Bacillus cereus

B. cereus bacteria quickly multiply in food left out of the refrigerator too long (e.g., rice, soups, leftovers). It produces two types of toxins that can cause: ^(v.43)

• Diarrhea and cramping in as little as 6 hours after eating.
• Nausea and vomiting within 30 minutes and up to 6 hours after consuming contaminated food.

• At concentrations of 75% and 100%, extracts from the leaf of turmeric blocked B. cereus bacteria. Both concentrations showed good antibacterial activity, but the higher concentration was more effective. ^(v.69)
• Boosted the immune system response. ^(v.69)

• Various types of turmeric extracts showed significant antibacterial activity against B. cereus. ^(v.70)
• Turmeric rhizome extract made with methanol had antibacterial effects that were comparable to the conventional treatment drugs ofloxacin and fluconazole. ^(v.70)

• Lab tests show turmeric oil is active against B. cereus. Some of the main compounds in turmeric oil from the rhizome are turmerones and curlone. ^(v.71)

Research (mostly lab studies) indicates that other individual compounds in turmeric also have antibacterial effects against B. cereus. These include:

• AR-TURMERONE ^(v.5, 72)
• CURLONE ^{(v.5, 73-74)}
• EUGENOL ^(v.75-76)
• GERANIOL ^(v.76-77)
• LIMONENE ^(v.75-76)
• ρ-CYMENE ^{(v.73, 76, 78)}

However, some studies suggest that limonene and ρ-cymene have little activity against B. cereus when used by themselves. ^(v.79)