Efficacy of plant extracts in inhibiting Aeromonas hydrophila and Listeria monocytogenes in refrigerated, cooked poultry

Alcohol extracts of angelica root, banana puree, bay, caraway seed, carrot root, clove (eugenol) marjoram pimento leaf and thyme were applied to cooked chicken to determine their antimicrobial activities against Aeromonas hydrophila and Listeria monocytogenes. Skinless chicken breast meat was cooked to an internal temperature of 85 degrees C, allowed to cool to c. 5 degrees C, then treated by surface application with plant extracts. Low (10 cfu g(-1)) or high (10(5) cfu g(-1)) populations of A. hydrophila and L, monocytogenes were applied and samples were stored at either 5 or 15 degrees C for up to 14 or 7 days, respectively. Eugenol and pimento extracts were most effective in inhibiting growth of both bacteria. A. hydrophila was the more sensitive to the two treatments, with 4 log(10)cfu g(-1) less growth occurring at 14 days at 5 degrees C on eugenol-treated breast meat than on control samples. These results suggested that plant extracts might be useful as antimicrobials in cooked, ready-to-eat chicken meat. (C) 1998 Academic Press.