Evaluation of the $HApS^{TM}$ Method for the Enumeration of Aerobic Microorganisms and Coliforms in Retailed Meat Samples in Korea

This study was designed to compare the effectiveness and applicability of the HApS$^{TM}$ (Hazard Analysis process System; HUKO, Seoul, Korea) based on Petrifilm$^{TM}$ (3M, St. Paul, MN, USA) with the AOAC (the Association of Official Analytical Chemists) standard total aerobic count (TAC) method and coliform count (CC) method for meat products. The comparisons were carried out using 230 meat samples collected from various retailers: 80 pork samples, 80 chicken samples, and 70 beef samples. In the comparison of the correlation coefficient (r) between conventional method and HApS$^{TM}$ method by a linear regression analysis, the correlation coefficients in total microorganism were 0.97767, 0.90712, and 0.95594 in pork, beef, and chicken samples, respectively. The correlation coefficients in coliform count were 0.82062, 0.94833, and 0.96839 in pork, beef and chicken samples, respectively. All the independent t-test on measurement values between conventional method and HApS$^{TM}$ method represented no significant differences in the means between two methods at the 0.05 of significance level($\alpha$=0.05). Based on the high correlation between HApS$^{TM}$ and the AOAC standard methods in the TAC and CC, it might be compatible to employ the HApS$^{TM}$ method to measure the microbial contamination in livestock products. HApS$^{TM}$ method was simpler and less time-consuming in sample preparation and procedures faster than the conventional method. These results suggested that the HApS$^{TM}$ method could be substitute for the conventional methods in the analysis of microbial contamination measurement in meat products.n meat products.

국내에서 시판중인 230점(돈육샘플80점, 계육샘플 80점, 우육샘플 70점)의 식육 샘플에 대하여 미생물 오염수준 측정시 표준방법으로 통용되는 AOAC (the Association of Official Analytical Chemists)의 standard total aerobic count method 및 coliform count method와 국내에서 개발된 HApS$^{TM}$ (Hazard Analysis process System) method를 비교하였다. 돈육, 계육, 우육을 샘플군으로 하여 총세균수 및 대장균수를 표준방법과 HApS$^{TM}$방법으로 각각 측정하여 그 두 방법간의 상관관계를 조사하였다. 선형회귀분석 및 t-검정법의 통계적 방법을 사용하여 각 샘플군에서의 두 방법간의 상관계수(r) 및 회귀직선식을 얻었고, 각 샘플군에서 두 방법에 의한 각각의 표본평균이 주어진 유의수준($\alpha$=0.05)에서 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았다. 즉, 본 실험에 사용된 샘플에 대하여 표준방법과 HApS$^{TM}$ 방법간의 유의한 차이를 발견하지 못하였다. 그러므로 표준방법에 비하여 실험시간 및 실험방법에서 신속성 및 간편성을 지니는 HApS$^{TM}$방법은 축산식품의 총세균 및 대장균군 오염도 측정시에 표준방법을 대신할 수 있는 유용한 방법이라고 할 수 있다.