Researchers have demonstrated that tomato juice possesses the ability to eradicate a specific bacterium accountable for Typhoid fever, a debilitating tropical ailment, along with other bacteria that pose threats to the digestive and urinary tract health of individuals.
Salmonella Typhi, a pathogen that’s known to be exclusive to humans, is frequently transmitted through food and not only induces symptoms of food poisoning but also triggers the potentially fatal Typhoid fever. Despite substantial progress in medical advancements over the years, Typhoid fever remains a significant global public health concern.
The team from Cornell University, New York, embarked on a quest to identify the antimicrobial peptides in tomato juice responsible for its effectiveness against Salmonella. Initially, they verified the tomato juice’s efficacy against Salmonella Typhi. Subsequently, the researchers delved into the tomato genome to pinpoint the antimicrobial peptides involved in the process.
“Our main goal in this study was to find out if tomato and tomato juice can kill enteric pathogens, including Salmonella Typhi, and if so, what qualities they have that make them work,” said principal study investigator Jeongmin Song, Ph.D., the Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology.
A crucial revelation from their recently published paper is that tomato juice proves effective in eliminating SalmonellaTyphi, its hypervirulent variants, and other bacteria detrimental to digestive and urinary tract health. The researchers specifically identified antimicrobial peptides that target these pathogens by disrupting the bacterial membrane – the protective layer enveloping the pathogen.
Supporting their findings, the researchers had noted that since February 2018, the FDA has not recorded a single instance of a product recall or advisory from a major food company related to Salmonella contamination involving tomatoes or tomato juice.
The researchers express hope that disseminating the results of their study will encourage the public to incorporate more tomatoes, as well as other fruits and vegetables, into their diets.
“Our research shows that tomato and tomato juice can get rid of enteric bacteria like Salmonella,” Song shared.
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