Effect of leaf extract of Pandanus amaryllifolius (Roxb.) on growth of Escherichia coli and Micrococcus (Staphylococcus) aureus

Pandanus amaryllifolius leaves are used in food preparation in Asian countries as flavoring agent. It was primarily used for giving a particular fragrance to rice preparation. Later on it was used in bread preparation to give a typical nutty flavor. The aroma compound is 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline derived from amino acid - phenylalanine. In this investigation an attempt has been made to find out effect of the leaf extract on growth of 2 important microorganisms i.e. E. coli and M . aureus from the point of view of food safety. It was found that the leaf extracts in water and ethanol stimulates the growth of these microorganisms which is an alarming signal as both these organisms are capable of producing potent endotoxin and exotoxin. M. aureus which was previously known as Staphylococcus aureus produces heat stable exotoxins in rice preparations. The reasons for this could be due to the reducing sugar content of 17% (as glucose) in the leaves, which gets easily extracted during cooking.