Refrigeration techniques help keep food fresher for longer and as long as people remember to carefully wash fruits and vegetables, bacteria can better be eliminated. Despite careful attention to cleanliness, sometimes contamination does occur and this can be detrimental to digestive health.

Those who are a bit leery about using chemical microbial agents may be cheered by recent news from the Food and Drug Administration and a new study in the Journal of Food Science. Both sources agree that the natural coconut oil has components that render it an effective antimicrobial material.

Monolaurin is an extract from this oil and a research team at Zhejiang University in China tested it as a food preservative when combined with antimicrobials. In one mixture, the extract was effective at preventing the development of Ecoli, staph bacteria and Bacillus subtilis.

Lead researcher Hui Zhang concluded that “the antimicrobial effects of monolaurin can be increased if used together or in combination with other preservative systems.”

To help strengthen the immune system and maintain good digestive health, individuals should consider a range of nutritional supplements including vitamin D that promotes overall health.