Common Sense Health: The bacteria fighter in your fridge

By Dr. Gifford-Jones and Diana Gifford-Jones on May 2, 2025.

We’ve always said nature is an excellent physician. The most common item from your garden may be your best medicine. Recent research has proved it. Tomato juice has been shown to kill Salmonella and other harmful bacteria.

We’ve often preached the gospel of simple, evidence-based health advice-eat well, move your body, avoid sugar, and never underestimate the power of vitamins. But now we’re happy to add tomato juice, plain and simple.

Research published in the Journal of Food Protection and corroborated by studies in the International Journal of Food Microbiology reveals that tomato juice has potent antibacterial properties. Scientists found that compounds in tomato juice, notably lycopene and tomatine, interfere with the growth and survival of pathogens like Salmonella. These compounds disrupt the bacterial membrane and hamper their replication. The result? A natural, delicious bacteria-busting beverage.

It’s not just Salmonella that takes a hit. E. coli, Listeria, and even some strains of the virus causing Staphylococcus infections also don’t fare well when exposed to the mighty tomato.

People often ask, “What’s your secret, Dr. Gifford-Jones?” After all, at a vibrant 101 years old, there must be more than good luck and good genes. We usually credit high-dose vitamin C and lysine, moderate alcohol, and a good dose of common sense. But now we’re wondering-is it the daily garden-fresh tomatoes enjoyed for years?

History can teach us. In the early 20th century, tomato juice was considered a health tonic. Long before we had antibiotics, people reached for remedies that soothed the gut and strengthened the immune system. It was in 1917 that tomato juice was first canned commercially, and by the 1930s, it became a staple in North American households. Soldiers in WWII were even given canned tomato juice as part of their rations-not just to quench thirst, but to support their health in the trenches.

Today we are grappling with a far more modern issue: antibiotic resistance. In our rush to medicate every sniffle and stomachache, we’ve created a population of bacteria that scoff at our strongest pharmaceuticals. The World Health Organization has declared antimicrobial resistance one of the top ten global public health threats facing humanity.

What if we’ve been overlooking simple, dietary ways to fight infection all along?

We’re not suggesting you toss out your doctor’s prescriptions and live on tomatoes. But a healthy diet, rich in natural antimicrobials, might spare you from needing those antibiotics in the first place.

Consider this: many people are prescribed antibiotics for digestive issues, skin infections, and even urinary tract infections. Yet straightforward dietary interventions-like the regular consumption of tomato juice, garlic, fermented foods, and cranberry-can help prevent or even treat these conditions without pharmaceutical assistance.

As Hippocrates, the father of medicine, famously said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” If he were alive today, he’d raise a glass of tomato juice in solidarity.

But beware, not all tomato juices are created equal. Many commercial varieties are loaded with sodium and additives. Choose low-sodium, organic versions-or better yet, make your own. A blender, a few ripe tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and voila! Add a dash of black pepper or a squeeze of lemon juice-both of which also have their own antimicrobial properties.

Not a fan of tomato juice, but fresh sliced tomatoes appeal? Eat them up, any way you choose. It’s exactly the same thing. Sometimes, the best medicine isn’t in a bottle at the pharmacy but in your garden or fridge.

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