A common baked potato garnish is now taking on one of the primary causes of food poisoning. Chives, the skinny green herb, have been found to have potent antibacterial qualities that can fight up to 38 strains of salmonella.

Scientists at North Carolina A&T State University have been isolating the plants that are particularly adept at fighting bacteria and chives are the standout.

While the scientific findings are exciting, the practical application for the home chef is not as obvious. In the study, the chives were first pulverized into an extract - I can't remember the last time I pulverized something - and tested in a lab - not on raw chicken, undercooked pork, runny eggs, or old leftovers. And though the exact number was not specified, the researchers used lots of chives to execute the study.

"The amount a consumer would need to use to counteract food borne pathogens would be very high - probably much more than most consumers would find to be appetizing," explained Salam Ibrahim, PhD, one of the study's authors. "Nevertheless, it certainly can't hurt for consumers to expand their use of chives in cooking."

Researchers also hope that chives can one day be used as a natural preservative.

[via Web MD]

Image: aged.ces.uga.edu