ANTIBACTERIAL POTENTIAL OF POMEGRANATE PEEL AND SEED EXTRACTS AGAINST FOOD BORNE PATHOGENS
Amna Tanveer, Umar Farooq*, Kashif Akram, Afshan Shafi,
Farkhandah Sarfraz, Hafeez-ur-Rehman
Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan
Abstract
Aqueous extracts of pomegranate (Punica granatum)peel and seeds were investigated to evaluate their antibacterial activity against selected pathogenic microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus feacalis using disc inhibition zone technique and the results were compared with commercial antibiotic. The studied extracts possessed strong antibacterial activity against the tested microorganisms. Maximum antibacterial activity was shown by the peel extract against Escherichia coli with average zone of inhibition 19.5 ± 0.93 mm followed by seeds 7.12 ± 0.99 mm. The antibacterial activities of peel extract were comparable with commercial antibiotic, Amoxicillin (21.12 ± 0.23 mm). Enterococcus feacalis was appeared to be the most resistant with inhibition induced by the extracts of peel 14.87 ± 0.13mm and seeds 7.12 ± 0.19 mm. The results revealed that the aqueous extracts of pomegranate peel and seed possessed significant antibacterial potential against food borne pathogens.
Keywords: Pomegranate fruit waste, extract, antibacterial activity