Abstract

Synergistic effects of organic acids with different solute concentrations on Bacillus cereus isolated from raw meat

Authors: Uzair Hameed, Samina Shabbir and Abubakar Bello

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.71081/cvj/2022.016

Abstract
This study investigated the effects of combinations of citric and malic acids with different solutes (salt, glucose, and sucrose) on the survival of Bacillus cereus isolated from raw meat in laboratory broth. For the treatment of 0.5 and 1% organic acids (citric and malic acid), the addition of 3% solutes (salt, glucose, and sucrose) showed a synergistic effect, and also the purpose of this study was to assess the occurrence of B. cereus in raw meat (beef, mutton, chicken). B. cereus is gram positive facultatively anaerobic toxin-producing bacterium and usually found in nature and contaminates food. B. cereus is widely spread in food such as meat, and its products. A total of 60 samples of raw meats that include 20 beef, 20 mutton, and 20 chicken samples were taken from different local meat markets in Faisalabad and analyzed. 28 samples (46.6%) of raw meat out of 60 samples tested positive for B. cereus. The isolated pathogen was checked for organic acids treatment sensitivity. Results indicated that B. cereus was found more sensitive to citric acid than malic acid, but the addition of solutes increased the effectiveness of organic acids (malic and citric acids) which showed the synergistic activity of organic acid.

Keywords: Bacillus cereus, Citric acid, Synergistic activity, Malic acid, Immobilized bacteria treatment, Wetlands