Phytochemicals-linked food safety and human health protective benefits of the selected food-based botanicals

by Ashish Christopher, Kalidas Shetty

Phytochemicals-rich food-based botanicals including traditional or under-utilized plant-based ingredients can serve a dual functional role to help counter food contamination of bacterial origin, while also addressing the rise of diet-linked non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes, chronic hypertension and the associated oxidative stress. Hence the screening of these food-based botanicals for their phenolic content and profile, as well as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hypertensive properties has relevant merit. Using in vitro assay models, hot water extracts of different forms (slice, pickle, or powder) of amla (Phyllanthus emblica), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), kokum (Garcinia indica), and garlic (Allium sativum) were analyzed for their total soluble phenolic content (TSP) and phenolic profile as well as antimicrobial activity against strains of Salmonella Enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli that are associated with food-borne disease outbreaks. In addition, the antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hypertensive activity of the extracts were also determined using in vitro assay models, with the goal of establishing a dual functional role of the food safety and health protective benefits of these botanicals. A high baseline TSP content was observed in all the extracts and the major phenolic phytochemicals detected were gallic, cinnamic, ellagic, benzoic, dihydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, and p-coumaric acid along with catechin and rutin. All extracts displayed significant antimicrobial activity against most of the bacterial strains tested and the antimicrobial activity was specific for each strain targeted in this study. Furthermore, significant antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic and antihypertensive activity were observed among the botanical extracts, especially among the amla and kokum extracts. These results indicate that phytochemicals enriched botanicals, including amla and kokum, can be integrated into modern-day food preservation and dietary support strategies aimed at improving the food safety and health protective benefits of the food matrix.