Garlic proven to fight common food poisoning

Washington: Garlic has the power to fight food-borne bacterial illnesses, according to new research.
 
The common bacteria Campylobacter jejuni, is a leading cause of intestinal illness caused by eating undercooked poultry or foods that have been contaminated during poultry preparation.
“Campylobacter is simply the most common bacterial cause of food-borne illness in the United States and probably the world,” explained coauthor Michael Konkel of Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in an article recently published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
The researchers compared the effects of diallyl sulfide, a compound that occurs in garlic, and the antibiotics ciprofloxacin and erythromycin on biofilms formed by Campylobacter jejuni. Biofilms are colonies of bacteria protected by a film that renders them a thousand times more resistant to antibiotics than free cells. Cell death following the administration of diallyl sulfide occurred at a concentration of resveratrol that was 100-fold less than that which was effective for either antibiotic, and often took less time to work. The team found that diallyl sulfide combined with a sulfur-containing enzyme, which altered the cells’ function and metabolism.

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“This work is very exciting to me because it shows that this compound has the potential to reduce disease-causing bacteria in the environment and in our food supply,” stated lead author and postdoctoral researcher Xiaonan Lu, PhD.
“This is the first step in developing or thinking about new intervention strategies,” added Dr Konkel. “Diallyl sulfide may be useful in reducing the levels of the Campylobacter in the environment and to clean industrial food processing equipment, as the bacterium is found in a biofilm in both settings.”
“Diallyl sulfide could make many foods safer to eat”, noted Barbara Rasco, another co-author of the report. “It can be used to clean food preparation surfaces and as a preservative in packaged foods like potato and pasta salads, coleslaw and deli meats. This would not only extend shelf life but it would also reduce the growth of potentially bad bacteria.”
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Moroccan Chicken with Tomato Dressing

Moroccan Chicken with Tomato Dressing

FB-Moroccan-Chicken-w-Tomato-Dressing_p [640x480].jpgServes 4
Preparation time: 25 minutes, plus overnight marinating
Cooking time: 12-15 minutes
4 chicken breasts, skin on if preferred (healthier without because most of the fat is within the skin).

Moroccan Marinade:
1 tsp cumin seeds
Large handful of fresh coriander, chopped
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 plump garlic cloves, crushed
120ml/8 tbsp Filippo Berio Olive Oil
1 lemon, juice only
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tomato Dressing :
100 ml/3½ fl oz Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tbsp roughly chopped chives
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
350g/12oz vine-ripened tomatoes, halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:
1. Slash the chicken breasts 3 times with a sharp knife and put into a glass dish.
2. To prepare the Moroccan marinade, heat a small heavy-based pan on the hob and add the cumin seeds. Shake them around for a few seconds until their aroma rises. Remove from the heat and crush roughly using a mortar and pestle. Put the seeds into a bowl with the coriander, onion, chilli, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix all the ingredients together well. Pour over the chicken, cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. To make the tomato dressing, pour the olive oil into a blender or food processor,
add the chives and vinegar and blend until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a bowl.
4. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes then chop. Add to the dressing and season.
5. Cook the chicken on a fairly hot barbecue for about 6-7 minutes on each side
or until cooked through, brush with the marinade during cooking. Serve with the
tomato dressing.

Protein

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This contains the 25 amino acids which are the building blocks of the body and is found in fish, meat, beans, peas, lentils, eggs, cheese and soya.