Antibacterial Efficacy of Selenium Nanoparticles and Antibiotics against Foodborne E. coli and S. aureus

Objective : The primary objective was to evaluate the inhibitory effects of selenium nanoparticles (SeoNPs) against the bacterial pathogens Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, isolated from local cheese samples in Tikrit city. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the effectiveness of selected antibiotics against these strains. Methods :The present study was conducted within the laboratories of the Department of Food Science at the College of Agriculture, Tikrit University, spanning from January 14, 2024, to March 26, 2024. Results :The results demonstrated that selenium nanoparticles exhibited a significant inhibitory activity towards both Gram-negative E. coli and Gram-positive S. aureus. Specifically, the inhibition zone diameters for E. coli at concentrations of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mg/ml were recorded at 13, 20, 22, 23, and 23 mm, respectively. In contrast, for S. aureus, the corresponding inhibition zones measured 15, 18, 18, 20, and 20 mm at the same concentrations, indicating peak effectiveness at 40 and 50 mg/ml.Conclusion: Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed inhibition zone diameters for E. coli treated with various antibiotics, notably with F100 and DO10, demonstrating the most substantial inhibitory activity against both bacterial strains. Conversely, KF30 displayed comparatively lower effectiveness. These findings underscore the potential utility of selenium nanoparticles and the selected antibiotics in mitigating the growth of E. coli and S. aureus in food products. Moreover, it highlights the importance of integrating inhibitory activity assessments with continuous microbiological safety monitoring to counteract the proliferation of bacterial infections and the emergence of antibiotic resistance.