Green Plum (Prunus mume) Concentrate: Antimicrobial and Fumigant Insecticidal Bioactivity Against Food-Relevant Bacteria and Stored Product Beetles
Keywords:
Prunus mume; plant extract; antibacterial efficacy; stored-grain insects; botanical insecticide; food preservationAbstract
Green plum (Prunus mume Siebold & Zucc.) is a fruit-bearing tree of the family Rosaceae, deeply rooted in East Asian culinary and medicinal traditions, particularly in China, Japan, and Korea. Green plum concentrate is a thick yellow brown to dark brown paste with a characteristic aroma, obtained by solvent extraction of the fruit. Its complex composition of bioactive compounds has attracted increasing scientific interest for natural antimicrobial and insecticidal applications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of green plum concentrate against selected bacterial strains and its insecticidal activity against two beetle species infesting stored products. Antimicrobial activity was determined using the disc diffusion method and by assessing the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50 and MIC90) against six bacterial strains: Bacillus cereus CCM 2010, Enterobacter aerogenes CCM 2531, Klebsiella pneumoniae CCM 2318, Listeria innocua CCM 4030, Staphylococcus epidermidis CCM 4418, and Citrobacter koseri CCM 2535. An antibiotic disc (ABT) was used as a positive control. Insecticidal activity was evaluated against Callosobruchus maculatus and Megabruchidius dorsalis at concentrations ranging from 3.125 % to 100 %. Disc diffusion results showed inhibition zones ranging from 7.67 to 13.33 mm, with the strongest activity observed against L. innocua (13.33 mm) and S. epidermidis (12.33 mm). MIC50 values ranged from 1.435 mg/mL (S. epidermidis) to 4.661 mg/mL (C. koseri), while MIC90 values ranged from 2.382 mg/mL (S. epidermidis) to 5.862 mg/mL (C. koseri). At the highest concentration (100 %), insecticidal activity reached 96.67 % mortality for C. maculatus and 92.00 % for M. dorsalis. Green plum concentrate showed moderate antimicrobial activity, with the most pronounced effects against Gram-positive bacteria, alongside strong insecticidal efficacy against both tested beetle species. These findings highlight its potential as a plant-derived bioactive extract for food protection applications.
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