Antibacterial Potential of Betel (Piper betle) Essential Oil Against Antibiotic-Resistant Serratia Isolates from Ready-to-Eat Seafood Salads

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the antibiotic resistance profiles of Serratia species isolated from ready-to-eat seafood salads sold in markets in Türkiye and the antimicrobial activity of Piper betle leaf essential oil against Serratia isolates. All seven different Serratia isolates identified at the molecular level were determined to be resistant to the antibiotic cephalothin. In addition, S. liquefaciens DKY-SS3 strain was found to be resistant to a total of four antibiotics, three of which were beta-lactam antibiotics (cephalothin, ampicillin, and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid) and one was the folic acid synthesis inhibitor trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The resistance profiles obtained were found to be consistent with the intrinsic resistance mechanisms reported in the literature. In the context of alternative preservative strategies, the P. betle leaf essential oil used in the study showed strong antimicrobial activity against all Serratia strains. Inhibition zone diameters and low MIC/MBC values obtained in disk diffusion and microdilution tests confirmed the effectiveness of the oil. In the future, it is recommended that the applicability of this oil to food products, its effect on shelf life, and its reliability be investigated.

Keywords

• Seafood
• Food Pathogens
• Spoilage Microorganisms
• Facultative Anaerobes
• Quorum Sensing
• ampicillin

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