Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety (한국식품위생안전성학회지)

The Korean Society of Food Hygiene and Safety (한국식품위생안전성학회)
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Assessment of the Microbiological Quality of Vegetable from Urban Community Gardens in Korea

  • Kim, Jin-Won (Department of Environmental Horticulture, The University of Seoul) ;
  • Choi, In-Wook (Department of Infection Biology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine) ;
  • Na, Won-Seok (Department of Environmental Horticulture, The University of Seoul) ;
  • Baljii, Enkhjargar (Department of Environmental Horticulture, The University of Seoul) ;
  • Yu, Yong-Man (Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Youn, Young-Nam (Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Lee, Young-Ha (Department of Infection Biology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine)
  • Received : 2013.08.03
  • Accepted : 2014.03.10
  • Published : 2014.03.30
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Abstract

Many community gardens in large cities worldwide grow vegetables; however, no information regarding the levels of sanitary indicator bacteria and prevalence of foodborne pathogens in vegetables grown in urban community gardens is available. To evaluate the microbiological quality of vegetables from urban community gardens in Korea, 530 samples (nine types of vegetable, including Chinese cabbage, lettuce, radish leaves, spinach, mustard leaves, crown daisy, leek, Korean cabbage, and chicory) were collected at 11 urban community gardens in Seoul, Korea from September through October 2012. The levels of total aerobic bacteria, Escherichia coli, total coliforms, Salmonella spp. Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli O157:H7 were evaluated quantitatively and/or qualitatively. The mean numbers of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms were 6.3 log CFU/g (range 3.8-8.1 log CFU/g) and 4.3 log CFU/g (range 2.1-6.4 log CFU/g), respectively. Total coliforms were detected on 67% of whole vegetables. Chicory showed the highest number of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms, whereas the lowest number of coliforms was detected on leeks. E. coli was detected on 2.3% of whole vegetables, including lettuce, radish leaves, mustard leaves, and chicory; however, foodborne pathogenic bacteria were not detected on any of the vegetable samples using this highly sensitive and validated procedure. Based on these findings, the presence of coliforms and E. coli demonstrates that opportunity for improvement of microbiological safety exists throughout the produce production chain, although no major foodborne pathogens were present in vegetables grown in urban community gardens.

도시 텃밭에서 재배되는 농산물의 대부분은 식탁에 바로 오르는 채소류로 안전성 확보가 요구되나 아직 이에 대한 자료가 없다. 본 연구는 도시 텃밭에서 재배되는 채소류의 생물학적 안전성을 평가하기 위한 기초 자료를 확보하기 위하여, 2012년 9월부터 10월 사이에 서울시내 11곳의 도시텃밭에서 채취한 9종 채소류(배추, 상추, 무잎, 시금치, 겨자잎, 쑥갓, 파, 양배추와 치커리) 530 표본을 대상으로 총호기성균(일반세균), 대장균/대장균군, Salmonella spp. Listeria monocytogenes 및 E. coli O157:H7 오염 수준을 정량적으로 혹은 정성적으로 평가하였다. 조사한 농산물에 존재하는 총호기성 세균과 대장균군의 평균 수는 각각 6.3 log CFU/g (범위, 3.8-8.1 log CFU/g) 및 4.3 log CFU/g (범위, 2.1-6.4 log CFU/g) 이었다. 대장균군은 전체 표본의 67%에서 발견되었다. 치커리에서 가장 많은 수의 총호기성 세균과 대장균군이 검출되었고, 부추에서 가장 적은 수의 대장균군 오염을 보였다. 대장균은 전체 채소류의 2.3%에서 발견되었으나, 농산물별로는 상추, 무잎, 갓과 치커리에서 발견되었다. 그렇지만, 조사한 농산물에서 식중독 유발 세균인 Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes 및 E. coli O157:H7은 검출되지 않았다. 이상의 결과로 보아, 서울시내 도시텃밭에서 재배되는 채소류에서 식중독 유발 세균은 발견되지 않았으나, 재배 과정중 대장균군 및 대장균의 오염을 줄이기 위한 노력이 요구된다.

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