Chicken meat is an affordable source of high-quality protein that is easily digestible and contains low levels of saturated fats. In addition, chicken contains essential minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, and copper, as well as vitamins from the B-complex [1].

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a Gram-positive, common opportunistic pathogen responsible for significant nosocomial and community-acquired diseases worldwide. The bacteria can cause a range of symptoms in humans, ranging from minor skin lesions to serious, life-threatening diseases [2]. Consuming foods containing staphylococcal enterotoxin may lead to symptoms such as hypersalivation, nausea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting. Although these symptoms typically resolve within 24–48 hours, they can be severe in infants, the elderly, and individuals with immunocompromised conditions [3]. In Türkiye, S.aureus has been frequently isolated from poultry meat, beef, meat products [4], milk, and dairy products [5].

Various food preservation techniques, such as pasteurization, freezing, drying, salting, smoking, and irradiation, are used to combat foodborne pathogens. Although these methods offer several advantages, they also have disadvantages, such as nutrient loss. Today, consumers increasingly prefer natural and additive-free products, hence the need for alternative preservation agents derived from natural sources [6, 7].

Curcumin is a golden-yellow polyphenolic compound and the principal bioactive constituent of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), a rhizomatous plant widely used in food and traditional medicine [8]. Curcumin exhibits a broad range of biological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activities [9]. Despite its low water solubility and bioavailability, curcumin’s antimicrobial potential has attracted attention in food preservation research [10].

According to the European Union’s EC Directive 94/36/EC [11], curcumin (E100) has been approved as a food colorant. It is permitted in certain foods at levels between 50 and 500 mg/kg or in amounts sufficient to achieve the desired effect, following the principle of quantum satis [12]. Curcumin exhibits antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Its antimicrobial mechanisms include damaging bacterial DNA, cell walls, and membranes; inhibiting the bacterial quorum sensing (QS) system; preventing bacterial biofilm formation, and photosensitizing activity against bacteria [13].

This study aims to (i) evaluate the antibacterial effect of curcumin against S. aureus in chicken meat, (ii) determine its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and (iii) assess the impact of curcumin treatment on the sensory quality of the meat.

In the present study, chilled chicken breast meat samples were collected from various retail outlets in Samsun, Türkiye. The antibacterial activity of curcumin against S. aureus was evaluated both in vitro (medium) and in the chicken meat samples. The curcumin solution (Sigma, C 1386, CAS No: 458-37-7, St. Louis, MO, USA) was prepared at final concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3% using 20% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, Isolab, CAS No: 67-68-5, Eschau, Germany). The inertness of DMSO was confirmed using a negative control. S. aureus ATCC 25923 was utilized as the positive control.

In this study, curcumin demonstrated significant antibacterial effects against S. aureus in chicken meat, with the 3% concentration achieving a notable reduction of 3.49 log CFU/g; however, sensory evaluation revealed that the 1% and 2% concentrations were more favorably received in terms of organoleptic qualities.

S. aureus is an opportunistic foodborne pathogen causing significant community and nosocomial diseases worldwide [2]. The development of new food preservation methods utilizing the antibacterial activity of curcumin, the primary active compound derived from the turmeric plant, is crucial for public health. Although curcumin has low water solubility, limited bioavailability, and pharmacokinetic characteristics, it possesses powerful antibacterial activities [10].

In this study, the active dose of curcumin was determined as 200 mg/mL. The effectiveness of curcumin’s antibacterial activity may differ based on the solvents used and the particular S. aureus strains examined. Similarly, Gupta et al. [8] reported that 50 mg/mL curcumin benzene extract created a zone diameter of 9 mm (less effective), but that it was made more effective by using a methanol extract, resulting in a 15 mm diameter zone. Negi et al. [19] observed inhibition zones of 9 mm and 21 mm with curcumin in ethanol and hexane extracts, respectively. These findings suggest that curcumin’s activity increases with concentration and varies depending on the extraction method. It was also reported by researchers that curcumin prepared from a methanol extract is more effective than that prepared from petroleum ether, chloroform, and benzene [8].

Curcumin’s antibacterial effect depends on several mechanisms, including bacterial cell membrane damage, inhibition of bacterial DNA replication, modification of gene expression, inhibition of the quorum-sensing system, and decreased motility of microorganisms [6, 20]. In this study, the formation of an active inhibition zone by curcumin against S. aureus demonstrated its antibacterial effects, which align with the results of other studies [8, 19].

In this study, the MIC of curcumin against S. aureus ATCC 25923 was determined as 125 µg/mL. This value is consistent with the study by Altunatmaz et al. [21], who reported the same MIC using a macro-dilution method. Other studies have reported similar but slightly varying MIC values; for example, Mun et al. [22] found MIC values ranging from 125 to 250 µg/mL against different S. aureus strains, while Tajbakhsh et al. [23] reported a MIC of 187.5 µg/mL against S. aureus ATCC 25923 using broth dilution. Variation in MIC values across studies may arise due to differences in bacterial strains, such as Meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) or methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), sources of isolates (standard strains versus clinical isolates), antibacterial testing methods (disk diffusion versus broth dilution), and the type or purity of curcumin used [24].

It is important to acknowledge several limitations of this study. The use of DMSO as a solvent, although used as a negative vehicle control, may have subtle effects on antibacterial activity. Additionally, the study focused on a single S. aureus strain, which limits the generalizability of the findings to other clinical isolates. Future research should consider evaluating curcumin’s antibacterial efficacy against a broader range of S. aureus strains, including resistant clinical isolates, and investigate the potential synergistic effects of curcumin combined with other antimicrobials.

In our study, the S. aureus population was reduced by 2.43, 2.70, and 3.49 log CFU/g after six days of treatment with 1%, 2%, and 3% curcumin, respectively. These findings are in line with the study by Altunatmaz et al. [21], who demonstrated that minced meat treated with 2% curcumin showed a reduction of approximately 3 log CFU/g by day 7. Similarly, 0.5% and 1% curcumin led to reductions of about 2 log CFU/g. However, Lourenço et al. [25], who used turmeric powder rather than isolated curcumin, found that 1% turmeric did not significantly reduce the counts of S. aureus in chicken meat. These results highlight the stronger efficacy of pure curcumin compared to whole turmeric, likely due to higher concentrations of the active compound. Hosny et al. [26] reported complete elimination of S. aureus from Karishcum cheese after 14 days of treatment with 0.3% curcumin. However, several studies have confirmed that an increasing curcumin concentration enhances antibacterial efficacy but may compromise sensory acceptability [21].

In this study, the 3% curcumin treatment exhibited the highest antibacterial activity but resulted in reduced sensory acceptability due to strong yellow coloration and intense odor. This observation is consistent with that of Altunatmaz et al. [21], who reported that as the dose of curcumin increased, its antimicrobial characteristics also increased, but its sensory characteristics decreased, particularly in terms of color. The panelists stated that 2% curcumin was disliked in ground beef, as it spoiled the natural red color of the ground beef. The same researchers found that doses of 0.5% and 1% curcumin were acceptable in terms of sensory factors. Milon et al. [27] found that 0.2% turmeric powder was more acceptable in terms of nutritional quality, as well as physicochemical and biochemical characteristics in a study in which the sensory characteristics of meatballs were examined after adding 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3% turmeric powder to ground beef. The authors reported that 0.3% turmeric powder was more satisfactory in terms of antimicrobial effects.

In the study conducted by Tangkham [28], the sensory characteristics of ground beef with 0%, 1% and 2% added turmeric powder were investigated following heat treatment at 70 °C. At the end of the study, no significant difference was detected between the three applications in terms of texture or overall taste, although the 1% treatment received high scores for color (7.89) and flavor (7.34). Purwanti et al. [29] reported that the application of 2.5% turmeric powder in poultry meat was acceptable as a food additive for increasing the physical and sensory qualities.

Several recent studies have highlighted the promising antimicrobial potential of curcumin against foodborne pathogens. Sharma et al. [30] demonstrated enhanced antibacterial activity of curcumin-loaded nanoparticles against S. aureus, while Terzi Gulel et al. [31] reviewed curcumin’s efficacy in meat preservation, emphasizing both microbial inhibition and sensory quality. Patel et al. [32] discussed the molecular mechanisms underlying curcumin’s antimicrobial effects, supporting our MIC findings. Additionally, Morsy et al. [33] evaluated curcumin’s role in improving food safety, noting its antioxidant and sensory impacts consistent with our observations. These recent findings further validate the potential of curcumin as a natural preservative in food applications.

As observed in previous studies, while the intense yellow color of curcumin can limit its application in red meat and dairy products, it may enhance the visual and flavor attributes of poultry. Therefore, moderate concentrations of curcumin could be suitable as a natural antimicrobial and coloring agent in chicken meat products.

Currently, consumers prefer preservation methods that do not harm human health, and they wish to consume foods that do not contain additives. There is a need to develop natural methods as an alternative to chemical agents for controlling S. aureus, an important pathogen that causes food-borne poisoning. This study highlights the potential of curcumin, a natural bioactive compound extracted from the turmeric plant (Curcuma longa), as an effective antibacterial agent against S. aureus. Given its antimicrobial properties, curcumin is recommended for use in food preservation to help inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and extend the shelf life of food products.

The data mentioned in the article will be available with the corresponding author.

Conceptualization: GTG. Data curation: ZF, GTG. Formal analysis: ZF, GTG. Methodology: ZF, GTG. Software: ZF, GTG. Validation: ZF, GTG. Investigation: ZF, GTG. Writing — original draft: ZF, GTG. Writing — review & editing: GTG. Both authors contributed to editorial changes in the manuscript. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript. Both authors have participated sufficiently in the work and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Not applicable.

This study constitutes a part of the Master’s thesis. Additionally, a summary of this work was presented as a poster at the 5th International Eurasian Conference on Biological and Chemical Sciences (Eurasian Bio Chem 2022), held from November 23 to 25 in Ankara.

The research was financially supported by the Scientific Research Project Commission of Ondokuz Mayis University (Project Number: PYO.VET.1904.21.019).

The authors declare no conflict of interest.