Studies on isolation and inhibitory effect on food-borne pathogens from raw milk in Egypt by natural oils

Area of Science:

• Food Microbiology
• Public Health
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• Raw milk is a potential vehicle for food-borne pathogens.
• Antimicrobial resistance in food-borne pathogens is a growing public health concern.
• Natural compounds are being explored as alternatives to conventional antimicrobials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of food-borne pathogens in raw market milk.
• To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolated pathogens.
• To evaluate the efficacy of natural oils against these pathogens.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and identification of pathogens using serology and PCR.
• Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacterial isolates.
• In vitro testing of natural oils (watercress, basil, parsley, hot green pepper) against pathogens.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of pathogenic Escherichia coli (22/100) and Listeria monocytogenes (17/100) detected, harboring virulence genes.
• E. coli showed resistance to amoxicillin and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, sensitivity to gentamicin.
• L. monocytogenes exhibited resistance to oxytetracycline, sensitivity to norfloxacin; susceptibility to all tested natural oils.
• Klebsiella pneumoniae sensitive to two oils, E. coli and Shigella flexneri resistant to all oils.

Conclusions:

• Unpasteurized milk poses a significant health risk due to pathogen contamination.
• Certain natural oils, specifically parsley and hot green pepper oils, demonstrate potential as food additives for pathogen control.
• Further research into natural oil applications in food safety is warranted.