Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry profile and antibacterial efficacy of fixed oils from Moringa oleifera, Ficus exasperata, and Theobroma cacao against pathogens isolated from street-vended foods
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18593/evid.36507Keywords:
Street-vended foods, Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Fixed oil, Moringa oleifera, Ficus exasperata, Theobroma cacaoAbstract
Street-vended foods are frequently associated with microbial contamination, a major cause of foodborne illnesses. Plants, with their diverse chemical constituents, offer valuable sources of bioactive compounds with antimicrobial potential. This study evaluated the in vitro inhibitory activity of oils derived from Moringa oleifera seeds, Theobroma cacao pods, and Ficus exasperata leaves against antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from street-vended foods. A total of 48 food samples were randomly collected from eight vendors and analyzed using standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by the disc diffusion technique, while fixed oils were extracted using Soxhlet apparatus and assessed for antibacterial activity through agar-well diffusion. Phytochemical constituents were identified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Among the food samples, fufu recorded the highest bacterial load (3.5 × 10⁴–7.5 × 10⁶ cfu/g). The predominant isolates were Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Bacillus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis. Bacillus spp. and Salmonella spp. exhibited the highest resistance among Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates, respectively. The oils showed strong inhibitory activity, with zones of 15.0 ± 0.6 mm for T. cacao against Bacillus spp., 15.0 ± 0.6 mm for F. exasperata against Bacillus and Salmonella typhi, and 14.0 ± 0.6 mm for M. oleifera against Streptococcus spp. GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of fatty acids, sterols, and aromatic hydrocarbons as major constituents of the oils. The findings indicate that these plant-derived oils possess significant in vitro inhibitory potential against foodborne antibiotic-resistant pathogens and could serve as promising natural antimicrobial sources.
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