FERMENTED SAUERKRAUT JUICE AS ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT: AN IN VITRO STUDY

Abstract

In the present study, the antimicrobial activity of fermented sauerkraut juice was evaluated against human pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains by using agar well diffusion assay. Interestingly the pathogenic fungi was found to be most sensitive than the bacterial pathogens. All the three test fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus sp., and Candida albicans were inhibited by fermented sauerkraut juice with zone of inhibition 36 mm, 35 mm and 15 mm respectively. Antibacterial activity of Sauerkraut juice was observed against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica ser. typhi, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Bacillus amyloliquifaciens. The maximum zone of inhibition was observed against Staphylococcus epidermidis of 21 mm, followed by B. amyloliquifaciens (18 mm) and minimum against E. coli (14 mm). No activity was observed against Salmonella enterica ser. typhi. Present finding suggested that, the fermented sauerkraut juice may be used as antifungal and antibacterial agent to cure infectious diseases and also used as functional foods as it has nutritional values and may also be used as biopreservative for the other food products.