PLANT-BASED NANOTECHNOLOGY AS AN ANTIMICROBIAL STRATEGY FOR REDUCING FOODBORNE PATHOGENS IN POULTRY MEAT

Abstract

Background

Salmonella, E. coli, and S. aureus contaminate Pakistani retail poultry at 45–60% prevalence, necessitating alternative antimicrobials. Plant-based nanoparticles show mechanistic promise but lack characterization against locally-resistant pathogens.

Methods

This cross-sectional laboratory study evaluated antimicrobial efficacy of plant-derived nanoparticles synthesized from three Pakistani medicinal plants (Azadirachta indica, Moringa oleifera, Pistacia integerrima) against 345 foodborne isolates (115 per species) collected from retail poultry across three urban centers over 12 months. Silver, zinc oxide, and copper nanoparticles were tested via disc diffusion and broth microdilution against crude plant extracts. Antibiotic susceptibility testing quantified baseline resistance.

Results

Silver nanoparticles demonstrated superior efficacy. Moringa-derived silver nanoparticles achieved minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 2.2 μg/mL versus crude extract 52.6 mg/mL, representing 23.9-fold reduction (p<0.001). Across all bacterial species, silver nanoparticles showed 13.5–25.7-fold potency enhancement with bactericidal activity (MBC/MIC ratio=2.0). Multidrug-resistance was prevalent: Salmonella 20.9%, E. coli 26.1%, S. aureus 22.6%, with 10.4–19.1% ESBL/MRSA.

Conclusions

Plant-based silver nanoparticles, particularly Moringa-derived formulations, demonstrate substantial antimicrobial enhancement against MDR foodborne pathogens endemic to Pakistan. The 25-fold efficacy gain over crude extracts supports nanotechnology as a cost-effective alternative for resource-limited food safety applications. However, in vitro matrix studies and cytotoxicity assessment are prerequisite before implementation.