Antibacterial mechanism of pomegranate peel extract against foodborne Bacillus spp.via membrane lipid peroxidation

  • ZHANG Junxia ,
  • YU Fang ,
  • WANG Qianning ,
  • TIAN Huanhuan ,
  • ZHANG Peiqin ,
  • LI Yuan ,
  • YANG Xiaojuan
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  • 1(College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China)
    2(Gansu Longnan Highway Development Center Expressway Maintenance Institute, Longnan 742500, China)
    3(Faculty of Bioengineering and Technology, Tianshui Normal University, Tianshui 741001, China)
    4(Shiyanghe Forestry Farm of Wuwei City, Minqin 733399, China)
    5(Lanzhou city landscape science institute, Lanzhou 730070, China)
    6(Management Center of Gansu Lianhuashan National Nature Reserve, Lintao 730500, China)

Received date: 2025-09-09

  Revised date: 2025-11-06

  Online published: 2026-07-17

Abstract

Bacillus spp.are among the primary pathogenic bacteria responsible for food spoilage, posing a serious threat to food safety.Pomegranate peel extract (PPE), as a plant-derived antimicrobial agent, has demonstrated promising antibacterial potential.This study systematically investigated the effects of PPE on the oxidative stress system, cellular structural integrity, and energy metabolism pathways in three Bacillus species, focusing on membrane lipid peroxidation.The results revealed that PPE treatment induced substantial intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, elevating H2O2 levels by 46.3-fold relative to the control, while significantly inhibiting superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P<0.01), thereby disrupting cellular redox homeostasis.Despite compensatory increases in the activities of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD), the oxidative damage was irreversible.This ultimately led to aggravated membrane lipid peroxidation and a significant rise in malondialdehyde (MDA) content.Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations indicated notable morphological alterations in the bacterial cells, including collapse, shrinkage, and leakage of intracellular contents.Furthermore, compromised cell wall integrity resulted in a 5.23-fold increase in alkaline phosphatase (AKP) leakage and a 70.9% reduction in Na+-K+-ATPase activity, indicating severe disruption of energy metabolism pathways.This study was the first to systematically elucidate that the key antibacterial mechanism of PPE against food-borne Bacillus species lies in inducing excessive H2O2 accumulation and significant inhibiting SOD activity, thereby initiating a cascade of oxidative stress-structural damage-energy metabolism suppression. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for developing PPE as a natural food preservative and suggest a new strategy for the valorization of agricultural by-products.

Cite this article

ZHANG Junxia , YU Fang , WANG Qianning , TIAN Huanhuan , ZHANG Peiqin , LI Yuan , YANG Xiaojuan . Antibacterial mechanism of pomegranate peel extract against foodborne Bacillus spp.via membrane lipid peroxidation[J]. Food and Fermentation Industries, 2026 , 52(12) : 168 -176 . DOI: 10.13995/j.cnki.11-1802/ts.044475

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