Antimicrobial potential of floral extract-decorated nanoparticles against food-borne pathogens

Green nanoparticles are economically beneficial and do not harm the environment as they are eco-friendly when compared with chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles. Contamination of food and food products with micro-organisms can cause food spoilage and food-borne diseases. This research mainly focuses on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2, 3, 6, 9, 12), particularly in the areas of health, food safety, and sustainable innovation. The aim of the study was to synthesize Moringa oleifera flower mediated silver nanoparticles to control the growth and biofilm formation in isolated food - borne pathogens. The fresh extract obtained from the flowers of Moringa oleifera has been utilized for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Mo-AgNPs). The Mo-AgNPs were characterized by using various analytical techniques. In silico analysis has been carried out to know the binding potential of phytocompounds of Moringa oleifera with the virulent proteins of bacterial strains. The toxicity effect of Mo-AgNPs was evaluated by using seed germination studies with the seeds of Vigna radiata and evaluated the toxicity effect in Artemia nauplii based on its mortality rate. The novelty of the work is to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of the synthesized Mo-AgNPs, antimicrobial assays including agar well diffusion, Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) and Biofilm formation assay were performed in the bacterial strains isolated from spoiled food. Mo-AgNPs confirmed its nanosize by depicting the particle size as 12.73 nm with 0.115 mV. Mo-AgNPs showed potential benefit for plant growth and exhibited toxicity to Artemia nauplii at higher concentration. The maximum concentrations of Mo-AgNPs that inhibit and kill the isolated food - borne pathogens were 3.125 and 50 µg/ml respectively. Mo-AgNPs effectively reduced the biofilm formation in all the tested strains. Molecular docking studies confirmed that the Ellagic acid has the least value of - 8.6 and - 8.9 kcal/mol with beta lactamase of Enterobacter cloacae and beta lactamase OXY1 of Klebsiella oxytoca respectively. Quercetin, Apigenin, Riboflavin and kaempferol have lower values of - 7.7, - 7.6, - 7.8 and - 7 kcal/mol (Enterobacter cloacae) and - 8.3, - 7.8, - 7.9 and - 7.7 kcal/mol (Klebsiella oxytoca), respectively. Through this study it was proven that the synthesized Mo-AgNPs could have the potential to fight against the bacterial pathogens that are responsible for food - borne diseases and food spoilage. In the future, Mo-AgNPs can be utilized to develop food packaging biomaterials that can increase the shelf life and prevent food from spoilage.