• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.379-386
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• 1998

Deterioration of food is in general caused by the presence of microorganisms and chemical compounds of food itself. There exists antimicrobial compound in the food, however, addition of food antiseptics, additives, or physico-chemical processing is a common practice. The safety of artificial chemical antiseptics became a serious public concern, therefore, new natural antiseptic compounds are in need to be developed. We have isolated a new natural antifungal protein (KBS-B2) from Astragal seed through ammonium sulfate precipitation and column chromatography using FPLC Mono-S and Superose 12HR. The purified protein inhibited growth of Candida albicans, and spore germination of food spoiling fungi such as Aspergillus ochraceus, Penicillium expensum, P. digitatum and Botrytis cineria. Antifungal effect of the KBS-B2 protein could be directly assayed by bioautography overlaying the fungal spores on the electrophoresed acrylamide gel. The comparison of N-terminal amino acid sequences of the KBS-B2 with known antifungal protein revealed that had 50% homology to thaumatin and zeamatin like proteins.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.361-365
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• 2011

To evaluate the indoor air quality of food manufacturing plants, the presence of viable bacteria and fungi was assessed in the indoor air of the facilities at which 9 food items were manufactured. Air samples were collected from the general zone, low clean zone and clean zone of each factory with an air sampler, in combination with plate counts agar using for bacteria, and dichloran-glycerol agar for fungi. The samples were incubated at $25^{\circ}C$ for 4 to 7 days. After culture, the colony forming units (CFU) on each plate were counted and corrected with a positive hole conversion table. The average concentration of bacteria was $2.2{\times}10^3\;CFU/m^3$ in the general zone, $1.2{\times}10^3\;CFU/m^3$ in the low clean zone and $7.3{\times}10^2\;CFU/m^3$ in the clean zone. The average concentration of fungal microbes was $2.5{\times}10^3\;CFU/m^3$ in the general zone, $2.6{\times}10^3\;CFU/m^3$ in the low clean zone, and $2.0{\times}10^2\;CFU/m^3$ in the clean zone. No meaningful differences were detected between the general zone and the low clean zone, but the clean zone had significantly lower concentrations than the other zones. Additionally, the identification of the fungi was performed according to morphological method using a giant culture and slide culture. The fungi were identified as belonging to 18 genera, and the genera Cladosporium(33%), Penicillium(29%) and Aspergillus(26%), predominated. Aspergillus isolates were identified to species level, and A. ochraceus, a mycotoxigenic species, was identified. As part of the effort to control the quality of the indoor air of food manufacturing plants, our results show that continued studies are clearly warranted.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.543-551
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• 2023

In this study, five endophytic fungi belonging to the Aspergillus and Alternaria genera were isolated from Lagopsis supina. The antimicrobial activity of all fungal fermented extracts against Staphylococcus and Fusarium graminearum was tested using the cup-plate method. Among them, Aspergillus ochraceus XZC-1 showed the best activity and was subsequently selected for large-scale fermentation and bioactivity-directed separation of the secondary metabolites. Four compounds, including 2-methoxy-6-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (1), 3,5-dihydroxytoluene (2), oleic acid (3), and penicillic acid (4) were discovered. Here, compounds 1 and 4 displayed anti-fungal activity against F. graminearum, F. oxysporum, F. moniliforme, F. stratum, Botrytis cinerea, Magnaporthe oryzae, and Verticillium dahlia with diverse MIC values (128-512 ㎍/ml), which were close to that of the positive control antifungal, actidione (64-128 ㎍/ml). Additionally, compounds 1 and 4 also exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against S. aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella enterica, with low MIC values (8-64 ㎍/ml). Moreover, compounds 1 and 4 displayed selective cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines as compared with the normal fibroblast cells. Therefore, this study proposes that the endophytic fungi from L. supina can potentially produce bioactive molecules to be used as lead compounds in drugs or agricultural antibiotics.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2024

This study investigated the effectiveness of using pathogens and aqueous acids to reduce the Aspergillus ochraceus and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa contamination in livestock production environments. For this study, 1 mL of each bacterial suspension (10⁷-10⁸ spores/mL) was inoculated on a knife surface, dried at 37℃, and used under each treatment condition. First, to investigate the effect of organic acids, acetic, lactic, and citric acids were used. Subsequently, to select the appropriate concentration, they were prepared at concentrations of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5%, respectively. Accordingly, to further maximize the effect of organic acid treatment, we combined the treatment with ultraviolet light. The two strains showed a significant difference (P<0.05) compared to the initial strain, with a greater than 90% decrease in the concentrations of all organic acids. Consequently, acetic and lactic acids decreased by approximately 5 and 2 log colony forming unit (CFU)/cm², respectively, when treated with ultraviolet light (360 mJ/cm²); however, citric acid decreased by less than 1 log CFU/cm². However, when manufactured with 4% acetic acid, a severe malodor was emitted, making it difficult for workers to use it in a production environment. Accordingly, the optimal treatment conditions for organic acid and ultraviolet light for application were selected as follows: immersion in a 4% lactic acid solution for 1 minute and then, sterilization with ultraviolet light at 360 mJ/cm². Finally, when a pork meat sample was cut with a knife that was finally washed with lactic acid and treated with ultraviolet light, the low level of inoculum transferred from the cleaned knife to the surface of the sample was not detected. In conclusion, using this established method can prevent cross-contamination of the surface of the meat during processing.

• Mycobiology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.90-96
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• 2005

Sixty two out of the sixty four species of fungal isolates tested could produce both $exo-{\beta}1,4-gluconase\;(C_1)$ and $endo-{\beta}1,4-gluconase\;(C_x)$ on pure cellulose and rice straw as carbon source in Czapek's medium. Fifty-eight and fifteen species were able to grow at $25^{\circ}C$ and at $45^{\circ}C$, respectively. Eleven species could grow at both $25^{\circ}C$ and $45^{\circ}C$ while, four species appeared only at $45^{\circ}C$. The most cellulolytic species at $25^{\circ}C$ was Trichoderma koningii producing 1.164 $C_1$ (mg glucose/1 ml culture filtrate/1 hr) and 2.690 $C_x$ on pure cellulose, and 0.889 $C_1$, and 1.810 $C_x$ on rice straw, respectively. At $45^{\circ}C$, the most active thermotolerant species were Aspergillus terreus, followed by A. fumigatus. Talaromyces thermophilus was the highest active thermophilic species followed by Malbranchea sulfurea. Most of these species were also active in fermentation of rice straw at 25 and $45^{\circ}C$ (P<0.05). The most active ones were T. koningii, A. ochraceus and A. terreus, which produced 201.5, 193.1 and 188.1 mg crude protein/g dry straw, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1984.09a
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• pp.225-232
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• 1984

Panax ginseng extract is capable of enhancing antibody plaque forming cell response and circulating antibody titre against sheep erythrocytes, cell mediated immunity against Semliki forest virus antigen and natural killer cell activity in mice. It also enhanced production of interferon of both the pH stable and labile types induced by an interferon inducer of fungal origin.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.54-62
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• 1974

62 specimens of deteriorated rice which were collected all over Korea, were classified according to their color outlooks, and the causitive microorganisms were isolated and identified. The following results were observed; 1. 62 specimens of deteriorated rice were classified according to color outlooks into 7 types; reddish yellow, light reddish yellow, light gray yellow, light reddish yellow, light gray yellow, light red, ligt gray, dark gray and rice weevil type. 2. The isolated microorganisms from 62 specimens of deteriorated rice were 44 species, 5 genera of molds, 1 species of yeast, and 14 species, 4 genera of bacteria. 3. The frequently observed microorganisms which caused the deterioration were Asp. glaucus group, Asp. oryzae, Asp. candidus, and Asp. versicolor. Among bacteria, Bacillus was dominant. 4. The relationship between color outlook types and the deterioration causing microrrganisms was not definite, but Pen. islandicum from reddish yellow, Asp. candidus and Asp. clavatus from light reddish yellow, Asp. glaucus group, Asp. candidus, Asp. versicolor and Asp. fumigatus from light red, Asp. oryzae from light gray yellow, and Asp. glaucus group and Pencillium species from light gray and dark gray were chiefly isolated. 5. As mycotoxin producing fungi, Asp. fumigatus, Pen. citrinum, Pen. islandicum, Asp. flavus, and Asp. ochraceus were detected, but their growth frequencies were not very high to be problems except Pen, islandicum which infected an imported rice sample heavily.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.276-284
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• 2008

A lactic acid bacterium having antifungal activity was isolated from kimchi. It was identified as Lactobacillus plantarum based on its morphological and biochemical properties, and 16S rRNA sequence, and designated as Lb. plantarum AF1. This isolate inhibited the growth of Aspergillus flavus ATCC 22546, A. fumigatus ATCC 96918, A. petrakii PF-1, A. ochraceus PF-2, A. nidulans PF-3, Epicoccum nigrum KF-1, and Cladosporium gossypiicola KF-2 under a dual culture overlay assay. Also, the antimicrobial activity was found to be active against various species of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The antifungal activity was found to be stable after heat ($121^{\circ}C$, 15 min) and proteolytic enzyme treatment, but it was unstable over pH 5.0. The antifungal compound(s) was estimated to have a low molecular mass (below 3,000 Da).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1322-1329
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• 2011

Filamentous fungi colonizing rice straw were collected from 11 different sites in Korea and were identified based on characterization of their morphology and molecular properties. The fungi were divided into 25 species belonging to 16 genera, including 14 ascomycetes, one zygomycete, and one basidiomycete. Fungal cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes were assessed through a two-step process, wherein highly active cellulase- and/or hemicellulase-producing fungi were selected in a first screening step followed by a second step to isolate the best enzyme-producer. Twenty-five fungal species were first screened for the production of total cellulase (TC), endo-${\beta}$-1,4 glucanase (EG), and endo-${\beta}$-1,4 xylanase (XYL) using solid-state fermentation with rice straw as substrate. From this screening, six species, namely, Aspergillus niger KUC5183, A. ochraceus KUC5204, A. versicolor KUC5201, Mucor circinelloides KUC6014, Trichoderma harzianum 1 KUC5182, and an unknown basidiomycete species, KUC8721, were selected. These six species were then incubated in liquid Mandels' media containing cellulose, glucose, rice straw, or xylan as the sole carbon source and the activities of six different enzymes were measured. Enzyme production was highly influenced by media conditions and in some cases significantly increased. Through this screening process, Trichoderma harzianum 1 KUC5182 was selected as the best enzyme producer. Rice straw and xylan were good carbon sources for the screening of cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.890-901
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• 2021

The 11α-hydroxylation of canrenone can be catalyzed by Aspergillus ochraceus in bioreactors, where the geometry of the impeller greatly influences the biotransformation. In this study, the effects of the blade number and impeller diameter of a Rushton turbine on the 11α-hydroxylation of canrenone were considered. The results of fermentation experiments using a 50 mm four-blade impeller showed that 3.40% and 11.43% increases in the conversion ratio were achieved by increasing the blade number and impeller diameter, respectively. However, with an impeller diameter of 60 mm, the conversion ratio with a six-blade impeller was 14.42% lower than that with a four-blade impeller. Data from cold model experiments with a large-diameter six-blade impeller indicated that the serious leakage of inclusions and a 22.08% enzyme activity retention led to a low conversion ratio. Numerical simulations suggested that there was good gas distribution and high fluid flow velocity when the fluid was stirred by large-diameter impellers, resulting in a high dissolved oxygen content and good bulk circulation, which positively affected hyphal growth and metabolism. However, a large-diameter six-blade impeller created overly high shear compared to a large-diameter four-blade impeller, thereby decreasing the conversion ratio. The average shear rates of the former and latter cases were 43.25 s^-1 and 35.31 s^-1, respectively. We therefore concluded that appropriate shear should be applied in the 11α-hydroxylation of canrenone. Overall, this study provides basic data for the scaled-up production of 11α-hydroxycanrenone.