Anti-yeast effects of some plant extracts on yeasts contaminating processed poultry products in Egypt

A total of 60 random samples of fresh chicken burger, fillet, and luncheon (20 of each) were collected from markets at Tanta city. The average total yeast counts (cfu/g) in burger, fillet, and luncheon samples were 2.7 x 10(6) +/- 1.1 x 10(6), 2.1 x 10(5) +/- 0.9 x 10(5), and 1.4 x 10(7) +/- 0.7 x 10(7), respectively. A total of 158 yeast isolates of 23 species were isolated and identified. Candida, Cryptococcus, Debaromyces, Issatchenkia, Pichia, Rhodotorula, Saccharomyces, Trichosporon and Yarrowia species were recovered from the examined samples of fresh chicken meat products in varying percentages ranging from 5% to 50%. The tested plant extracts of cinnamon, clove and thyme revealed a potent anti-yeast activity against C. albicans, D. hansenii and S. cerevisiae at 20% concentration, and a moderate inhibitory activity against these yeast strains at 10% concentration, while garlic extract had a lesser inhibitory effect on the yeast strains tested at the same concentration. Moreover, thyme, cinnamon and clove extracts had a complete inhibitory effect on chicken fillet inoculated with Candida albicans when incubated at 5 degrees C and 25 degrees C.