Researchers have found that the Moringa oleifera extract can be used as a natural antimicrobial agent in meat products. The study, which compared the antimicrobial properties of both Bidens pilosa and M. oleifera in ground beef during storage, was published in CyTA – Journal of Food.

• For the research, researchers treated fresh ground beef samples with either butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), 0.2 g/kg; M. oleifera leaf extract, 1 g/kg; and B. pilosa leaf extract, 1 g/kg. These were then compared with a control sample.
• According to the results, the ground beef sample that was treated with M. oleifera leaf extract showed higher phenolic and flavonoid content than that of B. pilosa leaf extract.
• Both leaf extracts displayed antimicrobial properties during the assays, with both exhibiting the best inhibitory activity against E. coli and Shigella flexinerii.
• M. oleifera leaf extract, however, was able to reduce the number of viable and lactic acid bacteria better than that of the control and BTH treatments.

Based on the findings, the study revealed that while both M. oleifera and B. pilosa leaf extracts displayed antimicrobial activity, M. oleifera leaf extract has the potential to be used as a source for natural antimicrobial agents.

Journal Reference:

Falowo AB, Hugo CJ, Muchenje V, Charimba G. IN VITRO ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF BIDENS PILOSA AND MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAF EXTRACTS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON GROUND BEEF QUALITY DURING COLD STORAGE.  CyTA – Journal of Food. 2016;14(4):541–546. CyTA – Journal of Food. 6 May 2016;15(2):249–256. DOI: 10.1080/19476337.2016.1162847