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This study aimed to identify biological control methods for contaminated poultry products and the antibiotic resistance associated with the antibiotics used in poultry farming, which are responsible for toxin infections and therapeutic failures in public health. The antibacterial activity of essential oils of Thymus vulgaris, Ocimum basilicum, and Mentha pulegium was tested on 78 strains of Escherichia coli isolated from turkey meat marketed at the point of sale. The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation, and their organoleptic quality and physicochemical characteristics were assessed following the standard. Their liquid and mobile appearance characterizes essential oils. The three essential oils studied presented different values for the four physicochemical properties. The antibacterial effect of those essential oils was done on Escherichia coli strains using the direct contact technique on agar. The essential oils showed remarkable antibacterial activities with an inhibition diameter ranging from 10.60 to 21.4 mm compared to the positive control (gentamicin) which is used as a preventive, or curative agent in poultry farming. Moreover, MIC and CMB values are equal, with a CMB/CMI ratio equal to 1, making these essential oils bactericidal. These results lead us to conclude that aromatic and medicinal plant EOs can provide a valid alternative to antibiotic and preservative agents in the fight against toxin infections of foodstuffs of animal origin.

The olive industry extracts oil from olives but also generates solid co-products called pomace and liquid wastes known as Olive Mill Wastewater (OMW). With global annual production exceeding 30 million tons and approximately 685,000 tons in Morocco alone, these wastes pose environmental challenges due to their high acidity, organic load, and phenolic compounds. Our research aims to depollute and recycle OMW using aerobic biological treatment methods. Samples were collected from various ecological sites across four Moroccan regions. We isolated and purified several strains of molds, yeasts, and bacteria capable of decolorizing OMW. Decolorization experiments revealed promising results, with a combination of seven selected molds showing significant reductions in chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 71.44%, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) by 69.91%, and polyphenols content by 84.22%. Encouraged by these findings, we propose further treatment using sourdoughs composed of combinations of different pure strains, including yeasts and selected bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This approach demonstrates a practical and cost-effective method for depolluting and recycling OMW, contributing to environmental protection and human health preservation. By mitigating the risks associated with untreated OMW discharge, this study offers a viable solution to the environmental challenges posed by olive processing industries globally, particularly in regions like Morocco where olive cultivation is significant.

The escalating phenomenon of bacterial resistance to antibiotics over time, coupled with the consequential detrimental effects of oxidative stress on cellular aging, and the usage of pesticides with varying degrees of toxicity, thereby impacting both human health and the environment, represents a pressing global concern. Consequently, researchers are compelled to identify novel biomolecules derived from plants and their derivatives that possess antibacterial, antioxidant, and insecticidal properties. The olive tree (Olea europaea L.), a fruit-bearing tree within the Oleaceae family, characterized by its olives, has been cultivated for millennia, particularly in Mediterranean regions, with its leaves being primarily employed for their multifarious therapeutic attributes. In this investigation, extracts were procured from olive leaves through employment of the Soxhlet apparatus, followed by the quantification of total polyphenols and flavonoids. The assessment of the antioxidant potential of these extracts was conducted using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The antibacterial efficacy was evaluated via the disk diffusion method against six pathogenic bacterial strains, namely Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella sp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Additionally, the in vitro aphicide activity of Olea europaea L. extracts were investigated at concentrations of 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, and 2.5% against the black bean aphid, Aphis fabae Scop. The findings of this study suggest that olive leaf extracts exhibit robust antioxidant properties and display modest antibacterial activity against pathogenic agents. Hence, these extracts are strongly endorsed for their potential role as eco-friendly antioxidants, and owing to their modest yet efficient insect-repelling attributes, they can be utilized as a sustainable, low-impact insecticide in the ecological engineering approach to controlling black aphids in bean crops. Therefore, the utilization of olive tree-derived extracts is encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human health has constantly been improved using medicinal plants. Notwithstanding synthetic chemistry advancements, medicinal plants remain widely used due to their effectiveness, reduced toxicity, and therapeutic use. This investigation examines the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and insecticidal properties of essential oil extracted from Moroccan cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum L.). The essential oil was obtained through hydrodistillation from cumin seeds with a 3% yield. The EO was subjected to antioxidant, antimicrobial, and insecticidal activity screening using standard methods. The EO was investigated against a panel of pathogenic microorganisms using the disc diffusion method. The GC-MS analysis of the EO revealed the presence of 41 constituents. The major compounds identified were cuminaldehyde (21.94%), γ-terpene (18.20%), mentha-1,3- diene-7-al (14.93%), and α-pinene (13.789%). The EO showed moderate antioxidant activity against DDPH free radicals with anIC50 values of 273.409 mg/mL. The antibacterial screening results revealed that the EO of Cuminum cyminum possesses potent antibacterial activity against all tested bacterial strains, with MIC of 0.5 µL/mL against Acinetobacter baumannii and 1 µL/mL against Proteus mirabilis. The EO exhibited potent insecticidal activity against black bean aphids (Aphis fabae Scop.), with an 80% mortality rate. In conclusion, this study shows that Cuminum cyminum L. has interesting pharmacological effects and could be used to develop insecticidal and antimicrobial drug leads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruits and vegetables are essential for human health due to their nutritional qualities, but the consumption of raw foods leads to food safety problems as they are recognized as sources of transmission of infectious diseases. The objective of this work is to assess the microbiological quality of some fruits and vegetables marketed in the Kenitra city. The samples were purchased at the fruit and vegetable markets during the period from April to July 2018.The detection of microorganisms in the samples requires several steps which are weighing, dilution, isolation, enumeration and 'identification. The results of the microbiological analysis of fruits and vegetables studied show significant concentrations of the total aerobic mesophilic flora varies between 2.25 and 8.48 log10 CFU / ml, Concerning total coliforms the contamination rates vary between 1.92 and 8.42 log10UFC / ml, as well as the presence of fecal coliforms between 1.13 and 8.05 log10UFC / ml, in the same samples analyzed, strains such as: Escherichia coli, staphylococcus aureus and a total absence of salmonella and shegilla. In order to improve the safety and hygienic quality of fruits and vegetables, the application of good hygienic practices as well as continuous microbial quality control is necessary to protect the health of consumers.

Meat is known to be one of the vehicles for many diseases to humans. The aim of this study is the comparison of the microbiological and hygienic quality of fresh turkey meat marketed in the most popular districts of Kenitra city. Fresh meat samples were taken from stores localized in six different districts. Microorganisms tests were conducted according to the appropriate standards. The Aerobic Mesophilic Flora (AFM) was most counted in district five (7.69±0.212 log10ufc/g), while the highest total and fecal coliform charges were obtained in district six with rates of 7.68±0.160 and 6.89±0.132 log10ufc/g, respectively. Cases of Salmonella spp were observed in all districts, except district five with frequencies up to 10.71%. Pseudomonas aeuroginosa charge was high in district five and its prevalence was high (21.42%) in districts two, four and six. Regarding Clostridium perfringens, the charges were up to 2.11±0.55 log10ufc/g in district six and a high prevalence of 42.85% was in district four. Escherichia coli showed dominance in all the districts studied with a high prevalence in district four with a rate of 75% and a high charge in district five (4.37 log10ufc/g). The presence of Staphylococcus aureus was significant in district four with a rate of 28.57% and a high concentration in district five (4.47 log10ufc/g). This study has shown great variability in the results found between the different districts and the rate of contaminations affecting this product. In fact, this microbiological and hygienic quality of raw turkey meat sold in these districts was judged marginal indicating the need for improved hygienic standards.

In recent years, a concern has been expressed about the impact of antibiotics and synthetic antioxidants, which are used to inhibit microbial growth and retard fat oxidation in foods. In addition, antibiotic resistance presents a serious menace to human and environmental ecosystems. This has led the food industry to use natural resources such as essential oils in the preparation of foods, this forming their sensory profile and increasing preservation time there. The objective of this work is to determine the chemical composition and evaluate the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of the essential oil of Illicium verum. The yield of essential oil extracted by hydro distillation is about 4.13%. The chemical composition of the essential oil extracted from the dried fruits of Illicium verum was studied by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC and GC/MS). Twenty-eight constituents, representing 99.74% of the essential oil were identified. The major compounds are: trans-anethole (83.46%), D-Limonene (4.56%), Estragole (3.47%) and Linalool (1.07%). Antioxidant activity was determined by the DPPH assay. The essential oils of Illicium verum showed low antioxidant activity with IC50= 286.19 ± 7.4 mg/mL, compared to Ascorbic acid IC50= 0.09 ± 0.01 mg/mL. The antibacterial effect of this essential oil was tested against six microorganisms, of which Staphylococcus aureus is the most sensitive with an MIC of about 1/1000 (v/v), followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterobacter cloacae with an MIC equal to 1/100 (v/v).