I. Babic et al., ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SHREDDED CARROT EXTRACTS ON FOOD-BORNE BACTERIA AND YEAST, Journal of Applied Bacteriology, 76(2), 1994, pp. 135-141
Purified ethanolic extracts of peeled and shredded carrots showed an a
ntimicrobial effect against a range of food-borne micro-organisms. The
minimum inhibitory concentration, expressed as mg ml(-1) dried carrot
material used for the extraction were: Leuconostoc mesenteroides, 27;
Listeria monocytogenes, >27 <55; Staphylococcus aureus, >27 <55; Pseu
domonas fluorescens, >55 <110; Candida lambica, >55 <110; Escherichia
coli, >110 <220. The antimicrobial activity was not linked to phenolic
compounds but was presumably due to apolar components. Free saturated
fatty acid (dodecanoic acid) and methyl esters of saturated fatty aci
ds (of dodecanoic and pentadecanoic acids) were identified in purified
active extracts of carrots by gas chromatography coupled to mass spec
trometry and could be responsible for the antimicrobial activity. This
effect did not seem to play a role in the resistance of shredded carr
ots to microbial spoilage, although the antimicrobial activity was pre
sent in fresh carrots at concentrations sufficient to inhibit spoilage
bacteria.