- Kwon RS, Lee GY, Lee S, Song J. 2024. Antimicrobial properties of tomato juice and peptides against typhoidal Salmonella. Microbiol Spectr 12:e03102-23.
The tomato is found almost worldwide and is prepared in various forms in most national cuisines. Not only is the plant relatively easy to cultivate and quick to harvest, but it is also available at relatively low cost. In addition to its pleasant flavour for most people, the red fruit also has antioxidant properties that make it a real all-rounder.
The plant is also considered to have antimicrobial properties, but little research has been conducted into this assumption to date. A recent study (DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03102-23) has now changed this. The authors investigated whether tomatoes have antimicrobial properties against Salmonella typhi, the bacterium responsible for typhoid fever.
The researchers identified two peptides with antimicrobial activity (tomato-derived antimicrobial peptides - tdAMPs) in the tomato genome. Both act by damaging the bacterial membrane and are thus also effective against therapy-resistant strains of S. typhi. tdAMP2 is somewhat more effective than tdAMP1. Both are also effective against the hypercapsular variant of the bacterium, which is also partly responsible for outbreaks.
In addition, tomato juice and both tdAMPs were effective against uropathogenic E. coli. Whether the fruit's ingredients might also be effective against other endemic pathogens could be the subject of further research in the future.
Tomatoes and their peptides appear to have promising antimicrobial activity against S. typhi and some E. coli strains. Due to its worldwide availability and low-cost procurement, the red fruit could play a major role in the management and prevention of some diseases caused by gram-negative bacteria in the future. Further studies could be helpful to investigate the effectiveness of these interventions.