A recent research has proposed that garlic contains a particular substance that has potential to fight against a specific type of bacteria better than antibiotics.

It has been discovered that the substance in garlic is 100 times more effective than any other antibiotic to fight against bacteria, called Campylobacter, which causes food poisoning.

It has been suggested that the bacteria grows well both on the outer skin of the poultry animals and also inside the flesh. It has been reported that recent cases of food poisoning due to the bacteria have been on a rise, due to an increase in the intake of chicken liver paté. Reports put forth by Health Protection Agency (HPA) suggest that 443 people were reported to be ill due to food-poisoning caused by Campylobacter, as most the people were eating out.

It has been administered that raw chicken contains high levels of the bacteria, so in order to kill the bacteria, the chicken needs to be cooked properly.

However, a team of researchers from Washington State University US carried out the research, which proved that the compound in garlic called diallyl sulphide, helps prevent the growth of the bacteria, thus preventing food poisoning.

They demonstrated that the compound easily penetrates inside the slimy film of the flesh and further, prevent the formation of colonies of the bacteria.

Nevertheless, experimental analysis of the compound showed that it was as much as 100 times more potential than the antibiotics erythromycin and ciprofloxacin, used till now to treat food poisoning. Moreover, it has been discovered that the compound starts showing up its effect within a fraction of time.

Barbara Rasco, an Associate Professor of Food Science, said: "Diallyl sulphide could make many foods safer to eat. It can be used to clean food preparation surfaces and as a preservative in packaged foods like potato and pasta salads, coleslaw and deli meats".