• Journal of Science Criminal Investigation
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.210-217
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• 2017

In the forensic microbiology laboratories, microorganism analyses from food are requested. There have been several cases of Bacillus cereus isolated from the samples requested to the National Forensic Service. B. cereus is an important pathogenic bacterium which can cause food-borne outbreaks. Therefore, we isolated B. cereus from anchovy aekjeot recently requested for microbial examination and identified using MSId based on the 16S rDNA sequence and real-time PCR method. We also conducted PCR for detection of diarrheal toxin genes and an emetic toxin gene and found the presence of nheABC, bceT and entFM diarrheal toxin genes in the B. cereus isolate. There are several clinically important food-poisoning bacteria that should be noted during inspection. In particular, B. cereus can cause food poisoning even when cooked foods are ingested, because B. cereus forms endo-spore which confers strong environmental resistance and heat resistance to the bacteria, and the bacterial emetic toxin also has heat resistance. Here we highlight the importance to distinguish clinically important bacteria such as B. cereus from food specimens, and we expect this study will provide procedures for identification of B. cereus and detection of the bacterial toxin genes for future cases in the forensic microbiology laboratories.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.102-108
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• 2024

This study was performed to establish the epidemiological features of a food poisoning outbreak that occurred in the cafeteria of a company in Chungcheongnam-do Province, Korea, in October 2020, and to recommend measures to prevent similar outbreaks. Twenty-one patients with acute gastroenteritis, three food handlers, seven cooking utensils, and 12 preserved food samples were subjected to viral and bacterial analyses based on procedures described in the "Manual for Detection of Foodborne Pathogens at Outbreaks". Among 135 individuals who had been served the meals, 21 (15.6%) showed symptoms of nausea and vomiting within an hour of consuming the food. Bacillus cereus were isolated from 11 (52.4%) of the 21 patients, one food service employee, one item of cooking ware, and 12 preserved food samples. In addition, we confirmed the toxin genes CER, nheA, and entFM from the isolated B. cereus strains. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis results indicated that all of the isolated B. cereus strains were closely related, with the exception of strains obtained from one patient and one sample of preserved food. These findings provide evidence to indicate that the isolated B. cereus originated from preserved foods and an unhygienic eating environment. This outbreak highlights that the provision of food in non-commercial food systems must be thoroughly managed. In addition, it emphasizes the necessity for the correct and timely identification of causal pathogens for tracing the cause of food poisoning outbreaks, and the need to preserve food under appropriate conditions. To prevent similar cases of food poisoning, it is necessary to investigate cases based on an epidemiological approach and share the findings.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.645-655
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• 2020

Bacteria are a very common cause of food poisoning. Moreover, bacteria form biofilms to protect themselves from harsh environments. Conventional detection methods for foodborne bacterial pathogens including the plate count method, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays require a lot of time and effort. Hyperspectral imaging has been used for food safety because of its non-destructive and real-time detection capability. This study assessed the feasibility of using hyperspectral imaging and machine learning techniques to detect biofilms formed by Escherichia coli. E. coli was cultured on a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) coupon, which is a main material of food processing facilities. Hyperspectral fluorescence images were acquired from 420 to 730 nm and analyzed by a single wavelength method and machine learning techniques to determine whether an E. coli culture was present. The prediction accuracy of a biofilm by the single wavelength method was 84.69%. The prediction accuracy by the machine learning techniques were 87.49, 91.16, 86.61, and 86.80% for decision tree (DT), k-nearest neighbor (k-NN), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), respectively. This result shows the possibility of using machine learning techniques, especially the k-NN model, to effectively detect bacterial pathogens and confirm food poisoning through hyperspectral images.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2024

We investigated the quality of 10 commercial eorigul-jeot, salt-fermented oysters with seasoning, by measuring their chemical composition and bacterial concentrations. The Eorigul-jeot had 5.07-6.06 pH (mean, 5.63), of 1.92-4.74% salinity (mean, 3.36%), 7.01-14.70 mg/100 g volatile basic nitrogen (mean, 11.91 mg/100 g), 139.22-267.11 mg/100 g amino acid nitrogen (mean, 212.69 mg/100 g), and 1.02-1.65 g/100 g total acidity (mean, 1.24 g/100 g). The total viable and lactic acid bacterial counts were 5.7×10⁴-8.7×10⁵ and 2.7×10³-2.0×10⁵ CFU/g, respectively, and fecal coliform was detected in only one Eorigul-jeot sample. Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens were detected in two samples, and all Eorigul-jeot samples were negative for Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. These results strongly suggest the need to monitor food-poisoning bacteria in commercial Eorigul-jeot to ensure consumer health.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.35-40
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• 2019

In this study, general bacterial counts and coliform counts, which are hygienic indicator microorganisms, were tested for candy, chocolate, and jelly which are easily available and enjoyed around. After dropping each sample on the desk, indoors, and outdoors, it is immediately collected, or washed and collected to confirm the myth of the 3-second rule. Immediately after removing the wrapping paper, each sample was dropped on the desk, indoors, and outdoors, and after 3 seconds from the moment of contact with the surface, and then collected in a sample bag using sterilized sanitary gloves. After the same operation, each sample was rinsed for 5 seconds using sterilized sanitary gloves and sterilized distilled water, and then collected in a sample bag. The number of bacteria detected in non-washing candies was 41 CFU/g at outdoor and the number of bacteria detected in non-washing chocolate was 76 CFU/g at outdoor. The number of bacteria detected in non-washing jellies was 79 CFU/g at outdoor. Coliform group was not detected in all samples. This showed good results at the level of m = 10,000 or less, which is an allowable value suggested in the Food Code. Also, effect of washing on contaminated food was confirmed. This result is remarkably low compared with the microorganism specimens shown in Food Code, and it is confirmed that contamination occurs but not high value. Therefore, the myth of the 3-second rule is true compared to the figures based on Food Code. However, it showed the characteristics of bacteria that could survive and cross-contaminate on dry food surfaces and emphasized the importance of hygiene through food contact to unsanitary surfaces to minimize the risk of food poisoning.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.88-97
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• 2014

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of microbiological contamination of kitchen utensils and environments of food service operations at university located in Seoul, Korea. Methods: We collected swab samples from the surfaces of knives, chopping boards, floors, and drains, as well as drinking water and airborne bacteria samples from 20 food service operations. Three bacterial indicators and five food poisoning bacteria were measured quantitatively and qualitatively, respectively. We used selective culture media and the PCR assay targeting 16S rRNA gene for the microbiological analysis. Results: We detected bacterial indicators on knives or chopping boards in eight different food service operations and, three food service operations (I, M, and O) showed more than 3 log colony forming units $(CFU)/100cm^2$ on their knives, significantly higher than the others. The levels of bacterial indicators on the floors and drains in the cooking areas were much higher than those on the cooking utensils. S. aureus was detected on 10 floors and 8 drains. Culturable bacteria were identified in 5 drinking water samples, and food service operation B ($431.1CFU/m^3$) and C ($551.2CFU/m^3$) showed more than $400CFU/m^3$ of total airborne bacteria. Conclusions: These results suggest that some of food service operations in this study may require additional investigation to secure the microbial safety of cooking environments. In addition, further actions including hygiene education for employees and proper guidelines to maintain clean cooking environments should be prepared.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.11
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• pp.4924-4931
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• 2011

This research performed to evaluate a production processes reporting by the HACCP system of green vegetable juice products, containing lactic acid bacteria, stage of processing raw materials agricultural products and production facilities of general bacteria and pathogenic micro organism. General bacteria are found from four samples of storage of agricultural products at process stage and water was detected 8.67~14.67 CFU/ml. However, all samples were detected less than 105 CFU/ml as a legal standards after the process of UV sterilization. For the outcome of experiment of E.coli, E.coli O157:H7, B.cereus, L.moonocytogenes, Salmonella spp, Staph.aureus as the food poisoning bacterial, E.coli was detected until UV pre-step process in storage process and B.cereus was detected partly till 1st washing. Since all bacterial, Yeast and Mold are detected in main materials, pre-control method is a necessary to establish for decreasing with a number of initial bacteria of main materials and it is considered to establish the effective ways of washing and sterilization such as production facilities for cross contamination prevention of bacteria and Sthaphylococcus. Based on above results, the process of UV sterilization should be managed with CCP as an important process to reduce or eliminate the general and food poisoning bacterial of green vegetable juice products, including lactic acid bacteria. Therefore, it is considered to need an exhaustive HACCP plan such as control manual of UV sterilization, solution method, verification, education and training and record management.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.1646-1652
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• 2002

Si-Raw is a raw cured meat (raw, cured meat fermented with steamed rice) produced by the aboriginal people of Taiwan. In order to prevent food poisoning or intoxication from botulism, new methods of monitoring the production base on hurdle technology were investigated. New methods investigated incorporated citric acid, sodium hypophosphite, Monascus anka mash, plum paste or lactic acid bacteria inoculum added separately to meat with steamed rice and salt to lower the Aw (water activity) and pH values of the products to control the microbial growth. Results showed that anaerobic bacterial counts, lactic acid bacterial counts and aerobic bacterial counts for the products of all treatments were less than $10^6$, $10^5$ and $10^2cfu/g$, respectively. Sodium chloride content of all products was above 5.46%, water activity was below 0.939 and pH value was below 4.27. IMP was lower and ATP and hypoxanthine were higher. ATP concentrations were higher in the samples which contained the anka mash. Result of sensory panel test indicated that most people preferred the products with added sodium hypophosphite. Except for the fact that the content of tryptamine in the sample with Monascus anka mash was higher, the amine concentrations for all treatments were lower than those of other fermented meat products. The amino acid nitrogen content was higher in the product made from raw meat treated with citric acid, but lower in the other products. Neither Clostridium botulinum nor Trichinella spiralis were detected in any of the treatments. The result may indicate that hurdle technology is effective for hygiene and safe producing Si-Raw.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.1045-1051
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• 2021

Eighty-nine different types of commercially salt-fermented fishery products comprising various raw materials were analyzed for total aerobic bacteria, number of coliform bacteria, fecal coliform, and Escherichia coli. The food-poisoning bacterial content of the samples was investigated using next-generation sequencing. The mean mass of total aerobic bacteria in Jeotgal was 6-1.8×10⁹ CFU/g, and that in Aekjeot and Sikhae was 4-2.2×10⁵ CFU/mL and 1.9×10⁵-8.4×10⁸ CFU/g, respectively. Coliform bacteria were detected in 9 (28.1%) of 32 Jeotgal samples; 15 (46.8%) of 32 seasonal Jeotgal samples; and in 5 (55.5%) of 9 Sikhae samples. Fecal coliform and E. coli were not detected in 86 of the 89 samples. Yersinia enterocolitica was detected only in Galchi jeot (salt-fermented hairtail) (1 type) and not in other Jeotgal samples. These results contribute to our knowledge regarding the bacterial stability of salt-fermented fishery products.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.838-843
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• 2005

Bacterial suspension test was used to establish Standardization Test Method to investigate bactericidal activity of disinfectant/sanitizer product. Using acceptable verification methodology, test substance showing 5 log or higher reduction in viable count against Escherichia coli ATCC 10536 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, representing Gram-negative and -positive bacteria, respectively, under test conditions for $5\;min{\pm}10\;sec\;at\;20{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ was considered to have sanitizing capability. All disinfectant/sanitizer products tested under manufacturer's recommended in-use condition gave good reduction values against major food-poisoning bacteria. This standardized method was valuable for evaluating efficacy of disinfectants/sanitizers and could be used as Standardization Test Method for assessing bactericidal activity