A recent article in the June issue of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry by Isao Kubo (Univ. of Cal., Berkeley) shows that the juice from salsa has antibacterial properties (it kills Salmonella). Salsa normally contains tomatoes, onions, cliantro and green chilies. The scientists isolated the compound that has antibactierial properties: dodecanal from the fresh cilantro leaves. Science News reports “not only did it kill the bacterial cells, but it was twice as potent as gentamicin, a drug commonly used to treat the foodborne illness”