Antimicrobial Activity of Garlic Extract on Organisms Isolated from Tomato Rot

Aqueous garlic extract is made up of antioxidant ingredient and has been responsible for boosting the immune system of the body; it is also used as a broad spectrum antibiotic, killing bacteria, fungus, and viruses. The microbial activities of spoilt and fresh tomato fruit was investigated using serial dilution method.

The antimicrobial activity of aqueous garlic extract against selected microorganisms isolated from spoilt tomato fruit was determined using diffusion method. The total heterotrophic bacteria count ranged from 4.0 X 105 cfu/g to 8.0 X 106 cfu/g and total coliform count ranged from 2.5 X105 cfu/g to 3.5 X 106 cfu/g and total fungal count ranged from 1.0 X 105 cfu/g to 2.6 X 106 cfu/g cfu/g. The bacteria isolated were Salmonella entercolitis, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Acetobacter aceti, Xanthomonas campestris, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus pyogenes, Leuconostoc gasicomitatum, while the fungi isolates where Mucor spp, Saccharomyces cerevisae, Penicillium notatum, Aspergillus flavus. Concentrations of 10, 20, and 40 mg/ml of garlic aqueous extract were tested for their antimicrobial activity against some of the bacterial and fungal isolates from spoilt tomato. The result showed that aqueous concentrations of garlic extract between 10 to 40 mg/ml possess antimicrobial properties on the selected organism apart from A. flavus, where there is no zone of inhibition.

The presence of bacteria pathogens and fungi in tomatoes could pose a serious threat to health. Therefore treatment of tomato fruit with at least 40 mg/ml garlic aqueous extract could be used as a beneficial antimicrobial agent.