Effect of ferulic acid on histamine-producting by Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus

The minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC)and minimum bactericidal concentration(MBC)of ferulic acid against the two histamine producers,Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereue were evaluated using the double agar dilution method. The effect of ferulic acid on histamine-producting was determined by HPLC. The results showed that ferulic acid displayed significant antimicrobial activity on E. coli and B. cereus,additionally,the antimicrobial effect increased as the concentration was increased;And that the MICs of ferulic acid against E. coli and B. cereus were 0.031% and 0.063%,respectively;And when the addition of ferulic acid was MIC in the culture,the contents of histamine in E. coli and B. cereus were reduced by up to 18.45% and 25.78%(p<0.05),respectively,compared to control. In conclusion,ferulic acid was an excellent addictive which could inhibit histamine production remarkably and had a great application in food industry.