Antibacterial Activity of Antibiotics, Herbal Extracts and Commercially Available Essential Oils and Studies Leading to Shelf-life Extension of Chicken Meat

Abstract

This study was conducted to find out the antibacterial effects of different components including standard antibiotics, herbal extracts and commercially available essential oils by applying different bacteria and to evaluate their effect on chicken meat as a preservative. For this purpose, 8 different types of antibiotic discs of 0.5 mm were applied on the bacteria isolated from chicken obtained taken from the Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore. Similarly herbal extracts and commercially available essential oils were also applied on the same bacteria by disc diffusion method. Then finally clove extract and clove oil were mixed in the concentrations of 5% and 10% v/w in the minced chicken meat to observe their preservative effects. The bacteria were not significantly seen to resist the action of antibiotics applied while ethanolic clove (Syzygium aromaticum) extract, clove oil and cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) oil showed strong antibacterial potential. It was also found that clove extract and clove oil extend the shelf-life of the chicken meat samples upto 18 days instead of 12 days of the control samples kept at 4°C. It was concluded from the study that clove and cinnamon possessed strong antibacterial potential and clove had preservative effects.

So, clove can be further studied to be employed as a potential meat preservative