Edible food coatings made from common herbs could protect meat, produce from E. coli microorganisms

Breaking News for Friday, December 05, 2008 Exclusive Video from Generation Rx Film Features Dr. Julian Whitaker on the Drugging of Children GM Crops Climb to Nearly One-Tenth of Global Crop Production Consumer Product Safety Commission Sued Over Allowing Toxic Chemicals in Children's Toys Acidic Diets Cause Bone Loss; Alkaline Diet Protect Calcium in Bones Big Brother DNA Database is Illegal, Rules EU Court      See all Breaking News... FREE Natural Health Newsletter Receive natural health product reviews, recommendations and alerts. Instant download of 20+ free health reports and exclusive interviews. Join over 1.2 million monthly readers. Unsubscribe anytime, email privacy guaranteed Products Related to This Article* • Boku Superfood High-potency superfood powder for preventing numerous diseases • Living Fuel SuperBerry Ultimate Delicious superfood meal powder for disease prevention, antioxidant boost • Appetite for Profit (free download) Free download summary of this top book for discovering the truth about food companies * Recommended by the Health Ranger. See more recommendations on right → Articles Related to This Article: • The Honest Food Guide empowers consumers with independent information about foods and health • Interview with "Kevala" Karen Parker, master raw foods chef • Cigarettes, Lies, and Pet Food Advertising

The researchers' report -- published in the Nov. 29 issue of the Journal of Food and Agricultural Chemistry -- found that food coatings made from apple puree containing a natural antimicrobial compound made from oregano, lemongrass or cinnamon oil effectively killed E. coli bacteria.

Lead researcher Tara McHugh, a food chemist with the USDA's Agriculture Service in Albany, Calif., found that the apple puree mixed with oregano oil was the most effective, killing more than 50 percent of E. coli microorganisms within three minutes.

The apple puree coatings also contain sticky fats and sugars that allow them to stick to the surface of fruits and vegetables more effectively than water-based conventional antimicrobial washes, McHugh said.

"We hope that these coatings will have wide commercial potential," she said.

However, experts have called for more extensive testing to ensure that the coatings work in real-world settings. Former New York City health commissioner Dr. Pascal James Imperator says most produce is extensively handled and undergoes several changing environments and temperatures during shipment.

Another possible complication with the apple puree coatings is food allergies, Imperator said. "Suppose you have someone who's allergic to oregano?" he said. "I would view this study as showing interesting preliminary scientific results that would have to be corroborated by other scientists before these coatings are adopted by the commercial fresh produce industry."

McHugh says her recent findings are only the beginning of an extensive three-year project.

"We'll be testing a wide range of natural compounds, not just against E. coli but also against listeria and salmonella," McHugh said. "The ones that are shown to be effective will be tested directly on produce and meat products.

"We need to find out if these compounds are active against bacteria that adhere to different ways to different foods. But, at this point, it looks promising," she said.

###
Get articles like this delivered to you FREE in our popular email newsletter

Related CounterThink Cartoons:

Related Articles: • The Honest Food Guide empowers consumers with independent information about foods and health • Interview with "Kevala" Karen Parker, master raw foods chef • Cigarettes, Lies, and Pet Food Advertising	Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com Email this article to a friend Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us Permalink to this article: http://www.NaturalNews.com/021192.html Reprinting this article: Non-commercial OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link. Embed article link: (copy HTML code below): <a href = "http://www.NaturalNews.com/021192.html">Edible food coatings made from common herbs could protect meat, produce from E. coli microorganisms</a>