Spices and Herbs Fight Foodborne Bacteria

Cinnamon and oregano and other natural herbs and spices can help control bacteria and prevent certain foodborne illnesses.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli) and Salmonella are common bacteria usually found in beef and poultry. These bacteria cause people to get foodborne illnesses with usual symptoms of nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.

Cooking with natural herbs and spices like garlic, salt, oregano, onion, ginger and basil reduces the chances of E. coli and Salmonella bacteria growing in food and making you sick.

Dr. Dan Fung and graduate students in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry and Food Science Institute at Kansas State University have conducted extensive research on ways to reduce such bacteria as E. coli and Salmonella in foods. Those researchers found that sprinkling these natural herbs and spices on foods significantly reduces the risks of getting a foodborne illness.

Trying to reduce the risk of these foodborne illnesses is a continuous battle, but Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics show that suchresearch is making headway in reducing foodborne illnesses: there has been a 23 percent overall drop in bacterial foodborne illnesses since 1996.

"These findings represent a true reduction in the number of Americans suffering from foodborne illness," said Tommy G. Thompson, secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. "However, foodborne disease remains a substantial public health burden, and we must continue to expand our efforts to keep America's food supply the safest it can be."

Fuente: http://www.k-state.edu/research/articles/archive/spices.html

Aporte: Alejandra Avendaño