Antimicrobial Effect of Juice Extract From Fermented Cabbage Juice on Select Food Borne Bacterial Pathogens.

As part of ongoing efforts to use natural preservatives in meat preservation, this study investigated the antimicrobial effect of fermented cabbage juice against select food-borne bacterial pathogens. Unfiltered and filtered fermented cabbage (Brassica oleceracea L. var. capitata) juice were used for susceptibility testing using the dilution and agar well diffusion techniques. The screening was done against four standard bacterial strains (Salmonella enteritidis 13076, Escherichia Coli 25922, Staphylococcus aureus 43300 and Staphylococcus aureus 29213) and seven clinical isolates (Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli 0157; H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis) of food borne bacterial pathogens. Pathogens grew well in juices from cabbage that was fermented for 28 days but were inhibited to varying extents in unfermented and fermented juices for up to 21 day cabbage fermentation. Activity was more pronounced against gram negative than gram positive bacteria. Inhibition was reduced, when the juice was filtered with 0.2 µm filter following centrifugation. The findings suggest that filtration and fermentation time could be factors responsible for activating a precursor into an inhibitory compound. It is concluded that fermented juice might be more effective against food-borne pathogens and spoilage bacteria when applied unfiltered and at day-21 ferments in meat.