Olive, Grape Extracts Keep Bugs at Bay to Keep Food on the Shelf

Natural extracts from olive and grape showed better anti-microbial activity against a bacteria and yeast than three synthetic antioxidants, showing their potential as food preservatives, says a new study.

The waste-derived extracts from olive oil and wine production performed better against pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella than three standard antioxidants (quercetin, hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein), reports the study in the journal Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies.

"From results presented, we can assume that the natural extracts grape extract and olive extract are promising natural preservatives, with application in food industry," wrote lead author Ana Teresa Serra from Portugal's Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica (IBET/ITQB-UNL).

The research taps into an ever-growing body of study exploring novel source of natural alternatives to synthetic preservatives, such as like BHA and butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), to slow down the oxidative deterioration of food is gaining interest.

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