Review: antibacterial activity of Coconut milk and Thai curry paste

Abstract

In recent years, food safety concerns have been f?cused on foo bomc pathogen s such as Salmonella sp. and List ria mo11 cy toge11es, which arc rc ogn.1zcd as a prirna cause of food poisoning worldwide. Massive outbrea s hav occm cd m several part s of the world (lmmweseel et al. 2005). One type of food mgrcd1ent which has potential to be the natural source of antibiotics is Thai red curry paste. There are many type of Thai cuny. One important ingredient is coc?nut milk. Th research f und o.ut t.h t. the Thai red curry prepared using fresh coconut milk (Kang-Kati) showed higher 111h1b1t1on elTect on foodbome pathogens (Salmonella sp. and L. 111011ocy toge11es), . th n .Thai red curry prepared using UHT milk (Kang-Kati) or water (Kang- Pa). This md1catecl that fresh coconut milk acted as an antibacterial agent. The individual Thai curry paste ingredient s prepared using fresh coconut milk as the extractant showed higher antibacterial activity against foodbome pathogens (Salmonella sp. and l. 111011ocytoge11es) than using UHT coconut milk and water as extractants with all herbs. The fresh coconut milk itself also has antibacterial activity. In Thai red curry, coconut milk act as extractant to extract more antibacterial active compounds from the herbs in the curry paste, Thus the curry paste itself acts as an antibacterial agent.