Investigation of the potential effects of metal nanoparticles obtained by green synthesis from different plants on the control of food pathogens

In the rapidly developing, changing and population-increasing world, alternative solutions are being sought for problems in every field. Developments in the field of nanotechnology bring to mind the question of ''Can nanoparticles be used for food safety?'' In particular, the effects of environmentally friendly nanoparticles obtained through green synthesis have become a matter of curiosity. In the study, the effects of metal nanoparticles obtained from different plant sources such as black cherry, buckwheat, black tea and green tea through green synthesis were observed against 6 bacteria we selected (Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica subsp. Enterica serovar Enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7). For this purpose, disk diffusion method, minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration and bacterial growth inhibition analyses were studied. While some metal nanoparticles were ineffective against some bacteria, some showed a strong effect on pathogenic microorganisms that threaten food safety. Silver nanoparticles obtained from different sources showed high antimicrobial activity compared to others. It was observed that copper nanoparticles produced from cypress tree, iron nanoparticles, and silver nanoparticles at concentrations of 3.02 µg/mL, 2.92 µg/mL, and 0.05 µg/mL were sufficient to inhibit the growth of Salmonella colonies. Mixtures prepared by weighing silver and other metal nanoparticles equally as well as silver nanoparticles also showed strong antimicrobial properties. To kill S. aureus bacteria, 5.92 µg/mL of iron nanoparticles, 5.94 µg/mL of copper nanoparticles, 0.09 µg/mL of silver-iron nanoparticle mixture, and 0.04 µg/mL of silver nanoparticles were required. The analysis results also showed that green tea extract had a considerable antimicrobial potential. The aim is to provide resources for the future with the studies conducted and the data collected.