Application of Baranyi function to model the antibacterial properties of solvent extract from Irish York cabbage against food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria.

Cabbage is a rich source of a number of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, glucosinolates and their breakdown products which may have antibacterial, antioxidant and anticancer properties. Outer green leaves of York cabbage were extracted with 60% methanol, ethanol or acetone. Antibacterial activities of vacuum dried crude extracts were estimated against a number of Gram-positive and Gram-negative food spoilage and food pathogenic bacteria. The crude extracts showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activities but 60% methanol extract exhibited the highest antibacterial effect. Complete growth inhibition for Listeria monocytogenes was achieved with an extract concentration of 1.4%, whereas a two-fold concentration was required to achieve a reduction of 75% and 64% for Salmonella abony and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. For Enterococcus faecalis methanolic extract showed a weak inhibition only (31%). The lower concentrations of methanolic extract from York cabbage prolonged the lag phase and reduced both the exponential growth rate and final population densities of the culture. Survival of the micro-organisms in presence of methanolic extract was mathematically modeled using Baranyi model equations.