Cinnamon can prevent food poisoning

Cinnamon can not only tickle your taste buds, the ancient cooking spice is also an effective anti-bacterial agent and can help prevent some of the most serious food-borne illnesses caused by pathogenic bacteria, says a study. Cinnamomum cassia oil can work effectively as a natural anti-bacterial agent in the food industry, the findings showed. ‘The oil can be incorporated into films and coatings for packaging both meat and fresh produce,’ said Lina Sheng from the Washington State University. ‘It can also be added into the washing step of meat, fruits or vegetables to eliminate micro-organisms,’ Sheng added. In the study, the essential oil killed several strains of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (E coli), known to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as ‘non-O157 STEC.’ The study looked at the top six strains of non-O157 STEC. The cinnamon cassia oil is effective in low concentrations, Sheng said. About 10 drops diluted in a litre of water killed the bacteria within 24 hours, according to IANS.