

“…The antibacterial mechanisms of action of FFAs are still not completely understood, but the prime target seems to be the bacterial cell membrane via targeting various essential processes that occur within and on the membrane. In fact it is known that FFAs disrupt the electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation, inhibit enzyme activity, impair nutrient uptake, generate peroxidation and auto-oxidation degradation products, or directly lyse bacterial cells (Chang et al, 2010;Desbois and Smith, 2010;Hirazawa et al, 2001, Skrivanová et al, 2008Solís de los Santos et al, 2010). In this context caprylic acid (CA), also known as octanoic acid, is an eight-carbon chain-length saturated FFA with reported antimicrobial activity.…”

“…In this context caprylic acid (CA), also known as octanoic acid, is an eight-carbon chain-length saturated FFA with reported antimicrobial activity. CA is found in the breast milk of various mammals and is a minor component of coconut oil and palm kernel oil (Chang et al, 2010;Hirazawa et al, 2001;Jang & Rhee, 2009). It is a food-grade compound classified and generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and is also considered safe by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives when used as flavor (JECFA, 2000).…”

“…For instance the effectiveness of free CA against food-borne pathogens, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Cronobacter spp., and Salmonella spp. in food has been reported (Chang et al, 2010;Choi et al, 2013;Jang & Rhee, 2009;Nair et al, 2004;Vasudevan et al, 2005). Despite such evidence, the application or supplementation of food products with CA has disadvantages for its sensorial properties, such as an unpleasant rancid-like smell and taste (Hulankova et al, 2013), and diminished antimicrobial activity due to interactions with food constituents (Kabara et al, 1972).…”