A common cooking spice may be able to prevent some of the most serious foodborne illnesses caused by pathogenic bacteria, according to a recent study.

Researchers from Washington State University found that Cinnamomum cassia oil can work effectively as a natural antibacterial agent in the food industry. The findings add to a body of knowledge that "will help improve food safety and reduce or eliminate cases of food poisoning and related deaths," the investigators noted.

Rising health concerns about chemical additives have strengthened demand for natural food additives, co-author Meijun Zhu, an assistant professor in the School of Food Science, said. Cassia cinnamon is produced primarily in Indonesia and has a stronger smell than the other common cinnamon variety, Ceylon.

"Our focus is on exploring plant-derived natural food bioactive compounds as antimicrobials to control foodborne pathogens, in order to ensure safety of fresh produce," Zhu said.

During the study, the oil killed several strains of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, known to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as "non-O157 STEC." The study looked at the top six strains of non-O157 STEC, according to co-author Lina Sheng, a graduate student in the School of Food Science.

The cinnamon cassia oil is effective in low concentrations -- about 10 drops diluted in a liter of water killed the bacteria within 24 hours, she added.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service has a "zero tolerance" policy for the CDC top six non-O157 STECs in raw ground beef and trimmings, indicating any raw non-intact beef products containing these pathogens will be considered adulterated. This has led Zhu and Sheng to include the beef industry in the large-scale application of their findings on cinnamon.

"The oil can be incorporated into films and coatings for packaging both meat and fresh produce," Sheng said in a statement. "It can also be added into the washing step of meat, fruits or vegetables to eliminate microorganisms."

Sheng said the research team plans to take a look at another natural source to kill bacteria.

The findings were recently published in the online journal Food Control.