Antibacterial and antiseptic activities of various spices to the mala food ingredients

Abstract

Chinese Mala dishes, typical and traditional Chinese cuisines, have a high risk of exposure to contaminants due to its characteristic cuisine culture where customers can personally add ingredients into the dish. The main spices added to mala dishes commonly have antibacterial and antiseptic properties. This study was conducted to find spices and concentrations suitable for inhibiting bacterial infection and spoilage of Mala cooking ingredients. Ten types of ingredients bought from professional Mala restaurants were checked for the occurrence of bacteria in the Mala dishes. Six major spices sauce constituting the Mala dishes were added to food ingredients with severe bacterial contamination, and the progression of spoilage was observed for 47 days. E. coli and 9 species of bacteria were found in all ingredients, and 2 species of them were C. geocarposphaerae and E. americana, which known to be found in human wounds. Of the 6 types of spices, Star anise and Sichuan pepper best inhibited the bacteria growth and slowed the spoilage progression of ingredients. In conclusion, Mala cooking ingredients can be contaminated with various bacteria due to its unique storage method, but Star anise or Sichuan pepper could be safely protected the ingredients from bacteria and spoilage.

Keywords:
antibacterial; antiseptic; mala; Sichuan pepper; spice; Star anise