ANTIMICROBIAL MECHANISMS OF BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE AGAINST TWO Pseudomonas SPECIES

Exposure of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas fragi cells to butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) resulted in a rapid loss of UV absorbing material and previously incorporated 14 C‐labeled compounds from the cells. Pseudomonas fluorescens lost a maximum of 15.3% of the incorporated 14 C‐label when incubated with 200 ppm BHA and 8.0% when incubated with 100 ppm BHA. Pseudomonas fragi was more resistant to BHA losing only 6.4% of the label at 200 ppm and 2.1% at 100 ppm. It was determined that lethality was at least partially due to leakage. The relative percentages of phospho‐lipids in P. fragi and major fatty acids in both P. fragi and P. fluorescens were altered by growth in the presence of various concentrations of BHA.