US researchers say that a garlic-derived compound called diallyl
sulphide is 100 times more effective than two popular antibiotics at
fighting Campylobacter bacteria, the most common cause of food poisoning
in the UK.
A compound found in garlic could be used in the fight against food poisoning, new research suggests.
The bacterium is estimated to cause up to 400,000 cases of food poisoning a year in England and Wales.
Most cases of food poisoning arise from eating raw or undercooked
poultry or food that has been cross-contaminated by coming into contact
with surfaces or utensils used to prepare poultry.
Campylobacter bacteria live in colonies in a slimy biofilm which can
stick to food, utensils and kitchen surfaces. The biofilm also partially
protects the bacteria from antibiotics.
But the researchers from Washington State University found that the
garlic compound easily penetrated this protective biofilm and killed the
bacteria.
In laboratory tests, diallyl sulphide was 100 times more effective
than the antibiotics erythromycin and ciprofloxacin, and often worked in
"a fraction of the time."
While eating garlic is generally regarded as a healthy thing to do,
the researchers said it "is unlikely to prevent Campylobacter-related
food poisoning."
But the discovery may lead to new treatments for raw and processed meats and food preparation surfaces.
In the future, "diallyl sulphide may be useful in reducing the levels
of the Campylobacter in the environment and to clean industrial food
processing equipment, as the bacterium is found in a biofilm in both
settings," they said.
The study is published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
Source: Yahoo lifestyle
