Compound Identification from _Bromelia kartas_ Fruit Juice Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Evaluation of the Bactericidal Activity of the Extract  
[PERSON]  
1 CONACYT-Biotecnologia Vegetal, Centro de Biotecnologia Genomica, Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Blvd. del Mitro, s/n, Esq. Elias Pina, Reynosa 88710, Mexico; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
[PERSON]  
2 Laboratorio de Biologia Celular, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales \"[PERSON] [PERSON]\", Universidad Autonoma de Yucatian, Av. Itzies, nim. 490 x Casile 59,0. Centro, Merida 97000, Mexico; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (K.C.A.-G.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (G.P.H.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (M.A.U.-C.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (K.Y.A.-V.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (E.G.-M.)  
Tecnologico Nacional Mexico, Instituto Tecnologico Superior del Sur del Elo. de Yucatian, Carr. Muna-Felipe Carrillo Puerto, trano Oskutecha-Akil, Km. 41-400, Oskutecha 97880, Mexico; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
Amaya-Guardia  
8595-  
have been scientifically proven to reduce the risk of disease [1; 2]. The consumption of fruits as functional foods and the evaluation of the different types of biological activities of their secondary metabolites have been increasing due to consumers' awareness of the health benefits that they provide [3; 4]. For example, there is evidence that for healthy women with recurrent urinary tract infections, the consumption of an optimal dose of cranberry extract can contribute to their prevention [5].  
As Mexico is a megadiverse country with different vegetation types, it is home to a wide variety of wild fruits that are often used by one or more ethnic groups, such as the fruits of different species of bromeliads [6]. The genus _Bromelia_ includes species that grow wild in Mexico and their fruits are known for their antifungal [7], bactericidal [6; 8], and anthelmintic [9] activity. _Bromelia karatas_ fruits contain antioxidants, proteases, and phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, terpen, and coumarins [10; 11]. Throughout tropical America, _B. karatas_ fruits are consumed as foods and beverages, and their stems can be used as living fences. Traditional medicinal applications of this species include the treatment of helminth infections and certain types of ulcers [12; 13]. It has been shown that prepurified proteases from _B. karatas_ and _B. pinguin_ fruits exhibited bactericidal activity against _Escherichia coli_ and _Staphylococcus aureus_. However, it was shown that this activity is significantly reduced when the proteolytic extract is heated to 80 \({}^{\circ}\)C/15 min [14]. On the other hand, soluble protein extracts of _B. karatas_ have been found to have a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the growth of _Salmonella typhimurium_ and _Listeria monocytogenes_, and proteolytic activity is suggested to play a role in the inhibition of _S. typhimurium_[15]. However, other studies regarding Bromeliads fruits have shown that methanolic extracts also have bactericidal activity [6].  
This plant is a promising alternative and should be cultivated in tropical America and recognized as a functional food, thereby motivating the increase in its consumption. However, the specific compounds they contain and their biological activities that may benefit consumers' health are not yet fully understood.  
We evaluated bactericidal activity from a methanolic extract of _B. karatas_ fruits and its fractions versus _Escherichia coli_, _Enterococcus faecalis_, _Salmonella enteritidis_, and _Shigella flexneri_. Finally, we identified compounds with previously reported biological activity that are potentially beneficial to the health of _B. karatas_ fruit consumers.