Antibacterial Potential of Punica granatum, Rhus coriaria and Vitis vinifera Extracts against Milk Contaminating Bacteria

The milk contained various species of bacteria. Four tubes were used, with one ml in each, and the milk was to be sold in the local market. To determine bacteria that could be present in these samples, they were incubated (cultured) in agar plates in the laboratory. Microorganisms reviewed included Staphylococcus aureus and some Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The bacterial isolates were tested in the Vitek2 Compact system to determine the sensitivity of three different extracts: pomegranate peel (Punica granatum), sumac seed (Rhus coriaria), and black grape seed (Vitis vinifera). The findings were that the resistance was greatest in Staphylococcus aureus, and the moderate effect was shown in E. coli resistance juxtaposition; P. aeruginosa, and S. typhi exhibited the lowest sensitivity to the plant extracts. The extracts were also tested in pasteurized milk, where they recorded a significant capacity to retard bacterial growth against control samples, thereby enabling the extension of the shelf life of the milk. The extracts were also evaluated in pasteurized milk, where they showed a strong capacity to delay the growth of bacteria in comparison to the control samples, thus increasing the shelf life of milk. The outcomes are in favor of the fact that these plant extracts can be used as natural and effective antimicrobial agents and thus help to inhibit the process of food spoilage and provide the means of promising prospects of their use as natural preservatives in different products. The aim of conducting the study was to determine the viability of the use of plant extracts and their bioactive constituents as an alternative to conventional preservatives.