Antimicrobial Activities of Leaf Extracts from Algarrobo blanco (Prosopis alba), Tusca (Acacia aroma) y Mistol (Ziziphus mistol) to be Applied to Fresh Products

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to analyze the in vitro antimicrobial activity against pathogens such as Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus spp., Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus, Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua, using Prosopis alba (Algarrobo blanco), Acacia aroma (Tusca) and Zizhiphus mistol (Mistol) leaf extracts with 50: 50 v/v ethanol: water and 70:30 v/v acetone: water as antimicrobial preservatives. Determination by agar disk diffusion method was made. All extracts showed some antibacterial activity; however, Bacillus cereus was more resistant and Staphylococcus aureus was more sensitive to the extracts evaluated in comparison with the other bacteria strains used in the test. Algarrobo blanco extracts with 50:50 v/v ethanol: water inhibited the Staphylococcus spp. growth. Therefore, Algarrobo blanco, Tusca and Mistol leaf extracts could be used as potential natural preservatives for fresh products.