Antimicrobial activity of mulberry (Morus alba) leave extract against foodborne pathogens in fermented fish (Pla-som)

Abstract

Acute diarrhea and food poisoning are caused by the consumption of food or water contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. These conditions remain major public health problems and are responsible for numerous deaths worldwide each year. Pla-som is a one kind of fermented fish that often contaminated with pathogens from the production process occurred both in raw materials and environments might harmful to the consumers. Pla-som is a traditional fermented fish product that is often contaminated with pathogens during the production process, originating from raw materials and the surrounding environment, which may pose health risks to consumers. This research aimed to evaluate the efficacy of mulberry (Morus alba) leave extract from MonPai cultivar in inhibiting the growth of foodborne pathogenic bacteria such as Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella spp. in pla-som. The results revealed that ethanolic extract, aqueous extract, and powdered leaves of the MonPai cultivar at a concentration of 100 µg/g exhibited antibacterial activity. The most pronounced inhibitory effect was observed against S. aureus in 100 g of pla-som, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). The colony counts were 213 ± 80.83, 300 ± 95.40, and 340 ± 70.00 CFU/g, respectively. The inhibition percentages were 52.67%, 33.33%, and 24.44%, respectively. In summary, incorporating mulberry leaf extracts into fermented fish products prior to consumption may help inhibit pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and reduce the risk of diarrhea and food poisoning associated with the consumption of raw fermented fish.