Mother Knows Best: A Study of the Health Benefits of Spicy Cooking
Objectives/Goals:
People in equador regions use spices in food preparation for thousands of
generations. By using these
spices, are they keeping themselves healthy by keeping their food "clean?" My
objective is to find out if
spices have the ability to kill food-spoilage microorganisms. And if they do,
which spices are most
effective and by how much? This is what I plan to find out after I have
conducted my experiment.
Methods/Materials:
My experimental setup was designed to test volatile emission from the spices.
After obtaining agar dishes,
E. coli, and sterile swabs from CSUF, I carefully streaked E. coli on all of my
dishes. Then I turned them
upside down and I applied 1/4 tsp. of spice on the lid. I used all of the
following spices: cinnamon, garlic,
mustard, black pepper, coriander, lemon juice, and chilli powder. Then I left my
dish at 27 degrees
Celsius for 4 days. I had three replicates.
Results:
The results of my experiment show that not all of the seven spices used were
effective. Complete
Inhibition- coriander 100%. Partial Inhibition- mustard 83%, cinnamon 67%, lemon
juice 67%, black
pepper 17%, and garlic 17%. None- chilli powder 0%.
Conclusions/Discussion:
According to my results, spices do have antibacterial properties, but not all of
them. This is potentially
beneficial in tropical countries that have ineffective food storage methods.
