• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.376-386
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• 2011

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial hazards posed by food utensils and fixtures in food service operations at selected middle and high schools located in Seoul, Korea. Methods: We collected 200 samples of utensils and fixtures including cups, spoons/chopsticks, food trays and tables from five different schools in Seoul. Target microorganisms of this study were divided into two groups: total bacterial count and total coliform as indicators of microbial contamination and Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus as pathogens of food poisoning. We used selective media to quantify microbial concentration and 16S rRNA PCR assay for qualitative analysis. In addition, intensive interviews with nutritionists were conducted and observations were made to identify factors that may affect microbial contamination. Logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the relationship between the microbial concentration and operation characteristics of each operation. Results: The level of microbial concentration in school B and C were significantly lower than in school A, D and E (p<0.05). Some samples from school A, D and E showed over 3.4 log CFU/100 $cm^2$ (total bacterial count) and 1.0 log CFU/100 $cm^2$ (total coliform), which requires immediate hygienic action. The number of customers per staff member, periodicity of hygiene education for staff and daily operation time of sterilizers were also found to be important factors related with the microbial contamination of food service operations. Conclusions: These results suggested that not only a HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) approach, but also efforts to assess internal risk factors within operations be needed to reduce the microbial contamination of food utensils and fixtures. This study is expected to provide preliminary data for assessing microbial hazards in food service operations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.364-367
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• 2001

We gamma-irradiated to natural casings from lamb and pork to improve sanitary quality and microbiological shelf stability of sausage stuffed in animal intestine-induced natural casing from lamb and pork. The microbial changes of irradiated casings and the microbial growth of the sausages with gamma-irradiated natural casings were observed. Population of total aerobic bacteria was decreased by gamma irradiation, dependent upon the irradiation dose. The number of microflora in lamb and pork casings was reduced by about 5.5 log cycle at 5 kGy. Population of total aerobic bacteria of sausages stuffed in non-irradiated lamb and pork casing was about 3.6 log CFU/g after just manufacture and was about 7 log after 10 day storage. However, population of total aerobic bacteria of sausages with 3 kGy-irradiated and 5 kGy-irradiated casings was 2.48 and 0.32 log in lamb, and 2.78 and 0.60 log in pork, respectively. Gamma irradiation to animal intestine- induced natural casings was effective and thus, can be used for enhancing shelf life of final products due to reduction of the number of contaminated microflora.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.395-402
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• 2023

Objectives: Microbial contamination of face masks used by healthcare professionals can vary depending on the degree of exposure to bioaerosols in various healthcare environments. However, research on this topic is limited. Therefore, we analyzed microbial contamination of N95 respirators used in hospital offices, wards, and outpatient settings. Methods: Samples isolated from N95 respirators worn for 2, 4, and 6 hours were incubated at a temperature of 35-37℃ or 25-28℃ for 24 hours or for 3-7 days, and colony-forming units were counted in chocolate agar, tryptic soy agar, and Sabouraud dextrose agar plates. Total indoor airborne bacteria were also measured in the healthcare environments. Finally, microbial species were identified using Gram staining with a microscopic speculum. Results: The three types of environments did not deviate from the maintenance of standard indoor air quality. There was no difference between the microbial species identified in the healthcare environment and mask contamination. However, the number of bacteria in the masks worn in each environment differed, and the degree of contamination increased with mask-wearing time (p<0.05). Conclusions: Therefore, care must be taken to avoid recontamination of masks due to improper use and exposure to biological hazards in healthcare environments. In conclusion, scientific evidence is necessary for safe mask-wearing times. Based on the results of this study, we hope to conduct further research to establish guidelines for the safe use of face masks during respiratory disease epidemics.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.48-50
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• 1963

The authors have investigated about the microbial contamination of goods which is a criterion of hygienic control. Conducting on investigation, a special attention has been paid on the rate of microbial contamination in the goods, especially in manufacturing process of the softdrink. The authors also made an experiment on total microbes which is the criterion of contamination in each step of the process and in raw materials together with materials to be used for subdividing. Results obtained were as follows : 1) The orgin of microbial contamination was found in bottle cap and in tap water, that is, there appeared 9 colony per ml in bottle cap and 31-74 colony per ml in tap water, respectively. 2) It was found that microbial contamination are 4 colony per ml in average through year. However, it appeared 1 colony per ml in winter and 8 colony per ml in summer. 3) Coliform groups are not detected in goods through a year. 4) There was no variation in number of total microbes after ion exchange resin passage in purification process of tap water. 5) The number of microbes in goods are decreased when the raw materials are treated in high temperature short time (HTST) sterilization.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.37.1-37.14
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• 2021

Background: Ticks are one of the most common external parasites in dogs, and are associated with the transmission of a number of major zoonoses, which result in serious harm to human health and even death. Also, the increasing number of pet dogs and pet owners in China has caused concern regarding human tick-borne illnesses. Accordingly, studies are needed to gain a complete understanding of the bacterial composition and diversity of the ticks that parasitize dogs. Objectives: To date, there have been relatively few reports on the analysis of the bacterial community structure and diversity in ticks that parasitize dogs. The objective of this study was to investigate the microbial composition and diversity of parasitic ticks of dogs, and assessed the effect of tick sex and geographical region on the bacterial composition in two tick genera collected from dogs in China. Methods: A total of 178 whole ticks were subjected to a 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) next generation sequencing analysis. The Illumina MiSeq platform targeting the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was used to characterize the bacterial communities of the collected ticks. Sequence analysis and taxonomic assignment were performed using QIIME 2 and the GreenGene database, respectively. After clustering the sequences into taxonomic units, the sequences were quality-filtered and rarefied. Results: After pooling 24 tick samples, we identified a total of 2,081 operational taxonomic units, which were assigned to 23 phyla and 328 genera, revealing a diverse bacterial community profile. The high, moderate and low prevalent taxa include 46, 101, and 182 genera, respectively. Among them, dominant taxa include environmental bacterial genera, such as Psychrobacter and Burkholderia. Additionally, some known tick-associated endosymbionts were also detected, including Coxiella, Rickettsia, and Ricketssiella. Also, the potentially pathogenic genera Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas were detected in the tick pools. Moreover, our preliminary study found that the differences in microbial communities are more dependent on the sampling location than tick sex in the tick specimens collected from dogs. Conclusions: The findings of this study support the need for future research on the microbial population present in ticks collected from dogs in China.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1261-1269
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• 2017

Objective: The effect of flavonoids from alfalfa on the microbial flora was determined using molecular techniques of 16S ribosome deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) analysis. Methods: Four primiparous Holstein heifers fitted with ruminal cannulas were used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design and fed a total mixed ration to which alfalfa flavonoids extract (AFE) was added at the rates of 0 (A, control), 20 (B), 60 (C), or 100 (D) mg per kg of heifer BW. Results: The number of operational taxonomic units in heifers given higher levels of flavonoid extract (C and D) was higher than for the two other treatments. The Shannon, Ace, and Chao indices for treatment C were significantly higher than for the other treatments (p<0.05). The number of phyla and genera increased linearly with increasing dietary supplementation of AFE (p<0.05). The principal co-ordinates analysis plot showed substantial differences in the microbial flora for the four treatments. The microbial flora in treatment A was similar to that in B, C, and D were similar by the weighted analysis. The richness of Tenericutes at the phylum level tended to increase with increasing AFE (p = 0.10). The proportion of Euryarchaeota at the phylum level increased linearly, whereas the proportion of Fusobacteria decreased linearly with increasing AFE supplementation (p = 0.04). The percentage of Mogibacterium, Pyramidobacter, and Asteroleplasma at the genus level decreased linearly with increasing AFE (p<0.05). The abundance of Spirochaeta, Succinivibrio, and Suttonella at the genus level tended to decrease linearly with increasing AFE (0.05

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.218-221
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• 2004

Irradiated red pepper powder (IRPP) was tested for its ability to retard fermentation and to maintain a high quality of Kimchi by the reduction of the initial microbial load. Kimchi containing IRPP at the doses of 0, 5, 10, 15, or 20 kGy was prepared. Quality indices for Kimchi in this study were pH, titratable acidity, reducing sugar content, total microbial count, lactic acid bacterial load, and sensory evaluation. Based on the pH and titratable acidity, the Kimchi with IRPP showed a retarded fermentation until 15 days. The number of the total aerobes and lactic acid bacteria of the Kimchi with IRPP were lower by about 1 log CFU/mL compared to control at day 0, however, the counts increased to 8.5 log CFU/mL after 10 days, which was similar to the control group. Kimchi that was fermented with 5 kGy IRPP was better than control and other treatments in odor and color, whereas the control scored highest in taste. Addition of IRPP showed a limited retardation of Kimchi fermentation without other quality deterioration.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.172-184
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• 2006

This study was aimed to provide safety management guidance by evaluating the microbial quality of cooked dried-seafoods in school foodservice operations. Nineteen seafood items were collected from six elementary schools, those were dried-anchovy, dried-seaweed and dried-fish, which were classified as cooking process. The temperatures at receiving and after cooking were measured and the analyses of cooking processes and microbial quality were performed. The temperatures of all foods after cooking were higher than the temperature limit of $74\^circC$. The number of total aerobic bacteria and S. aureus in dried-anchovy over the limit of $10^5$ and even the level of S. aureus was found to be unsatisfactory. The count of total aerobic bacteria was 2.1x$10^8$ CFU/g and the number of total aerobic bacteria after cooking was over the limit in one school. The level of E. coli (3.1x$10^3$ CFU/g) was over the limit at one school and the number of S. aureus (1.2×$10^4$ CFU/g) was considered as unacceptable. Dried- tangle and green laver were contaminated with total aerobic bacteria showing the over the limit. The numbers of total aerobic bacteria in dried- filefish, pollack and squid were 4.3x$10^6$, 3.4x$10^6$-3.9x$10^7$ and 4.6x$10^5$-4.1x$10^7$ CFU/g, respectively, which were in acceptable or unsatisfactory level. The E. coli in dried- filefish and pollack were over the limit. The total aerobic bacteria levels, 4.6x$10^5$-1.5x$10^6$ CFU/g in dried-pollack and 8.0x$10^5$-2.2x$10^7$ CFU/g in dried-squid, were over the limit after cooking except dried-filefish. The E. coli levels, 4.3x$10^3$ CFU/g in dried-filefish and 2.5x$10^2$ CFU/g in dried-pollack, were over the limit of $10^2$ CFU/g. The numbers of Enterobacteriaceae were either acceptable (3.3x$10^3$ CFU/g) or unsatisfactory (1.6x$10^4$ CFU/g) level in dried-pollack. S. aureus was unsatisfactory level (6.5x$10^4$ CFU/g) in dried-filefish while unacceptable in dried-pollack both before and after cooking. Unacceptable levels of S. aureus, 2.4x$10^4$ and 1.3x$10^5$ CFU/g were found from two schools, respectively. These results suggest that the contamination of raw materials and the seasonings added after cooking should be controlled to manage the microbial safety of cooked dried-seafoods.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.179-190
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• 2003

This study was performed to investigate the effects of dried powders of pine needle, pine pollen, green tea and horseradish on preservation of Kimchi-yangnyum. The physicochemical and microbial changes of Kimchi-yangnyum were investigated during 30-days preservation. The changes of pH, total acid, and number of total viable cell, lactic acid bacteria, E. coli of the Kimchi-yangnyum were insignificant. And the addition of pine needle powder were more effective to suppress fermentation than that of pine pollen or green tea or horseradish.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1195-1206
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• 2020

Beringraja pulchra, Cham-hong-eo in Korean, is a mottled skate which is belonging to the cartilaginous fish. Although this species is economically valuable in South Korea as an alkaline-fermented food, there are few microbial studies on such fermentation. Here, we analyzed microbial changes and pH before, during, and after fermentation and examined the effect of inoculation by a skin microbiota mixture on the skate fermentation (control vs. treatment). To analyze microbial community, the V4 regions of bacterial 16S rRNA genes from the skates were amplified, sequenced and analyzed. During the skate fermentation, pH and total number of marine bacteria increased in both groups, while microbial diversity decreased after fermentation. Pseudomonas, which was predominant in the initial skate, declined by fermentation (Day 0: 11.39 ± 5.52%; Day 20: 0.61 ± 0.9%), while the abundance of Pseudoalteromonas increased dramatically (Day 0: 1.42 ± 0.41%; Day 20: 64.92 ± 24.15%). From our co-occurrence analysis, the Pseudoalteromonas was positively correlated with Aerococcaceae (r = 0.638) and Moraxella (r = 0.474), which also increased with fermentation, and negatively correlated with Pseudomonas (r = -0.847) during fermentation. There are no critically significant differences between control and treatment. These results revealed that the alkaline fermentation of skates dramatically changed the microbiota, but the initial inoculation by a skin microbiota mixture didn't show critical changes in the final microbial community. Our results extended understanding of microbial interactions and provided the new insights of microbial changes during alkaline fermentation.