Determination of antibacterial effect of curcumin on staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcal food poisoning is one of the most common foodborne diseases worldwide that causes acute food poisoning in humans as a result of consumption of enterotoxin-contaminated food. There is a need to develop new agents for the prevention of foodborne S. aureus infections. Curcumin is a yellow-colored, powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agent obtained from the turmeric (Curcuma longa) plant. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the antibacterial effect of curcumin on S. aureus. The in vitro (in broth) and in vivo (in food) antibacterial activity of curcumin on S. aureus was determined. Chicken samples were experimentally contaminated with S. aureus at the level of 2.0x108 cfu/ml. Then, it was kept in 1, 2 and 3% curcumin solution for 15 minutes. After the application, chicken samples were stored at +4 ºC. The number of S.aueus in chicken samples at 0, 2, 4 and 6 days of storage was determined according to the method reported by EN ISO 6888-1-2:1999. The broth dilution method was used to determine the in vitro minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of curcumin for S.aueus. In the result of study, it was found that the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of curcumin was 125 μg/ml for S. aureus. In the experimentally contaminated chicken samples, the number of S. aureus decreased by 2.43, 2.70 and 3.49 log at the end of the sixth day as a result of the application of 1, 2 and 3% curcumin, respectively. Although 3% curcumin showed a significant decrease in bacterial count, its sensory acceptability decreased.