IndianJ.Sci.Res.

4 (1):111-114, 2014 ISSN: 0976-2876 (Print)

ISSN: 2250-0138(Online)

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SPICES OILS AND THEIR EFFECT ON FOOD

BORNE FUNGI

VARSHA CHANDRAKARa1, BHAWANA PANDEYb, DIVYA PAIKARAc AND ZEHRA

HASANd
abcd
Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology,Bhilai Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Hospital Sector, Bhilai (C. G.)

ABSTRACT

In the present investigation fungus were isolated from spoiled vegetables and fruits. Among them and four fungus
Fusarium sp., Microsporium sp., Aspergillus fumigatous and Aspergillus oryzae were included for the study. Ginger
and Garlic spices have antifungal property so they were used as antimicrobial agents. Ginger methanolic extract
showed maximum inhibition on fungus as compared to garlic methanolic extract. Maximum inhibition (1c.m.) was
found for Fusarium sp. same the maximum inhibition of Garlic methanolic extract was found for Aspergillus
fumigates (2c.m.). The present study shows that the Ginger and Garlic consist antifungal property. Spoiled vegetables
can be treated with spices to prevent the contamination of fungi.

Key Words: Antifungal Property, Antimicrobial Agents, Spoiled Vegetables.

In recent years, consumers have been
demanding convenient and high quality vegetable
products for which they are willing to pay a
premium. One of the responses of the food industry
has been to produces vegetable that do not need
intense cooking or processing. The consumption of
fresh vegetable is increasing as consumers strive to
eat healthy diets and benefit from the year-round
availability of these products that up until recently
were considered to be seasonal. (Wakill et.al,
2011).The appeal and demand of these vegetable
are due to consumers perception that they healthy,
tasty, convenient and fresh (Sloan 2000, Buck et al;
2003)
The shelf-life of vegetables is generally
about 7-14 days at 50c, being limited by
endogenous biochemical and physiological changes
in the produce, as well as the growth of spoilage
micro-organism. Vegetables consists mainly of
water, resulting in a high pH, being another
important intrinsic factor, ranges from 4.9 to 6.5 for
most vegetables. These properties allow the growth
of micro-organism from the moment that nutrients
become available. Vegetables carry a natural non-
pathogenic epiphytic microflora. During growth
harvest, transportation, handling and further
processing, the producer can, however, be
physically damaged. Wounded areas or plant tissue
provide a better substrate for microbiological
growth by providing nutrients and the properties of
the tissue determine which micro-organism will be
active (King et al;1991).
Many fruits and vegetables present nearly ideal
conditions for the survival and growth of many
types of microorganisms. The internal tissues are
nutrient rich and many, especially vegetables, have
a pH near neutrality. Their structure is comprised
mainly of the polysaccharides cellulose,
hemicellulose, and pectin. The principal storage
polymer is starch. Spoilage microorganisms exploit
the host using extracellular lytic enzymes that
degrade these polymers to release water and the
plants other intracellular constituents for use as
nutrients for their growth. Fungi in particular
produce an abundance of extracellular pectinases
and hemicellulases that are important factors for
fungal spoilage (Miedes & Lorences, 2004).
Plants produce volatile fractions, which
have been used for various purposes for almost
4000 years (Hansel et al., 1999). Antimicrobial
features and amounts of essential oils isolated from
the different plants vary; therefore, laboratory
researches in vitro are constantly carried out. It is
important to test the effect of essential oils of many
plants on different microorganisms. The interest in
essential oils as antimicrobial material is still
growing. In Lithuania and also abroad new
researches are made, the effect of essential oils of
various plants on different microorganisms is
tested.
The essential oils of some plants are used
for drugs, also as flavouring and for food (Holeman
et al., 1984; arkinas, ipailien, 2003s). The effect
of essential oils was tested on fungi isolated from

1Corresponding author
 CHANDRAKAR ET AL.: ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SPICES OILS AND THEIR EFFECT ON FOOD BORNE FUNGI
indoor environment (Motiejnait, Kaldien,
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Collection of Samples: Potato, Tomato,
Cucumber, Spinach, Banana, Mango, Lemon, and
Papaya were used as sample.
Isolation of fungus: Isolation of Food borne fungi
from spoiled vegetables and fruits. Sample were
inoculated onto Potato Dextrose agar and Sabourds
agar medium and incubated at 350C-400C for 3-4
days for fungus isolation.
Fungus identification: Fungus identified on the
bases of structure and morphological view.
Fungal staining: Lactose cotton blue staining:
Place a drop of lacto phenol cotton blue on a clean
slide. Transfer a small tuft of the fungus, preferably
with spores and spores bearing structures, into the
drop, using a flamed, cooled needle. Gently tease
the material using the two mounted needles. Mix
gently the stain with the mold structure. Place a
cover glass over the preparation taking care to
avoid trapping air bubbles in the stain.
Preparation of spice extract.
Preparation of spice oils and their extracts:
Ginger and Garlic are use for extraction of spices
oil. The parts of Spices dried and grounded to
obtain a fine dry powder. The powder is weighed
and the extract is obtained by maceration process
soaked in solvent for 48h. The mixture is
centrifuged and filtered through Whatmann filter
paper no 1. The pellet is discarded and the
supernatant is collected in a Soxhlate until a semi
solid substance is obtained.
Solvents that can be used are hexane, acetone,
ethylene dichloride or alcohol. Extraction is done
by percolation of the solvents at room temperature
IndianJ.Sci.Res.4 (1):111-114, 2014
2003).
through a bed of ground spice packed in a SS
percolator. Then the dark viscous extract
containing not less than 10% of total soluble solids
are drawn off and distilled under reduced pressure
to remove the excess of solvent. The essential oil is
obtained by steam distillation. Cleaning and
Grinding of Spices. Extraction with the help of
Solvent. Distillation of the Extract. Recovery of
Solvent. We prepare Ethanolic, Methanolic, and
DMSO Extract.
Antimicrobial activity of spices extract on
bacteria.
Determination of antimicrobial activities of spices
oils and their extracts by Agar Well Diffusion
method.
Agar Diffusion Method-The pure isolate of each
bacterium is sub cultured in broth at 370C for 24h.
20l of the standard inoculums of each test
microorganisms is spread with the help of spreader
on to a Nutrient ager medium plate so as to achieve
a confluent growth. The plates are allowed to dry
and a sterile cork borer of diameter 6.0mm was
used to bore wells in the agar plates. Subsequently,
a 90 and 100 micro liter volume of the extract was
introduced in triplicate wells in to a Nutrient Agar
plate. Sterile DMSO served as negative control.
The plates are allowed to stand for at least one hour
for diffusion to take place and then incubated at 370
C for 24h. The zone of inhibition is recorded to the
nearest size in mm.
RESULTS AND DISSCUSSION
Four fungi Fusarium sp., Microsporium, sp.,
Aspergillus fumigatous and Aspergillus oryzae
were isolated from vegetable and fruits.
 CHANDRAKAR ET AL.: ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SPICES OILS AND THEIR EFFECT ON FOOD BORNE FUNGI

Fig.1: Isolated Fungi

Table 1: Effect of spice extract on fungus: (Antifungal activity)

NO. Fungus Ginger Ginger Garlic Garlic
methanol methanol methanol methanol
extract(90 l) extract(100l) extract(90 l) extract(100l)
1. Fusarium 1.2c.m. 1c.m. 2.6c.m. 2.4c.m.
2. Microsporium 1.7c.m. 1.5c.m. 2.3c.m. 2.1c.m.
3. Aspergillus Oryzae No inhibition No inhibition No inhibition No inhibition
4. Aspergillus fumigatous 2.6c.m. 2.4c.m. 2.3c.m. 2c.m.

Table 2: Aspergillus oryzae shown Inhibition on 1000l with ginger and garlic extract.
Asp.oryzae Ginger methnol extract Garlic methanol extract
1. 0.7c.m. 0.5c.m.
In this study fungus were isolated from spoiled compared to garlic methanolic extract. Maximum
food. Among them four fungus were included for inhibition (1c.m.) was found in Fusarium sp. Same
the study. Ginger and Garlic spice were used as the maximum inhibition of Garlic methanolic
antimicrobial agents. Ginger methanolic extact extract was found in Aspergillus fumigates (2c.m.)
showed maximum inhibition on fungus as

Fig. 2: Antifungal Activity

IndianJ.Sci.Res.4 (1):111-114, 2014

 CHANDRAKAR ET AL.: ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SPICES OILS AND THEIR EFFECT ON FOOD BORNE FUNGI
CONCLUSION
This result gives a birds eye view mainly
on the recent research on antimicrobial potential of
herbal spices and their derivatives against some
pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in foods,
their antioxidant activities along with possible
adverse effects and advocates for more research to
elucidate their commercial utilization in food
preservation.
In this study Ginger and Garlic shows good results
against fungus, so can use as food preservative for
future.
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