Investigate the antimicrobial activity of ginseng.

The medicinal qualities of ginseng have been known for centuries since the Chinese began using the compound for therapeutic purposes. Another potential application is being explored: ginseng as a vehicle for safer food. Scientists at Kansas State University (Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Manhattan, KS 66506) believe it's a logical extension to look into whether ginseng can slow or kill pathogenic bacteria in food.

Scientists have prepared a series of solutions of ginseng tea in distilled water. The researchers want to see if ginseng can suppress pathogens from growing in the tea and in the human digestive system.

Investigators started with L. monocytogenes and found that ginseng delayed its growth for six hours. They plan to test E. coli and other pathogens. If they can suppress the organism from growing, and if you consume some E. coli in food, you could drink ginseng tea, and the pathogenic organism's growth would be suppressed, they theorize.

Ginseng could have an impact on the safety of fresh-cut food products. It might be possible to spray ginseng compounds onto processed vegetables and salads to delay pathogen growth. Investigators tell us that this compound does not have a distinctive taste if you combine it with other foods.

The researchers are running tests on bacterial samples using technology that can analyze up to 400 combinations of varying amounts of ginseng and pathogenic bacteria. The results are being compiled to determine how much ginseng is needed to suppress different levels of pathogens in food. As people eat their food, anything that is contaminated could be intercepted by ginseng tea.

Scientists emphasize that ginseng has not been found to kill the microbes, but their growth can be stopped long enough to remove threats to the digestive system. This is a natural product that people are already using. Researchers just want to find out whether it can kill organisms. If it does so, then it might be possible to extract the compound and put it in foods.

Further information. Daniel Fung; phone: [phone]; fax: [phone].