The antibiotic activity and mechanisms of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) molasses polyphenols against selected food-borne pathogens

- The sugar beet molasses showed strong bacteriostatic activity.
- The sugar beet molasses damage cytoplasmic membrane and proteins of bacterial.
- The sugar beet molasses change bacterial cells physiology and morphology.

Sugar beet molasses contains natural components which can significantly inhibit the growth of food-borne pathogens, however, its antimicrobial mechanism has not yet well understood. In the present study, the antibacterial mechanism of sugar beet molasses polyphenols on S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, E. coli and S. typhimurium investigated by SDS-PAGE, SEM and TEM analysis. The sugar beet molasses polyphenols showed bacteriostatic activity against the growth of four food-borne pathogens. Meanwhile, sugar beet molasses polyphenols resulted in leakage of proteins of the four food-borne pathogens cells. Results of SDS-PAGE, SEM and TEM suggested that the antibacterial mechanism may be due to the damaged cytoplasmic membrane and bacterial proteins by sugar beet molasses polyphenols, and the sugar beet molasses polyphenols might change bacterial cells physiology and morphology.