• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.2993-2998
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• 2009

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-on-a-chip (EOC) biosensor combined with cell concentration technology based on immuno-magnetic separation (IMS) was investigated for use as a potential tool for early screening of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) in food products. The target analyte is a well-known pathogenic foodborne microorganism and outbreaks of the food poisoning typically occur due to contamination of normal food products. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop a rapid and reliable sensor that could be utilized on a daily basis to test food products for the presence of this pathogenic microorganism. The sensor was optimized to provide a high detection capability (e.g., 5.9 ${\times}\;10^3$ cells/mL) and, to eventually minimize cultivation time. The cell density was condensed using IMS prior to analysis. Since the concentration rate of IMS was greater than 100-fold, this combination resulted in a detection limit of 54 cells/mL. The EOC-IMS coupled analytical system was then applied to a real sample test of fish intestines. The system was able to detect L. monocytogenes at a concentration of 2.4 CFU/g after pre-enrichment for 6 h from the onset of cell cultivation. This may allow us to monitor the target analyte at a concentration less than 1 CFU/g within a 9 h-cultivation provided a doubling time of 40 min is typically maintained. Based on this estimation, the EOC-IMS system can screen and detect the presence of this microorganism in food products almost within working hours.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.673-680
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• 2009

This study was conducted to screen for plant food materials that improve human intestinal microflora, especially microorganisms associated with obesity. Among 30 tested plant food materials, the extract of Schizandra chinensis inactivated Eubacterium limosum, Bacteroides fragilis and Clostridium spp. Additionally, S. chinensis extract was also found to have a growth-promoting effect on Bifidobacterium spp.. The antimicrobial activity and antioxidant activity of the water extract did not decrease in respond to heating. Additionally, the water extract of S. chinensis did not show a toxic effect on the growth of Caco-2 cells. In vivo feeding tests were performed to investigate the influence of extract on the intestinal microflora in rats. Although the extract did not reduce obesity induced by a high fat diet, it led to significant increase in the population of Bifidobacterium spp. and a decrease in the population of Clostridium spp. in rats. Taken together, these results indicate that S. chinensis could be useful as a functional food component to control intestinal microbial flora.