An antioxidant bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) extract modulates surface hydrophobicity of a wide range of food-related bacteria: implications for functional food safety

Plant extracts intended for use in foods may also have biological effects on bacteria. The influence of an antioxidant ethanolic bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) leaf extract on the surface hydrophobicities of 25 food-related bacteria was determined by the bacterial attachment to hydrocarbon assay. The presence of the extract caused a significant increase (p<0.05) in hydrophobicity of 14, a significant decrease (p<0.05) in hydrophobicity of four, and no effect (p<0.05) in the hydrophobicity of seven, of the 25 strains. Since increased surface hydrophobicity has been correlated to increased pathogenicity in bacteria these results are important with respect to functional food safety.