• Health Policy and Management
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 2015

Vaccination is the most powerful and useful preparation against infectious diseases. However, developing vaccines costs a lot and requires extensive long-term efforts. Therefore, the government should research and develop vaccines with a national-level policy. To greatly enhance the success rate of vaccine development, the policy should be set up considering priorities such as the current status of domestic research, the importance for public health, the urgency of research. The Delphi technique was utilized to draft this survey, through a brainstorming stage, then two inquiries, and finally the final panel meeting where unresolved items were discussed, to draw the conclusion. Among the results, firstly, the highest ranked item on centralized fields for vaccine development by the Ministry of Health was 'self-sufficiency of vaccines.' Secondly, 'emerging infectious disease' was most highly ranked in prioritized fields of vaccine development and research. Thirdly, for the vaccine that needs to be improved and developed further by the government to improve its efficacy and safety, BCG (Bacille de Calmette) for tuberculosis was ranked the highest on both types (intradermal and subcutaneous injection) from National Immunization Programme (NIP) and non-NIP. As for the high risk pathogens, 'anthrax' and 'smallpox' were first and second, consecutively. Lastly, 'development and control of vaccine candidates' was ranked the highest for the area in need for technique development in order to improve domestic vaccine's research level. The results of this study will be put to good use as basic data for the national vaccine research and development (R&D) policy of the country. This study was first step and more studies should be carried out for the final decision of the national vaccine R&D priority.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.312-318
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• 2013

This study validated microbiological hazards of ginseng farms at the cultivation stage and suggested recommendations to develop a good agricultural practices (GAP) model. A total of 96 samples were collected from cultivation environments (soil, irrigation water, and atmosphere), plants (ginseng and its leaf), personnel hygiene (glove, cloth, and hand) of 3 ginseng farms (A, B, and C) and were tested to analyze sanitary indicator bacteria (aerobic plate count, coliforms and Escherichia coli), major foodborne pathogens (E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus), and fungi. Total bacteria, coliform, and fungi in the 3 ginseng farms were detected at the level of 1.3~6.0, 0.1~5.0, and 0.4~4.9 v/g (or mL, hand, and $100cm^2$), respectively. Only irrigation water collected from one ginseng farm was confirmed to be E. coli positive. In case of pathogenic bacteria, B. cereus was detected at levels of 0.1~5.0 log CFU/g (or mL, hand, and $100cm^2$) in all samples, but other pathogen bacterias were not detected in any samples from all farms. Although E. coli were detected in irrigation water, the level of microbial for the three farms was lower than the regulation limit. According to the results, the ginsengs produced from the 3 farms were comparatively safe with respect to microbiological hazard. However, cross-contamination of bacteria from environments and workers to ginseng has been considered as potential risks. Therefore, to minimize microbial contamination in ginseng, GAP model should be applied for ensuring the safety of ginsengs.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.84-97
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• 2016

Isolates from Korean fermented soybean paste were identified as Enterococcus faecium SBP12, Pediococcus halophilus SBP20, Lactobacillus fermentum SBP33, Leuconostoc mesenteroides SBP37, Pediococcus pentosaceus SBP41, Lactobacillus brevis SBP49, Lactobacillus acidophilus SBP55, and Enterococcus faecalis SBP58 according to conventional morphological and biochemical characteristics, carbohydrate fermentation profiling, and 16S rRNA sequence comparison. Strain SBP20, SBP33, SBP49, and SBP55 showed very resistance to simulated gastric and intestinal juices with final populations exceeding 6 log CFU/ml, whereas cells of SBP12 and SBP58 after exposure to low pH were dramatically decreased within 2 h. Among 4 strains having good tolerance to gastrointestinal conditions, the high adhesive ability to HT-29 cells, antibiotic resistance, and antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 were observed with SBP49 and SBP55, therefore, these two strains were confirmed as putative probiotic candidates. There was no significant difference between the sourdoughs fermented with SBP49 and SBP55 with respect to the values of pH, total titratable acidity, and viable cell count. During sourdough fermentation, SBP49 strain produced significantly greater amounts of lactic acid than SBP55 strain, which secreted large quantities of hydrogen peroxide. SBP49 and SBP55 strains producing the antimicrobial substances such as lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocin effectively inhibited B. cereus and S. aureus inoculated in the sourdough.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.322-330
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• 2006

Sixteen semimembranous muscles were removed from sixteen left pig carcasses. They were cut into $7{\times}10{\times}2cm$ pieces and mixed randomly. Samples were assigned to four treatments: (T1) soy-based sauce; (T2) Kimchi-based sauce; (T3) pickled shrimp-based sauce; and (T4) onion-based sauce. Each sample was aged in a plastic box at $1^{\circ}C$ for 10 days, then vacuum packed and held at $1^{\circ}C$ for 28 days. The lightness and redness values of the aged pork were, in most cases, significantly increased on the surface and in the interior (p<0.05) by day 28 for all treatments, relative to day 1. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value significantly (p<0.05) increased for T1 and T4 from day 1 until day 14, but decreased after 14 days of storage (p<0.05). The TBARS value for T3 decreased with storage time (p<0.05), although there was no difference between 14 and 28 days. The total volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) content increased significantly with storage time (p<0.05) for all treatments, with the exception of T2. Total plate counts (TPC) increased significantly (p<0.05) with increasing storage time for all treatments. On day 1, T2 had the highest TPC value (p<0.05), while T4 was lowest (p<0.05). On 28 day, T2 had the lowest TPC value (p<0.05), while T3 was highest (p<0.05). E. coli levels showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease with increased storage for T1, T2 and T4. These results indicate that T2 was move effective at inhibiting the growth of E. coli than the other pork samples. The levels of Lactobacillus spp. increased with storage time for all samples. These results suggest that traditional Korean ingredients could be utilized to extend the shelf-life of aged pork during storage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.327-332
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• 2016

This study investigated the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of various solvents (acetone, ethyl acetate, and ethanol) for extraction of Auricularia auricula-judae. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by determining total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical scavenging activity. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were not significantly different among the extracts, whereas DPPH radical scavenging activity and ABTS cation radical scavenging activity were significantly higher in ethanol and acetone extracts. DPPH radical scavenging activities of ethanol and acetone extracts showed high values (58.7% and 46.7%, respectively). The antimicrobial properties of these extracts were determined against six bacterial pathogens (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter cloacae) by the disc diffusion method. The acetone extracts showed antimicrobial activities against all tested bacteria, and all extracts showed the highest antimicrobial activity against B. subtilis.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.178-182
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• 2019

This study investigated the antibacterial effects of BioZone atmospheric plasma (AP) against Bacillus cereus (F4810/72) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538) as the major foodborne bacteria on the surface of dried filefish (Stephanolepis cirrhifer) fillets. The fillets were experimentally contaminated with 7-8 log CFU/mL of B. cereus or S. aureus using a spot inoculation method. Bacterial counts were measured by standard plate method on tryptic soy agar, and were significantly reduced with the increase in the treatment time (1, 3, 5 or 20 min) of AP on the fillets (p < 0.05). The reductions of the pathogens by AP treatment ranged from 0.9 to 2.93 logCFU/g for B. cereus and from 1.04 to 2.55 logCFU/g for S. aureus. A reduction of >1-logCFU/g for B. cereus and S. aureus was observed on the fillets treated with AP for >3 min. The differences in color on the Hunter scale (L=light vs. dark, a=red vs. green, b=yellow vs. blue) of the fillets were not significantly different between the nontreated (control) and AP-treated fillets (p>0.05). This study suggested that 3 min of AP could be effective in reducing >90% of the bacteria without causing any concomitant changes in the color of the fillets.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.896-903
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• 2021

For the safety assessment of microbiological and chemical hazards in raw short-neck clam Ruditapes philippinarum distributed in the Yeongnam and Honam areas during the spring season, the contamination levels of total viable bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and nine pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni) as microbiological hazards, and heavy metals (lead, cadmium, total mercury), benzopyrene, shellfish poison (paralytic, diarrhetic, amnesic), and radioactivity (¹³¹I, ¹³⁴Cs+¹³⁷Cs) were also analyzed in 15 samples based on the methods of the Korean Food Code. The average contamination levels of total viable bacteria were 3.11 (1.40-4.49) log CFU/g, and coliforms were detected in 5 out of 15 samples (1.18-1.85 log CFU/g). E. coli and S. aureus were not detected in all samples. Furthermore, the presence of 8 pathogens were not detected in all samples. The average contamination levels of lead, cadmium, and total mercury were 0.155 (0.079-0.264), 0.160 (0.040-0.287), and 0.017 (0.008-0.026) mg/kg, respectively. Benzo(a)pyrene, shellfish poison, and radioactivity were not detected in all samples. The results of this study suggest that the safety against all microbiological and chemical hazard factors in raw short-neck clams distributed in markets has been assured.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.1146-1153
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• 2024

The increasing economic losses associated with growth retardation caused by Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP), a microsporidian parasite infecting penaeid shrimp, require effective monitoring. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 region, the non-coding region of ribosomal clusters between 18S and 5.8S rRNA genes, is widely used in phylogenetic studies due to its high variability. In this study, the ITS-1 region sequence (~600-bp) of EHP was first identified, and primers for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting that sequence were designed. A newly developed nested-PCR method successfully detected the EHP in various shrimp (Penaeus vannamei and P. monodon) and related samples, including water and feces collected from Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, India, and Malaysia. The primers did not cross-react with other hosts and pathogens, and this PCR assay is more sensitive than existing PCR detection methods targeting the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) and spore wall protein (SWP) genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on the ITS-1 sequences indicated that the Indonesian strain was distinct (86.2% nucleotide sequence identity) from other strains collected from Thailand and South Korea, and also showed the internal diversity among Thailand (N = 7, divided into four branches) and South Korean (N = 5, divided into two branches) samples. The results revealed the ability of the ITS-1 region to determine the genetic diversity of EHP from different geographical origins.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.618-623
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• 2011

Escherichia coli O157:H7 has been considered as a significant food-borne pathogen since its role in causing hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome in humans was recognized. In this study, we developed an immunochromatography (ICG) assay for the detection of E. coli O157:H7. E. coli O157:H7 monoclonal antibody (EC MAb) and colloidal gold were conjugated and its specificity was determined by the ICG treated with EC MAb and antimouse IgG at test and control lines, respectively. The detection limit of the ICG was $1{\times}10^5$ CFU/mL, and no crossreactivity was observed to other E. coli strains and major food-borne pathogens. To determine the minimum enrichment time for the ICG, meats and sprouts were inoculated with $1{\times}10$ CFU/100 ${\mu}L$ of E. coli O157:H7. After enrichment time of 10 and 2 h for meats and sprouts, respectively, up to $1{\times}10$ CFU/100 ${\mu}L$ of E. coli O157:H7 could be detected by ICG.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.9
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• pp.1380-1387
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to develop a mouthwash product with solid fermented oriental medicinal herb (OMH). Solid fermentation of magnolia, liquorice, and cnidium by Phellinus linteus mycelium was carried out successfully when 30% water was added to the medium, whereas 10% brown rice powder was required as an extra nutrient for solid fermentation of mint besides water. The amount of total phenol compounds and DPPH radical scavenging activity of OMH increased significantly (P<0.05) upon solid fermentation. Anti-microbial activities of fermented OMH also increased and were approximately 100-fold greater than those of unfermented samples. Oral pathogens such as Staphylococcus epidermis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Candida albicans, or Streptococcus mutans were used for determination of anti-microbial effects of OMH. Formulation of the mouthwash was developed based on the results of the sensory evaluation. Among seven formulas, the best formula chosen by the sensory evaluation was as follows: mouthwash prepared with 0.075% ethanol extract of solid fermented OMH as a main ingredient, 83.64% hot water extract of mint and clove (100:15, v/v) as a mouthwash base component, and other miscellaneous ingredients, including sodium fluoride, menthol, and surfactants. Data from a consumer's preference test with 30 participants, overall acceptance, and willingness to buy the product developed in this study were all significantly higher for the tested mouthwash compared to mouthwash on the market manufactured with OMH but with a different formula. Duration of freshness of the mouthwash after usage as determined by Breath Checker was not significantly different between the two samples, although the duration of our product was slightly longer than that of the commercial product mentioned above.