Antimicrobial Effect of Food Spices

The spices used in food obviously add flavor, but are they also antimicrobial? Do they fight bacteria? According to studies in Brazil, Japan and at Cornell University in the U.S., the answer is yes.

History

• Scientists have been studying the properties of spices for over 20 years, and several studies have shown that spices have antimicrobial properties.

Function

• Antimicrobial food spices work by killing off bacteria that may have grown in food, particularly meats.

Types

• Popular spices like garlic, onion, allspice, oregano and thyme were found to be among the most antimicrobial.

Geography

• A 1998 study at Cornell University showed that traditional foods from hotter climates tend to use more antimicrobial spices than foods from colder climates.

Fun Fact

• In the days before refrigeration, the use of spices probably developed to protect people from food-borne illness.