• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2009

As consumption of kimchi has increased, factories have begun to produce this traditional Korean fermented vegetable dish on a large scale. Following the rise in manufacturing, the hygienic conditions under which commercial kimchi is being made have become an issue. We isolated 17 coliform bacteria from commercial kimchi that had not been fully fermented. These bacteria were partially identified as one of seven different species from three genera by 16S rDNA sequence analysis as follows: Enterobacter intermedius, Ent. cloacae, Ent. amnigenus, Klebsiella terrigena, K. ornithinolytica, K. oxytoca, and Hafnia alvei. Lactobacillus paraplantarum KNUC25 has been isolated from over-fermented Chinese cabbage kimchi and its antimicrobial activity reported in the literature. In our study, the KNUC25 strain showed antibacterial activity against isolated coliform bacteria and some pathogenic coliform bacteria through spot-on-the-lawn tests and viable cell tests. Through development and use of a cell-free supernatant of L. paraplantarum KNUC25, we effectively controlled coliform bacteria in commercial kimchi.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 1983

The purpose of this study was to analyze general ingredient of bean cured on the market and to examine its exposure to bacterial contamination. For this study, 17 samples (each 9 samples for general bean curd, soft bean curd, and uncurdled bean curd) were randomly collected from nine areas in Seoul from the beginning of April, 1983 to the beginning of June, 1983. The result of ingredient analysis of moisture, ash, and protein of bean curd was compared with the standard set by the Ministry of Health & Social Affairs. In order to find out exposure of bean curd on the market to bacterial contamination, total biological bacteria and coliform group were examined. Experimental results were shown as follows 1) Results of ingredient analysis of moisture, ash, and protein of general bean curd showed that total samples in both moisture and protein met the standard set by the Ministry of Health & Social Affairs but 44.4% of the samples in ash was below the above standard, indicating average 82.0%, 0.9% and 9.6% in moisture, ash, and protein order. 2) Experimental results of moisture, ash, and protein of soft bean curd demonstrated 90.2%, 0.5% and 4.3% respectively total samples in both moisture and protein satisfied the self-criteria set by the Soft Food Co-operative Association of Seoul City but 11.1% of the samples in ash didn't meet the self-criteria. 3) Total samples of uncurdled bean curd satisfied the self-criteria set by the above association, indicating average 92.0%, 0.4%, and 3.5% in moisture, ash, and protein order. 4) Total biological bacteria and coliform group detected in general bean curd showed that more than 10$^5$/g in total biological bacteria accounted for 88.8% of the samples and that 10$^4$/g or more in coliform group accounted for 77.7% of the samples. The result proves that general bean curd has been exposured to a severe bacterial contamination. 5) Result of total biological bacteria and coliform group detected in such packed bean curd as uncurdled bean curd and soft bean curd showed that 61.6% of the samples exceeded 10$^6$/g in total biological bacteria and 27.7% of the samples exceeded 10$^3$/g in coliform group. 6) According to the change with time and temperatures in total biological bacteria and coliform group of general bean curd, general bean curd began to decay around 72 hours at 4$\circ$C and around 48 hours at 23$\circ$C and around 24 hours at 37$\circ$C and, at that time, total biological bacteria approached 10$^6$/g while coliform group did 10$^6$/g. The result indicates that temperature has a great effect on bacteria counts and decay.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.1 s.106
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• pp.106-111
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• 2004

Fecal coliform bacteria is one of the most common cause of water quality impairments in Virginia, USA. Instream concentrations of fecal coliform (FC) bacteria were routinely monitored to assess surface water quality of the Polecat Creek watershed. Median concentration in water samples collected from 1995 to 2000 ranged from 80 cfu/100 mL to t 70 cfu/100 mL, while geometric mean concentrations ranged from 81 cfu/100 mL to 141 cfu/100 mL. The dilution and deposition by Lake Caroline may cause to lower FC concentration at monitoring site QPB, as compared FC concentration at QPD. Higher in-stream FC concentration occurred during the summer period(June-August), and lower concentration typically occurred during the winter period (December-February). This is due to more cattle in streams, and greater survival and regrowth of FC bacteria under warmer condition. The findings of this study can be helpful in planning the water quality monitoring program to avoid the inaccurate assessment of water quality due to the timing of sample collection.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.589-593
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• 2002

Improvement of hygienic quality of powdered raw grains and vegetables by gamma irradiation was investigated. Five products of powdered raw grains and vegetables were collected in a local market and analysed. The total viable cell counts of Bacillus were 10$^4$~10$^{7}$ cfu/g, filamentous fungi l0$^2$~10$^3$cfu/g, coliform 10$^1$~10$^4$cfu/g, enteric bacteria on SS agar plate 10$^1$~10$^3$cfu/g. Coliform, enteric bacteria on SS agar plate and filamentous fungi were eliminated by 3 kGy of gamma irradiation. The D values of coliform, enteric bacteria on SS agar plate, Bacillus, and filamentous fungi were 0.68~0.80 kGy, 0.59~0.74 kGy, 1.84~2.18 kGy and 0.36~0.57 kGy, respectively. It was considered that optimal irradiation dose for radappertization was about 25 kGy, while 3~5 kGy of gamma irradiation was effective for radicidation.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.433-435
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• 1999

The number of viable microorganism in drinking water was monitored according to storage temperature and storage period. The number of general bacteria in underground water was 10$^2$~10$^{5}$ CFU/ml and that of coliform group was decreased after 7days. The number of general bacteria in bottle water was increased until 7days but decreased after that day. Coliform group in bottle water were detected only 1 sample. The number of general bacteria in purified water was 10$^3$~10$^4$CFU/ml and 10$^2$~10$^4$CFU/m1 at 8$^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$, respectively. Coliform group were not detected in purified water.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.480-486
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• 2002

Six strains of intestinal pathogenic bacteria were inoculated into kimchi at the preparation time, and the influence of kimchi fermentation on the growth of these pathogenic bacteria was investigated. The population of coliform bacteria in the kimchi raw materials, and its changes in the kimchi sample during fermentation were also determined. Among the raw materials, highest populations of coliform bacteria were detected in ginger and green onion, followed by Chinese cabbage, red pepper, and garlic. Populations of pathogenic bacteria (inoculated strains) and coliform bacteria in kimchi decreased as pH decreased with fermentation. Coliform bacteria disappeared at pH 3.9 in Chinese cabbage kimchi samples. Clostridium perfringens ATCC 13124, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19111, Salmonella typhimurium KCTC 1625, Staphylococcus aureus KCTC 1621, Vibrio parahamolyticus ATCC 27519, and Escherichia coli O157 H:7 ATCC 43894 were not detected at pH values less than 4.1, 3.7, 3.8, 3.8, 3.7, and 3.7 in Chinese cabbage kimchi, and at pH values less than 4.5, 4.0, 4.2, 4.2, 4.2 and 4.1 in mustard leaf kimchi, respectively. The juice of mustard leaf and allyl isothiocyanate exhibited high antimicrobial activities on the pathogenic bacteria, whereas the lowest on lactic acid bacteria. These results indicated that fermentation is useful to improve the safety of kimchi, and the antimicrobial effect of mustard leaf kimchi is mainly due to the major pungent compound of mustard leaf, allyl isothiocyanate.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 1996

Naengmyon is a Korean buckwheat noodle with chilld broth, and the juice of dongchimi, a Korean radish pickle fermented with wild lactic acid bacteria, has been used as the broth for naengmyon traditionally. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the inhibitory effect of dongchimi-juice against coliform bacteria in model system of naengmyon-broth. Dongchimi-juice was made from radish juice by the cultivation of lactic acid bacteria which had been isolated from kimchi. Three types of naengmyon-broth, beef-broth type, dongchimi-juice type and the mixed type, were made as model systems, and then the changes in viable cell counts of seven coliform bacteria, Klebsiella planticola Bo2, X. terrigena CO8, K. pneumoniae DOI, K. ozaenae DO4, Enterobacter sp. AO2, Enterobacter sp. CO7, Citrobacter sp. BO7 and Escherichia sp. DO3, which had been added to each type of naengmyon-broth in advance, were investigated during storage at 3$0^{\circ}C$ All coliforms grew rapidly in naengmyon-broth of beef-broth type, while none grew in dongchimi-juice type or in the mixed type. All coliforms died out far more rapidly in dongchimi-juice type than in mixed type. The decreasing slopes of Citrobacter sp. Bo7, K. planticola BO2, X. terrigena CO8 and K. ozaenae DO4 were more steep than those of the rest. It was thought that the preparation method of Korean traditional naengmyon such as dongchimi-naengmyon or Pyongyang style-naengmyon, which uses oxy dongchimi-) juice or the mixture of dongchimi-juice and beef-broth, would be very effective for preventing the growth of coliform bacteria from naengmyon.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 2005

This study was undertaken to investigate the changes of index microorganisms and lactic acid bacteria of traditional Korean fermented vegetables (kimchi) during the ripening and fermentation period. A type of kimchi, baechoo-kimchi, was prepared and stored at $10^{\circ}C$ for 8 days. The numbers of the total aerobic bacteria, psychrotrophilic bacteria, coliform bacteria, and Escherichia coli in the kimchi and also in raw materials of the kimchi (Chinese cabbage, green onion, ginger, garlic, and red pepper) were counted using appropriate media. The highest number of aerobic bacteria was detected from ginger, then red pepper, then garlic, then Chinese cabbage, and lowest number from green onion. The highest number of psychrotrophilic bacteria was detected from red pepper, then Chinese cabbage, then garlic, then ginger, and the lowest number from green onion. Coliforms and E. coli were not detected from all of the raw materials of kimchi. Total aerobic bacteria and lactic acid bacteria of the kimchi showed gradually increasing during ripening and fermentation. The number of psychrotrophilic bacteria showed a similar level in the kimchi. Coliform bacteria were detected at the 3rd, 4th, and 5th day of the kimchi fermentation period, although they were not detected from the raw materials of the kimchi. However, the bacteria were not detected in the kimchi after 6 days. E. coli was not detected in all kimchi samples. The pH value of the kimchi gradually decreased, and acidity increased over fermentation period. This study indicates that there was contamination of coliform bacteria during the process of kimchi preparation, and lactic acid bacteria proliferated in the kimchi during fermentation inhibited the growth of coliforms. More research is needed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of each raw materials of kimchi.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.23-41
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• 2002

In this paper, changes of the coliform bacteria were investigated when aquatic plant pond was used for separating algal particles from waste stabilization ponds(WSPs). Three different types of integrated natural systems were operated. It was found that there were no significant interferences for the disinfection efficiency of two integrated systems (WSPs coupled with water hyacinth ponds) used for treating domestic sewage and upgrading the secondary effluent as well. However, when constructed wetland (CW) was combined with the shallow algal ponds and used for the secondary effluent, it seriously interfered with the disinfection efficiency due to the regrowth and/or after-growth of the coliform bacteria, which can readily metabolize the amino acids and sugars leached from plants. In order to find out the primary disinfection parameters, several sets of the batch test were run. It was found that sunlight is the most predominant factor for the coliform decay. During the night, algal toxicity partly supports the decay but during the day, deteriorates it by attenuating the sunlight. The pH in the range of 4 to 10 did not affect the decay in the dark.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2006

To evaluate bacteriological water quality of groundwater in Yeungnam Province, samples were taken from 123 locations during summer and 117 locations during winter. The medians of heterotrophic plate counts.(HPCs) were 30 CFU/mL for the summer samples and 40 CFU/ml for the winter, and more than 25% showed HPCs higher than 100 CFU/ml. Coliform bacteria were detected from 46% of the summer samples and 30% of the winter. In these coliform-positive samples, the medians of coliform counts were 20 CFU/ml for the summer samples and 4 CFU/ml for the winter. Genera such as Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Escherichia, Klebsielia, Pantoea, Rahnellia, and Serratia were identified from the coliform isolates; among them, 48% were members of the genus Enterobacter. While E. cloacae, E. amnigenus, and K. pneumoniae were the most frequently isolated species, E. coli was isolated only from 1 location. The coliform counts were positively correlated with the HPCs, which also positively correlated with water temperature. The results of present study provide further insight on the extent of groundwater contamination with coliform bacteria.