Antimicrobial efficacy of phytochemicals against Bacillus cereus in reconstituted infant rice cereal

The objective of this study was to determine the potential use of Trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), (−)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and [10]-Gingerol (GI) to inhibit the growth of B. cereus in infant rice cereal reconstituted with infant formula. Samples were inoculated with either vegetative cells or spores of B. cereus (ATCC 14579), and they were treated with 500 ppm (mg/L) TC, EGCG and GI. They were stored at 7 °C, 23 °C, or 37 °C for 0, 4, 8 and 24 h to simulate advance preparation, handling and temperature abuse. At 23 °C no growth was observed with TC over 24 h. TC also showed the highest antimicrobial activity 37 °C by inhibiting the growth of B. cereus vegetative cells by 0.83 log CFU/g and B. cereus spores by 2.0 log CFU/g after 24 h. B. cereus (ATCC 14579) did not grow at 7 °C over 24 h and TC had no effect on its survival. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found in color and aroma of rice cereal samples containing EGCG and TC, respectively. Additionally, TC exhibited a cinnamon taste, while EGCG gave a purple color to the reconstituted rice cereal. These results indicate that TC may serve as a potential natural antimicrobial in reconstituted infant rice cereal even when utilized at low concentrations, inhibiting both vegetative cells and spores of B. cereus.