ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SPICES AGAINST ISOLATED FOOD BORNE PATHOGENS

Antimicrobial activity of spices with methanolic extract of Zingiber officinale (Ginger), Allium sativum (Garlic), Syzygium aromaticum (Clove), Cuminum cyminum (Cumin), Brassica juncea (Musturd), Emblica officinalis (Amla), Aloe vera and Crocus sativus ( Saffron) has been evaluated against isolated food borne pathogens E.coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas florescens, Serratia marscens, Citrobacter frendii, Kleibsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus vulgaris . They were tested by agar dilution method for determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of spices extracts. Syzygium aromaticum (Clove) and Cuminum cyminum (Cumin) extract showed excellent antimicrobial activity against all the test organisms. Syzygium aromaticum showed the highest 19 mm antimicrobial zone against all except Serratia marscens and Proteus vulgaris. Clove extract was the most inhibitor followed by Cumin, whereas extracts of ginger, garlic mustard, amla aloe vera and saunf showed weak antibacterial activities against the tested strains. The most sensitive strain to spices extracts was Citrobacter frendii and the most resistant strain was Proteus vulgaris.