Contamination of drinks with E. coli O157:H7 served in food premises such as restaurants can cause haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uremic syndrome to humans. The presence or absence of faecal pathogen was demonstrated using coliform group as indicator microorganisms. Therefore, this study was conducted to detect the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in drinking water from food restaurant premise in Kota Samarahan and Kuching to ensure safe and potable drinking water is served to the consumer. A total of thirty (n=30) drink samples including six types of each of the samples are cold plain water, iced tea, iced milo, syrup and iced milk tea. Most Probable Number (MPN) procedure was used in this study to enumerate the MPN values of coliform bacteria in each drink collected. A total of 53.33% (16/30) of the drink samples showed positive E. coli detection. Then, the PCR assay showed 6.25% (one out of 16 isolates) samples were positive and carried stx1 gene produced by E. coli O157:H7 in iced milo sample types. This study showed the drinks collected from food premises was contaminated with faecal contamination, which was not safe to drink by the consumer. Therefore, preventive actions should be taken to prevent foodborne illness outbreak in future
Kaempferia galangal rhizome is one of the traditional medicinal plant species in
Zingiberaceae family and well known as “cekur” in Borneo. Rapid emergence of
multidrug resistance of V. cholerae biofilm has increased the failure of antibiotic
treatment in recent years. This research was designed to demonstrate the
antimicrobial activity of K. galangal rhizome extract against twenty six (n=26) V. cholera
biofilm which were isolated from outbreak in Limbang, Sarawak in 2016. K. galangal
rhizome was analyzed by methanol extraction and tested against biofilm of V. cholerae.
The susceptibility of V. cholerae towards K. galangal rhizome was evaluated using disk
diffusion method which showed a maximum zone of inhibition of 12.0 mm at 1000
mg/mL concentration. As a result, the MBEC50 of V. cholerae was between 125 mg/mL
to 250 mg/mL while more than 90% biofilm eradication (MBEC90) was achieved by 500
mg/mL extract concentration. Extract-treated cell showed change in the morphology
of V. cholerae by destruction of cell wall. K. galangal rhizome extract acts as a potent
antibiofilm agent with dual actions by preventing and eradicating the biofilm of V.
cholerae.