EVALUATION OF NATURAL HONEY AS AN ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT AGAINST ESCHERICHIA COLIAND ITS POTENTIAL APPLICATION IN FOOD PRESERVATION

Due to the increasing resistance of pathogenic microorganisms to conventional antibiotics and the growing concerns over the safety of synthetic food preservatives have driven the search for natural, effective alternatives. This study investigated the antimicrobial activity and food preservation potential of honey against Escherichiacoli isolated from spoiled meat and tomato samples. Spoiled food items were cultured on Nutrient Agar, Mannitol Salt Agar, and Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) agar for microbial isolation. Biochemical tests, including gram staining, oxidase, catalase, indole, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) production, and methyl red tests, confirmed the presence of E. coli as the predominant isolate.The antibacterial activity of honey was evaluated using the agar well diffusion method. Varying concentrations of honey (100%, 75%, 50%, and 25%) were tested against E. coli, with zone diameters measured in millimeters. The highest zone of inhibition was recorded with 100% honey (up to 27.5 mm), particularly in the presence of ampicillin and amoxicillin. Comparatively, standard antibiotics such as cotrimoxazole and metronidazole produced larger zones (up to 33.5 mm), highlighting honey's moderate yet significant antimicrobial potential. No activity was observed with tetracycline, suggesting possible resistance of the isolate. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) testing revealed bacteriostatic effects at 100% and 75% concentrations, while Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) testing showed growth at all concentrations, confirming that honey inhibited but did not completely kill E. coli under the conditions tested. For food preservation assessment, fresh apple and meat samples were treated with various concentrations of honey and monitored over five days for spoilage indicators including texture change, discoloration, odor, and mold formation. The control groups exhibited spoilage by Day 2, while samples treated with 100% honey remained visually stable until Day 5. This supports honey’s inhibitory effect on spoilage microorganisms and its effectiveness in delaying microbial decay.This study demonstrates that honey, particularly in its undiluted form, possesses notable antibacterial and preservative properties. Its application could serve as a natural, affordable alternative to synthetic preservatives and a supplementary antimicrobial agent, especially in low-resource settings.