ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF HEATED CABBAGE JUICE, S-METHYL-L-CYSTEINE SULFOXIDE AND METHYL METHANETHIOSULFONATE

Autoclaved cabbage juice was inhibitory to growth of Staphylococcus au reus. S-Methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide (SMCSO), autoclaved either togethe r with or separately from nutrient broth, also inhibited the growth of S. aureus, but inhibition was greater when SMCSO was autoclaved separ ately. Methyl methanethiosulfonate (MMTSO2), a thermal breakdown produ ct of SMCSO, completely inhibited growth of S. aureus at 10 ppm. MMTSO 2 was formed in both autoclaved samples of cabbage juice and aqueous s olution of SMCSO. Thus, evidence indicates that the bacterial inhibito ry activity in autoclaved cabbage juice was due to heat-induced format ion of MMTSO2 from SMCSO.