Spices may fight bacteria

Cilantro, a herb key to many cuisines and a central ingredient in salsa, can kill food-poisoning bacteria, scientists said last week. US and Mexican researchers said cilantro can be developed into a safe food additive that could help prevent foodborne illness caused by Salmonella bacteria. The compound, called dodecenal, is found in the fresh leaves and the seeds of cilantro, but is not potent enough to fight food poisoning in naturally occurring amounts, said Isao Kubo, a chemist at the University of California at Berkeley who led the study, which was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. "If you were eating a hot dog or hamburger you would probably have to eat an equivalent weight of cilantro to have an optimal effect against food poisoning," Kubo said.
REUTERS