Volume 2 • Issue 4 • 1000145 J Infect Dis Ther ISSN: 2332-0877 JIDT, an open access journal Omolo et al., J Infect Dis Ther 2014, 2:4 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2332-0877.1000145 Review Article Open Access Infectious Diseases & Therapy Antimicrobial Properties of Chili Peppers Morrine A Omolo, Zen-Zi Wong, Amanda K Mergen, Jennifer C Hastings, Nina C Le, Holly A Reiland, Kyle A Case and David J Baumler* Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, USA Abstract Chili peppers are used worldwide in foods for their pungent lavor, aroma, and to prolong food spoilage. With capsaicin contents ranging from zero to millions of Scoville heat units, the different varieties offer a wide range of options for people all over the world. In addition to their use in cuisines, chili peppers have been explored for their antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Consequently, research is underway to determine the potential for the application of chili pepper extracts in the food industry in place of artiicial preservatives. As new antibiotic-resistant food borne pathogens emerge, the discovery of natural antimicrobials in chili peppers will be invaluable to food scientists. This review goes over some relevant research that has already been done in this area. In addition it lays the ground for the new research that is emerging testing new varieties of chili peppers for nutrient content, lavor proiles, and for antimicrobial activities against numerous human pathogens. *Corresponding author: David J Baumler, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, Tel: 612-624-3086; E-mail: dbaumler@umn.edu Received March 28, 2014; Accepted May 27, 2014; Published June 06, 2014 Citation: Omolo MA, Wong Z, Mergen AK, Hastings JC, Le NC, et al. (2014) Antimicrobial Properties of Chili Peppers. J Infect Dis Ther 2: 145. doi:10.4172/2332- 0877.1000145 Copyright: © 2014 Omolo MA, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Keywords: Chili peppers; Chile peppers; Antimicrobial; Foodborne pathogen Introduction Human use of chili peppers dates back to prehistoric times. Preserved peppers have provided evidence that South Americans ate and grew aji, (chili in English), in 2500 B.C. he peppers became increasingly common and integrated into the diet of particular cultures. However, chili peppers and similar spices remained isolated in these cultures until the 13 th century, when they became available to civilizations throughout the world [1]. he pungency of chili peppers is due to the accumulation of capsaicinoids (also known as capsinoids, a group of naturally produced compounds that are unique to the Capsicum genus [2,3]. he chili pepper is a member of the Solanaceae family. It is a diploid, facultative, self-pollinating crop, and closely related to potato, tomato, eggplant, tobacco and petunia. It is one of the oldest domesticated crops in the Western hemisphere, the most widely grown spice in the world, and is a major ingredient in most global cuisines. Capsicum species are commonly grown in warm humid regions such as the tropics and subtropics and their fruits are mainly used in local cuisine. Chili peppers are widely used as spices in traditional Mexican foods. he lavor and pungent power of these peppers varies widely and so do their contents of capsaicin and its capsaicinoid analogs [2]. When eaten, many chili peppers evoke a sensation of heat and/or pain to the neurological systems in mammals, and these adverse efects can be overcome through the consumption of foods containing casein such as milk, cheese, or yogurt. Studies of the botanical pharmacopoeia of the indigenous Mayan inhabitants of Mesoamerica have shown that chili peppers (Capsicum species) are incorporated into a number of medicinal preparations. hese preparations were applied for a variety of ailments including respiratory problems, bowel complaints, earaches, and sores. Early European observers noted the omnipresent nature of chili peppers in the Mayan diet, reporting that nothing was eaten without them. While typically regarded as a spice, the substantial role that chili peppers occupy in this culture’s diet may have important nutritional consequences for these people [4,5]. Chili peppers have a wide range of uses, including pharmaceutical, natural coloring agents and cosmetics, as an ornamental plant, and as the active ingredient in most defense repellants (i.e. pepper sprays) .Capsaicin, a well-studied chemical component of the Capsicum species and one of the pungent capsaicinoids found in chili peppers, has already demonstrated a high degree of biological activity afecting the nervous, cardiovascular, and digestive systems [5]. Chemical analysis has demonstrated that Capsicum fruits contain relatively high concentrations of several essential nutrients, including vitamin C (up to 6 times the concentration of an orange) [5]. Strong consumer demand for safe and high-quality foods can be attributed in part to the wide spread availability and accessibility of quality health data and information. here are also new concerns about food safety due to increasing occurrences of new food-borne disease outbreaks caused by pathogenic microorganisms. his raises considerable challenges, particularly since there is increasing unease regarding the use of chemical preservatives and artiicial antimicrobials to inactivate or inhibit growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms [6]. In addition, currently available treatment options for food-borne pathogen infections have drug- related side efects, bacterial resistance to antimicrobials, and in some cases no medical treatment exists for organisms such as Escherichia coli O157:H7. herefore, newer treatments which are safe, cost efective, and simple to administer are urgently needed. In light of this, the use of nutritional agents is an attractive alternative to conventional therapeutics and warrants further investigation [3]. Consequently, natural antimicrobials, such as chili peppers, are receiving a good deal of attention for a number of microorganism-control issues [6]. Recent reports state that the Capsicum genus, among other plant genera, is a good source of antimicrobial and antifungal compounds [7]. Top 14 Food-borne Pathogens According to the U.S Food and Drug and Administration (FDA), there are several food-borne pathogens that are of concern and harmful to the general public, and are particularly harmful to pregnant women (Table 1) [8]. Aside from these 14, there are other well-known pathogens some of which are foodborne, including Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterobacter aerogenes [5], Pseudomonas aeruginosa [5,9]