SSS 2012-05-01

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It’s more bad news for vampires¹, but good news for the fight against food-borne illness: a compound in garlic is extremely effective at fighting Campylobacter, bacteria that frequently cause intestinal² infections. The work is in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

 

Campylobacter causes problems in part because its cells produce a slime that holds them together in a biofilm. This biofilm sticks to food and food preparation surfaces, helping³ contamination spread. And it protects the bacteria from antibiotics⁴.

 

Researchers tried treating Campylobacter jejuni with two common antibiotics, as well as with diallyl sulfide, the compound derived⁵ from garlic.

 

The antibiotics did some damage. But the garlic compound worked faster and was a hundred times as effective. It quickly infiltrated⁶ the biofilm, and killed the bacteria, apparently⁷ by inhibiting⁸ the functions of enzymes⁹.

 

Eating garlic won’t slay¹⁰ Campylobacter. But diallyl sulfide could one day be used to clean surfaces used for food preparation, and to stop bacteria from colonizing¹¹ packaged foods, like salads and deli meats. Which may annoy any vampires getting by on rare roast beef.

 

Thanks for the minute, for Scientific Americans 60 second Science, I am Sophie Bushwick.

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