**Potential Role of Plant Extracts and Phytochemicals Against Foodborne Pathogens**

**Farhat Ullah 1, Muhammad Ayaz 1,\*, Abdul Sadiq 1, Farman Ullah 2, Ishtiaq Hussain 3, Muhammad Shahid 4, Zhanibek Yessimbekov 5, Anjana Adhikari-Devkota 6 and Hari Prasad Devkota 6,7,\***


Received: 26 May 2020; Accepted: 29 June 2020; Published: 2 July 2020

**Abstract:** Foodborne diseases are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality, especially in low-income countries with poor sanitation and inadequate healthcare facilities. The foremost bacterial pathogens responsible for global outbreaks include *Salmonella* species, *Campylobacter jejuni*, *Escherichia coli*, *Shigella* sp., *Vibrio*, *Listeria monocytogenes* and *Clostridium botulinum*. Among the viral and parasitic pathogens, norovirus, hepatitis A virus, *Giardia lamblia, Trichinella spiralis*, *Toxoplasma* and *Entamoeba histolytica* are commonly associated with foodborne diseases. The toxins produced by *Staphylococcus aureus*, *Bacillus cereus* and *Clostridium perfringens* also cause these infections. The currently available therapies for these infections are associated with various limited e fficacy, high cost and side-e ffects. There is an urgen<sup>t</sup> need for e ffective alternative therapies for the prevention and treatment of foodborne diseases. Several plant extracts and phytochemicals were found to be highly e ffective to control the growth of these pathogens causing foodborne infections in in vitro systems. The present review attempts to provide comprehensive scientific information on major foodborne pathogens and the potential role of phytochemicals in the prevention and treatment of these infections. Further detailed studies are necessary to evaluate the activities of these extracts and phytochemicals along with their mechanism of action using in vivo models.

**Keywords:** foodborne diseases; giardiasis; herbal drugs; ethnobotany; toxoplasmosis
