The purpose of this study is the determination of the proximate composition and physical properties of snacks with a novel and original preparation. Thus, gluten-free high protein ingredients supplemented with ginger, turmeric, fresh garlic and beets are incorporated into the snack items. The measured snack content levels for protein, crude fat, carbohydrates, essential minerals, and water. The relevant physical properties encompass water activity, true and bulk densities and item texture. The study objective was to make nutritious and gluten-free vegetable snacks with a protein content exceeding 25

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by epidermal barrier dysfunction and dysregulated immune responses, particularly an imbalance between T helper type 1 (Th1) and type 2 (Th2) cytokines. Natural products with immunomodulatory activity have attracted increasing attention as potential strategies for regulating allergic inflammation. In this study, we investigated the immunomodulatory effects of bioprocessed black rice bran (BRB-F) and bioprocessed balloon flower root (BFR-F). In vitro assays using human B cells, mast cells, and keratinocytes were conducted to evaluate IgE production, mast cell degranulation, and epithelial inflammatory mediator release. The efficacy of the BRB-F:BFR-F mixture was further evaluated in BALB/c mice with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)/Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DFE)-induced AD-like dermatitis. BRB-F and BFR-F suppressed IgE production, attenuated mast cell degranulation and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) release, and reduced keratinocyte-derived inflammatory mediators (thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), and IL-6). In mice, dietary supplementation with the BRB-F:BFR-F mixture (10-80 mg/kg/day) dose-dependently improved clinical skin lesions and histopathological changes, with serum IgE reduced by up to 87.1% at the highest dose. The treatment significantly suppressed Th2 cytokine mRNA expression in ear tissue (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) by 37.2%, 32.7%, and 34.0%, respectively, compared with the positive control. In contrast, splenic Th1 cytokine mRNA expression (IL-2, IL-12, and IFN-γ) was partially restored by 37.1%, 22.5%, and 18.7%, respectively. These findings indicate that BRB-F and BFR-F modulate multiple immune pathways and help restore Th1/Th2 immune balance, suggesting their potential as functional materials for regulating immune dysregulation associated with AD.

The objective of the present study was to determine the proximate composition (protein, crude fat, minerals, carbohydrate, and water) and physical properties (water activity, true and bulk densities, and texture) of flatbreads prepared from gluten-free high-protein ingredients supplemented with fresh garlic, jalapeno pepper, and red onion. The aim was to create nutritious gluten-free, vegetable flatbreads with ≥ 30

In the United States, California and Arizona are the two main cantaloupe melon producing states. However, there have been multiple multistate foodborne outbreaks linked to cantaloupe melons. In this study, a total of 428 cantaloupe melon composites (1284 fruits total) and their respective environmental samples, including 87 soil, 87 rhizosphere, 56 air and 18 water samples, were collected and tested for the prevalence of foodborne pathogens as well as indicator microorganisms from 11 different fields in Arizona and two fields in California. Arizona samples were collected in 2018, 2019 and 2021 and California samples were collected in 2019. Commercial cantaloupe melons grown in Arizona had enterococci and coliform populations ranging between <1 and 6.13 and <1-7.45 Log CFU/melon, respectively. Enterococci populations ranged between <1 and 5.89 Log CFU/sample for Arizona environmental samples. Coliform counts for Arizona field environmental samples ranged between <1 and 7.47 Log CFU/sample. California commercial cantaloupe melons had enterococci and coliform populations ranging between <1-5.70 Log CFU/melon and <1->8.57 Log CFU/melon, respectively. Coliform and enterococci counts ranged from <1->7.78 Log CFU/sample and <1-5.29 Log CFU/sample for California field environmental samples, respectively. No Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria species, or Salmonella enterica were detected in any melon, rhizosphere, soil, or air samples from either Arizona or California. This information helps in understanding the risk of contamination from Salmonella, Listeria species and E. coli O157:H7 in commercial melon fields, as well as their environmental samples in Arizona and California.

Novel puffed snacks were created from Bengal Gram (BG) and Garbanzo (GR) by using two heating methods; (1) an Air Fryer vortex oven at 400 oF (204.4 oC), and (2) Infra-Red heating and hot air at 200 oC on a moving belt. Proximate and physical analysis of the BG and GR seeds and puffed samples was conducted. The protein content for both types of snacks was 21–22

Following consumption, alcohol is absorbed from the digestive tract into the circulation and is then distributed into different organs. In the liver, it causes a range of injuries beginning with the induction of fatty liver (hepatic steatosis), which on further alcohol consumption progresses to liver cirrhosis that can result in mortality. On the basis of a series of our previous published studies that showed that black rice-based functional foods have multi-functional health benefits in rodents, including protection of mice and rats against inflammation and alcohol-induced hangovers, we were motivated to determine the protective effect of a polysaccharide-containing bioprocessed (fermented) black rice bran product (BRB-F) to prevent alcohol-induced liver damage. BRB-F prevented dietary alcohol-induced increases in both whole liver and in liver fat weights, serum levels of hepatic enzymes and bilirubin, oxidized liver glutathione, and proinflammatory serum and adipocyte cytokines. Silymarin, a plant phenolic anti-inflammatory agent, cooperated with BRB-F to increase the prevention of alcohol-induced liver damage. BRB-F and silymarin also prevented direct toxicity of HepG2 human liver cells in culture by reducing reactive oxygen species. Mechanistic aspects and suggestions for further research are discussed. The ability of BRB-F alone or with silymarin to protect mice against alcohol-induced liver damage merits confirmation in human clinical studies.

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder frequently associated with dysregulated Th1/Th2 immune balance and impaired regulatory T (Treg) activity. Although conventional treatments can reduce clinical symptoms, concerns regarding long-term adverse effects have led to increased interest in complementary and functional dietary materials with immunomodulatory potential. Bioprocessed black rice bran (BRB-F) and balloon flower root fractions (BFR-F) have individually demonstrated anti-inflammatory activities, but their combined oral efficacy and mechanisms in AD remain insufficiently characterized. Methods Mechanistic in vitro assays were first performed using a human B-cell line to measure IgE secretion, mouse and/or human mast cells to evaluate degranulation and TSLP release, and keratinocyte cultures to quantify TARC, MDC, and IL-6 production. These assays were used to determine whether BRB-F and BFR-F individually or cooperatively modulate immune and epithelial cell activation relevant to AD pathology. Subsequently, an AD-like phenotype was induced in BALB/c mice by topical application of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene followed by mite extract. Animals received dietary supplementation with a 3:1 BRB-F:BFR-F mixture (10–80 mg/kg/day), and clinical skin inflammation, ear histopathology, and cytokine profiles were analyzed to assess Th1/Th2 balance and Treg-associated markers. Results Dietary supplementation with the BRB-F:BFR-F binary combination resulted in dose-dependent improvement in AD-like skin lesions and reduced histopathological severity. The mixture suppressed Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) in ear tissue and increased splenic Th1 cytokines (IL-2, IL-12, IFN-γ), accompanied by dose-dependent elevation of galectin-9, suggesting activation of Treg-associated pathways. IL-10 expression was also reduced in vivo. In vitro, BRB-F and BFR-F cooperatively inhibited IgE production by B cells, attenuated mast cell activation and TSLP release, and lowered keratinocyte secretion of TARC, MDC, and IL-6. Conclusions The combined oral administration of bioprocessed BRB-F and BFR-F exerts multi-targeted anti-atopic activity that includes modulation of Th1/Th2 immune balance, activation of Treg-associated signaling, and suppression of B-cell, mast cell, and keratinocyte responses. These findings, confirmed by histopathology of skin tissues before and after treatment, provide preclinical support for the development of BRB-F:BFR-F as a complementary functional material for managing immune dysregulation associated with AD, although validation in human patients will be required.

Black rice bran, a waste product from the commercial milling of black rice that removes the bran and germ leaving the starchy endosperm, contains bioactive anthocyanin, phenolic, and phytosteroid compounds that may have health benefits. This study determined the effect of a polysaccharide-rich bioprocessed (fermented) black rice bran and a green tea extract individually and in combination on weight loss in orally fed mice on a high-fat diet and on concurrent changes in blood glucose and insulin as well as in cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density and low-density lipoproteins (HDL and LDL). At the end of the eight-week feeding study, the combination diet resulted in a 67% lower weight gain than mice on a high-fat diet alone, a greater effect than that of bioprocessed black rice bran or green tea extract individually. The weight loss caused by the combination diet seems to be the result of decreased dietary efficiency. The observed trends in the glucose and insulin data suggest that the combined diet also has anti-diabetic properties, and the corresponding trends in the levels of the serum lipoproteins suggest that the combined diet might also protect against heart disease. Effects on the content, structure, and function of white adipose and liver tissues and on obesity-related biomarkers support the trends in the weight loss data. Based on the observed beneficial effects in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocyte cells and mice, we suggest the need to investigate if the new multifunctional combination food product can also protect against obesity and chronic diseases in humans. Mechanistic aspects that govern the anti-obesity effects and suggestions for future research are discussed.

The objective of the present study was to determine the composition of flatbreads prepared from corn and wheat flours supplemented with edible Ecklonia cava, which is a health-promoting medicinal food used as a dietary supplement. The Corn flours used were Whole Blue, Purcell Whole Blue, Purcell Whole Red, Purcell Whole Yellow, Purcell Whole White and Giant White and King Arthur Whole Wheat. Because the colored corn flours are reported to contain health-promoting anthocyanins and the Ecklonia alga contains multiple biologically active polyphenolic and other health-promoting compounds reported to show anti-asthma, anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, antimicrobial, anti-neurotoxicity, anti-obesity, and cardioprotective effects, the resulting flatbreads have the potential for multiple health benefits in humans after consumption. To facilitate the development of the newly created flatbreads for consumption, we determined, using standard methods, the effect of added E. cava on the proximate composition of protein, fat, carbohydrate, dry matter, ash (mineral), and water content of the flatbreads. The unexpected results, for which we have no explanation, show that the measured protein, mineral, and water content of the E. cava-supplemented flatbreads increased, whereas the fat, carbohydrate, and dry matter contents of the E. cava-supplemented flatbreads decreased compared to un-supplemented ones, suggesting that consumers will be able to select flatbreads with a high-protein and low-fat content.

We evaluated the potential of orally fed new food formulations to inhibit biomarkers reported to be involved in the causes of allergic asthma in mice.Asthma, a serious non-communicable disease, affects both adults and children and can be undertreated.New functional foods could provide therapeutic approaches.Here, the anti-asthma mechanism of a new functional food and three isolated fractions produced by bioprocessing black rice bran with shiitake mushroom mycelia was evaluated in mast cells, B cells, and orally fed mice and compared with non-bioprocessed black rice bran.In vitro, the treatments inhibited RBL-2H3 cell degranulation and immunoglobulin E (IgE) production.The in vitro anti-asthma effects were confirmed in orally fed mice following asthma induction by alumina and chicken egg ovalbumin (OVA).The suppression of asthma resulted from the inhibition of inflammation-and immune-related substances, including OVA-specific IgE, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, eotaxin, leukotriene C4, prostaglandin D2, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum.The treatment also reversed the thickening of the lung airway wall.The inflammation and asthma inhibition seems to be regulated by the balance of the T-helper cells' Th1/Th2 immune response and the inhibition of multiple biomarkers associated with the cause of asthma.Future human clinical studies with adults and children should determine the potential therapeutic value of the anti-asthma effects of the new functional foods.

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of three commercial tomatine samples and another isolated from green tomatoes revealed the presence of two small peaks in addition to those associated with the glycoalkaloids dehydrotomatine and α-tomatine. The present study investigated the possible structures of the compounds associated with the two small peaks using HPLC–mass spectrophotometric (MS) methods. Although the two peaks elute much earlier on chromatographic columns than the elution times of the known tomato glycoalkaloids dehydrotomatine and α-tomatine, isolation of the two compounds by preparative chromatography and subsequent analysis by MS shows the two compounds have identical molecular weights, tetrasaccharide side chains, and MS and MS/MS fragmentation patterns to dehydrotomatine and α-tomatine. We suggest the two isolated compounds are isomeric forms of dehydrotomatine and α-tomatine. The analytical data indicate that widely used commercial tomatine preparations and those extracted from green tomatoes and tomato leaves consist of a mixture of α-tomatine, dehydrotomatine, an α-tomatine isomer, and a dehydrotomatine isomer in an approximate ratio of 81:15:4:1, respectively. The significance of the reported health benefits of tomatine and tomatidine is mentioned.

This study determined the effect of orally fed polysaccharide-rich bioprocessed (fermented) black rice bran produced by culturing with shiitake (Lentinus edodes) mushroom mycelium on CT-26 colon cancer cells in vivo in an intracutaneously transplanted mouse tumor alone and in combination with intraperitoneally administered anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor. Analysis of the isolated tumor weights at the end of the study shows that the average tumor size in control mice is 3.78 grams, and the average tumor size in mice treated with anti-PD-1 antibody is 2.16 grams. The average tumor size in mice treated with BRB-F alone is 2.25 grams, and the average tumor size in mice treated with anti-PD-1 antibody BRB-F combination is 1.38 grams. Thus, BRB-F or anti-PD-1 antibody alone each reduce tumor size by 40.5% or 42.9%, whereas the combination of BRB-F and anti-PD-1 antibody reduces tumor size by 63.5%, with their cooperative effect being statistically significant. The observed anti-tumor effects were accompanied by a series of biomarkers associated with cancer formation and inhibition. These results indicate that the reported potentiation of cancer therapy using drug-based medical chemotherapies with added checkpoint inhibitors in human patients are mechanistically similar with the functional food evaluated in the present study. These beneficial effects in mice challenge clinicians to investigate if the black rice bran food product can also protect against human cancer.

The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activities of essential oil-based microemulsions in the wash water against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Pseudomonas fluorescens on Iceberg lettuce. Evaluated wash microemulsions included oregano oil, lemongrass oil, and cinnamon oil, along with a plant-based emulsifier for improved solubility. Iceberg lettuce was inoculated for 2 min with E. coli O157:H7 (6.0 log CFU/g) or P. fluorescens (6.0 log CFU/g) and then dip-treated in a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) control, 50 ppm chlorine, 3% hydrogen peroxide treatment or a 0.1%, 0.3%, or 0.5% microemulsion solution. Treated leaves were stored at 4 °C, and analyzed for surviving bacteria on days 0, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28. Efficacies of the antimicrobials were concentration and storage-time dependent. There was a 1.26–4.86 log CFU/g reduction in E. coli O157:H7 and significant reductions (0.32–2.35 log CFU/g) in P. fluorescens during storage at days 0–28 (p < 0.05). The 0.1% oregano oil microemulsion resulted in the best visual appeal in Iceberg leaves inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 and showed better improvement in the quality of the Iceberg leaves inoculated with spoilage bacteria P. fluorescens. The results suggest that 0.5% cinnamon and 0.3% oregano oil treatments have the potential to provide natural, eco-friendly, and effective alternatives to chemicals for the decontamination of leafy greens, eliminating E. coli O157:H7 and P. fluorescens.

The efficacy of plant-based antimicrobials against Salmonella Newport and Listeria monocytogenes on melon rinds was evaluated. Four cantaloupe and 3 honeydew melon varieties grown in Georgia, Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, Indiana and California were tested. Melon rinds (10 g pieces) were inoculated with 5-6 log CFU/10 g rind of S. Newport or L. monocytogenes. Samples were then immersed in 5 % olive extract or 0.5 % oregano oil antimicrobial solution and gently agitated for 2 min. Samples were stored at 4 degrees C and surviving populations of both bacteria were enumerated at days 0 and 3. Plant-based antimicrobials reduced S. Newport and L. monocytogenes population on all rind samples, regardless of the melon types, varieties or growing locations. Compared to the control, antimicrobial treatments caused up to 3.6 and 4.0 log reductions in populations of Salmonella and L. monocytogenes, respectively. In most cases, plant-based antimicrobial treatments reduced pathogen populations to below the detection limit (1 log CFU/g) at day 3. In general, oregano oil had better antimicrobial activity than olive extract and the antimicrobial treatments were more effective on Salmonella than on L. monocytogenes. The plant-based antimicrobial treatments exhibited better microbial reductions on honeydews than on cantaloupes. These antimicrobials could potentially be used as sanitizers for decontaminating melons.

Background Ecklonia cava is an edible marine brown alga harvested from the ocean that is widely consumed in Asian countries as a health-promoting medicinal food The objective of the present study is to evaluate the anti-asthma mechanism of a new functional food produced by bioprocessing edible algae Ecklonia cava and shiitake Lentinula edodes mushroom mycelia and isolated fractions. Methods We used as series of methods, including high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, cell assays, and an in vivo mouse assay to evaluate the asthma-inhibitory effect of Ecklonia cava bioprocessed (fermented) with Lentinula edodes shiitake mushroom mycelium and its isolated fractions in mast cells and in orally fed mice. Results The treatments inhibited the degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells and immunoglobulin E (IgE) production, suggesting anti-asthma effects in vitro. The in vitro anti-asthma effects in cells were confirmed in mice following the induction of asthma by alumina and chicken egg ovalbumin (OVA). Oral administration of the bioprocessed Ecklonia cava and purified fractions suppressed the induction of asthma and was accompanied by the inhibition of inflammation- and immune-related substances, including eotaxin; thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP); OVA-specific IgE; leukotriene C 4 (LTC4); prostaglandin D2 (PGD 2 ); and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and other fluids and organs. Th2 cytokines were reduced and Th1 cytokines were restored in serum, suggesting the asthma-induced inhibitory effect is regulated by the balance of the Th1/Th2 immune response. Serum levels of IL-10, a regulatory T cell (Treg) cytokine, were increased, further favoring reduced inflammation. Histology of lung tissues revealed that the treatment also reversed the thickening of the airway wall and the contraction and infiltration of bronchial and blood vessels and perialveolar inflammatory cells. The bioprocessed Ecklonia cava/mushroom mycelia new functional food showed the highest inhibition as compared with commercial algae and the fractions isolated from the bioprocessed product. Conclusions The in vitro cell and in vivo mouse assays demonstrate the potential value of the new bioprocessed formulation as an anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic combination of natural compounds against allergic asthma and might also ameliorate allergic manifestations of foods, drugs, and viral infections.

Antimicrobial efficacy of the water or methanolic extracts of three medicinal mushrooms Taiwanofungus camphoratus, Agaricus blazei Murrill, and Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst were investigated against yeast and filamentous fungal pathogens as well as against commensal and pathogenic bacteria. The methanolic extract of T. camphoratus (TcM) exhibited both potent antifungal and antibacterial activity, while the water extract of T. camphoratus (TcW) showed limited antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes. Neither the methanolic nor water extracts of A. blazei and G. lucidum exhibited antimicrobial activity. In the risk assessment testing monitoring the development of fungal tolerance to mushroom extracts in food matrices, two P. expansum mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) mutants exhibited a tolerance to TcM. In a proof-of-concept bioassay using the natural benzoic salicylaldehyde (SA), P. expansum and A. fumigatus MAPK antioxidant mutants showed similar tolerance to SA, suggesting that natural ingredients in TcM such as benzoic derivatives could negatively affect the efficacy of TcM when antioxidant mutants are targeted. Conclusion: TcM could be developed as a food ingredient having antimicrobial potential. The antimicrobial activity of TcM operates via the intact MAPK antioxidant signaling system in microbes, however, mutants lacking genes in the MAPK system escape the toxicity triggered by TcM. Therefore, caution should be exercised in the use of TcM so as to not adversely affect food safety and quality by triggering the resistance of antioxidant mutants in contaminated food.

The produce industry commonly uses chlorine to wash vegetables during post-harvest practices. However, chlorine has disadvantages because it is not sustainable to the environment, is not user-friendly, is corrosive to equipment, and loses efficacy in the presence of organic matter. Hence, alternatives to wash sanitizers are required to better meet the needs of the industry. Essential oil-based antimicrobial microemulsions in the wash water were evaluated for their efficacy against antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Newport and spoilage bacterium Lactobacillus casei on Iceberg lettuce. The microemulsions that were assessed included oregano oil, lemongrass oil, and cinnamon oil along with a plant-based emulsifier for improved solubility of the oil in water. Iceberg lettuce (10 g) was washed thoroughly and inoculated with Lactobacilli casei (6.0 log colonyforming units (CFU)/g) or Salmonella Newport (6.0 log CFU/g). The Iceberg leaves were separately treated with 0.1%, 0.3%, or 0.5% of the microemulsions, 50 ppm chlorine, and 3% hydrogen peroxide, stored at 4 degrees C, observed, and analyzed for surviving populations of both bacteria on days 0, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28. The efficacies of the antimicrobials were dependent on concentration and storage-time. The use of microemulsions resulted in a 2.3-4.37 log CFU/g reduction in the Salmonella population at various time points during days 0-28. They were also effective against Lactobacillus, resulting in 0.11-4.25 log CFU/g reduction during storage at days 0-28. The data on visual observation of treated leaves summarized in the tables and shown as figures indicated that the 0.1% oregano oil microemulsion had the best visual appeal in Iceberg leaves inoculated with S. Newport and the 0.5% lemongrass oil microemulsion showed improvement in reduced browning of the Iceberg leaves inoculated with Lactobacillus casei. This study demonstrates the potential of essential oil microemulsions to inactivate foodborne pathogenic and spoilage bacteria on Iceberg lettuce, thus providing effective produce decontamination strategies.

A potential method to inhibit pathogenic bacterial growth in meat is through the introduction of plant-derived antimicrobials.Because these antimicrobials may also adversely affect the sensory characteristics of the meat, the objectives of this study were 1) to define the appropriate concentrations of olive extract, apple extract, oregano oil, and cinnamon oil added to ground pork that are acceptable to a sensory panel, and 2) to determine their antimicrobial activities against Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 in inoculated ground pork.Plant extracts were evaluated against two initial inoculum levels (6 and 4 log CFU/g of pork) of Salmonella.Sensory tests showed that acceptable concentrations of oregano and cinnamon oils were 0.5% and of olive and apple extracts were 3%, respectively.Ground pork samples were inoculated with Salmonella, treated with antimicrobials at various concentrations (0.1% -0.5% cinnamon and oregano essential oils and 3% -5% olive and apple extracts), and stored at 4˚C for 7 days.Survivors were enumerated at days 0, 3, 5, and 7. Cinnamon oil at 0.5% and olive extract at 3% induced a 1.0 and a 0.9 log CFU/g (from 6-log CFU/g initial inoculum) reduction, respectively, at day 7.At 3%, olive extract showed a 1.06 log CFU/g maximum reduction of Salmonella from a 4-log CFU/g initial inoculum.Pork samples containing oregano oil and apple extract did not show a significant reduction compared to the control without the antimicrobials.The results indicate that cinnamon oil and olive extract can potentially be applied at consumer-acceptable concentrations against low levels of S. Typhimurium DT104 in ground pork.

Escherichia coli strains produce Shiga-toxins Stx-1 and Stx-2 that contribute to their virulence. The objective was to evaluate antimicrobial activities of plant essential oils (oregano, cinnamon, lemongrass), their active components (carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, citral) and plant-extracts (green tea polyphenols, apple skin, black tea, decaffeinated black tea, grapeseed and pomace extracts) against E. coli O157:H7 strains containing Stx-1 and Stx-2 genes, as determined by Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction, in vitro and on leafy greens. Antimicrobials at various concentrations in sterile PBS were added to bacterial cultures (~3 - 4 logs CFU/ml), mixed thoroughly, and incubated at 37°C. Surviving bacteria were enumerated at 0, 1, 3, 5 and 24 h. The most effective essential oil (oregano oil; 0.5%) and plant extract (green tea; 3%) were evaluated against E. coli O157:H7 on romaine lettuce and spinach stored at 4°C for 7 days. Microbial survival was a function of the concentration of antimicrobials and incubation times. All antimicrobials reduced bacterial population to below detection levels in vitro; however, essential oils and active components exhibited greater activity than plant extracts. Oregano oil and green tea reduced E. coli O157:H7 on lettuce and spinach to below detection. Plant-based antimicrobials have the potential to protect foods against E. coli O157: