Antibacterial activities of powdered spices(garlic , ginger, cinnamon and clove) against pathogenic Escherichia coli )157:H7 and Staphyloccus auresus were investigated. Spice powder was added in was exponetial phase of each bacterial culture . Growth inhibition was determined by the absorbance at 660nm and morphological changes of the cells were observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM). Ginger powder has the highest antibacterial activity, following cinnamon , clove and garlic has the least activity.Growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphyloccus aureus were completely inhibited within 5 hours after addition of 1 % of garlic , 0.3% of ginger or cinnamon , 0.5% of clove powder on the exponential phase of the cells. Spice untreated cells of E. coli and S. aureus, the cytoplasm was entirely surrounded by rigid cell wall and cell walls formed a smooth layer well attached to the plasma membrane. In the cells of E. coli and S. aureus treated with spice powder, cell wall and plasma membrane were lysed and severely damaged. E.coli cells growth in the presence of spice powder showed plammolysis, the loss of electron dense material, the formation of extra cellular blebs and cytoplasm burst out from the cell. S .sureus cells grown in the presence of spice powder showed swell of cell wall, the loss of electron dense material , coagulation of cell cytoplasm and formation of extra cellular blebs. Severely damaged cells of S. aureus lost whole cytoplasm and left as ghost of the cell. Spice powder stimulated autolyssi and induced cell death.

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• 최경호
• 박찬성