• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.60-67
• /
• 2020

This study determined the microbial contamination levels of hot pepper at harvest, sorting, and distribution stages to suggest a way of reducing the microbial contamination of hot peppers by changing work gloves used throughout these processes. According to the monitoring results, the contamination levels of total aerobic bacteria (TAB) were found in the following order: soil (5.3±0.9 log CFU/g), hot pepper (4.2±0.9 log CFU/g), gloves (4.2±0.6 log CFU/g), baskets (4.1±0.7 log CFU/ g), clippers (3.9±0.6 log CFU/ g) and water (3.2±1.1 log CFU/g) at harvest stage. The contamination level of coliforms were found in the following order: soil (2.2±0.9 log CFU/g), hot pepper (2.2±0.3 log CFU/g), gloves (2.1±0.6 log CFU/g), clippers (2.0±0.21 log CFU/ g) and baskets (1.9±1.1 log CFU/ g) at harvest stage. TAB on hot pepper at the harvest stage was reduced from 4.2±0.9 log CFU/g to cold storage 3.8±0.2 log CFU/g and room temperature storage 2.6±0.3 log CFU/g, respectively. By the replacement of work gloves and lower distribution temperature, TAB levels of the peppers were significantly reduced compared to those without replacement and distributed at room temperature. In addition, the utilization of plasma was effective on reducing microbial contamination of hot pepper. These results demonstrated that appropriate replacement of gloves at the harvest stages, using plasma in the distribution stage, and refrigerated distribution conditions, which are simple and easy to practice in the field, are effective to reduce microbial contamination on hot peppers.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.16-20
• /
• 2014

The prevalence of Bacillus cereus was determined in salad and Kimbab obtained from commercial retailers. Among the 100 salad samples analyzed, 54 samples were negative for B. cereus, whereas the bacterial count was < 10 colony forming units (CFU)/g in 8 samples, < 100 CFU/g in 25 samples, < 1,000 CFU/g in 11 samples, and > 1,000 CFU/g in 2 samples. The mean (standard deviation) was 1.18 log CFU/g (${\pm}0.71$ log CFU/g). In Kimbab, B. cereus was isolated from 20 samples; the mean bacterial count was 1.01 log CFU/g (${\pm}0.71$ log CFU/g). On the basis of the monitoring data, a statistical sampling plan was determined with the NEW sampleplan program (ICMSF), which was used as an analytical tool. To identify the most suitable sampling plan, the microbial limits (m, M) and the maximum allowable number of sample units yielding unsatisfactory test results (c) were varied, but the number of samples units, n = 5, was fixed. Sampling plans showing an acceptable probability (Pa) over 0.95 were considered suitable. Two plans (A and B) were finally suggested. Parameters for plan A are n = 5, c = 0, m = 1,000, and M = 10,000 and for plan B are n = 5, c = 2, m = 100, and M = 1,000. Interestingly, the latter plan was identical to the microbial sampling plan used in New Zealand. Thus, it was concluded that the suggested plan can be used as a sampling plan that is in line with international standards.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.573-578
• /
• 2009

Microbial contamination levels in a fresh-cut leafy vegetable processing plant were evaluated. Total plate counts of samples collected from the walls, equipment, and raw materials ranged from $10^1{\sim}10^2$ CFU/100 $cm^2$, $10^0{\sim}10^4$ CFU/100 $cm^2$, and $10^4{\sim}10^6$ CFU/g, respectively. No coliforms were detected on walls; however, equipment and raw materials contained coliforms in concentrations ranging from ND (not detected)to $10^2$ CFU/100 $cm^2$ and $10^4{\sim}10^5$ CFU/g, respectively. Additionally, total plate counts for falling and floating bacteria in the processing plant were $10^0{\sim}10^1$ CFU/plate and $10^1{\sim}10^3$ $CFU/m^3$, respectively. Pathogenic microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp, Staphylococcus aureus, or Listeria monocytogenes were not detected on walls, equipment, or raw materials. Overall, the results of this study indicate that hygiene control in the fresh-cut processing plant should be improved.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.567-572
• /
• 2009

We evaluated the microbiological quality of a facility in which freshly cut onions were prepared. The total plate counts on walls, equipment, and raw materials were ND (not detected) to $10^1$ CFU/100 $cm^2$, $10^0{\sim}10^3$ CFU/100 $cm^2$, and $10^3{\sim}10^4$ CFU/g, respectively. No coliforms were detected on walls however, coliforms were detected at concentrations of ND to $10^3$ CFU/100 $cm^2$ and $10^3{\sim}10^4$ CFU/g on equipment and raw materials, respectively. The total plate counts for falling and floating bacteria in the processing plant were ND to $10^0$CFU/plate and $10^1{\sim}10^2$ $CFU/m^3$, respectively. Pathogenic microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes were not detected on walls, equipment, or raw materials. Overall, the results of the study indicate that hygiene control at the fresh-cut processing plant should be improved.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.127-129
• /
• 2001

Bioluminescence technique was applied to ginseng powders. ATP bioluminescence can be used as a rapid method that can be implemented for microbiological monitoring of contaminated ginseng powders. The RLU (relative light units) of ATP was proportion to bacterial CFU (colony forming units) when in high contaminated ginseng powders ($\geq$ about 1.0$\times$10$^4$CFU/g). However, when in low contaminated ginseng powders ($\times$10$^4$CFU/g), the RLU was not proportion to CFU, respectively.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.69-74
• /
• 2013

This study has been performed for 150 days from February 1 - June 31, 2012 aiming at analyzing biologically hazardous factors in order to develop HACCP system for the vinegared pickle radishes. A process chart was prepared as shown on Fig. 1 by referring to manufacturing process of manufacturer of general vinegared pickle radishes regarding process of raw agricultural products of vinegared pickle radishes, used water, warehousing of additives and packing material, storage, careful selection, washing, peeling off, cutting, sorting out, stuffing (filling), internal packing, metal detection, external packing, storage and consignment (delivery). As a result of measuring Coliform group, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Bacillus cereus, Listeria Monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, Clostridium perfringens, Yeast and Mold before and after washing raw radishes, Bacillus cereus was $5.00{\times}10$ CFU/g before washing but it was not detected after washing and Yeast and Mold was $3.80{\times}10^2$ CFU/g before washing but it was reduced to 10 CFU/g after washing and other pathogenic bacteria was not detected. As a result of testing microorganism variation depending on pH (2-5) of seasoning fluid (condiment), pH 3-4 was determined as pH of seasoning fluid as all the bacteria was not detected in pH3-4. As a result of testing air-borne bacteria (number of general bacteria, colon bacillus, fungus) depending on each workplace, number of microorganism of internal packing room, seasoning fluid processing room, washing room and storage room was detected to be 10 CFU/Plate, 2 CFU/Plate, 60 CFU/Plate and 20 CFU/Plate, respectively. As a result of testing palm condition of workers, as number of general bacteria and colon bacillus was represented to be high as 346 $CFU/Cm^2$ and 23 $CFU/Cm^2$, respectively, an education and training for individual sanitation control was considered to be required. As a result of inspecting surface pollution level of manufacturing facility and devices, colon bacillus was not detected in all the specimen but general bacteria was most dominantly detected in PP Packing machine and Siuping machine (PE Bulk) as $4.2{\times}10^3CFU/Cm^2$, $2.6{\times}10^3CFU/Cm^2$, respectively. As a result of analyzing above hazardous factors, processing process of seasoning fluid where pathogenic bacteria may be prevented, reduced or removed is required to be controlled by CCP-B (Biological) and threshold level (critical control point) was set at pH 3-4. Therefore, it is considered that thorough HACCP control plan including control criteria (point) of seasoning fluid processing process, countermeasures in case of its deviation, its verification method, education/training and record control would be required.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.222-227
• /
• 2009

The seasonal variation of bacterial populations in the Korean cattle (Hanwoo) feedlots dispersed in the 20 cities of Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea, was monitored for two years (2006 and 2007) to provide quantitative criteria for good agricultural management. Outside the feedlots, the average falling bacterial populations of the air were $3{\pm}1$ CFU/$cm^2\cdot15$ min (n=63) in a year. Inside the feedlots, the average falling bacterial populations of the air were $8{\pm}1$ CFU/$cm^2\cdot15$ min (n=63) in the spring, $16{\pm}2$ CFU/$cm^2\cdot15$ min (n=69) in the summer, $7{\pm}2$ CFU/$cm^2\cdot15$ min (n=69) in the autumn, and $6{\pm}1$ CFU/$cm^2\cdot15$ min (n=70) in the winter. Without using the summer data, the average falling bacterial population of the air was $7{\pm}1$ CFU/$cm^2\cdot15$ min, which was not statistically significant (P=0.37). The average bacterial populations in the cattle drinking water of the cattle feedlots were $4,710{\pm}780$ CFU/ml (n=65) in the spring, $10,430{\pm}1170$ CFU/ml (n=65) in the summer, $4,820{\pm}700$ CFU/ml (n=64) in the autumn, and $2,510{\pm}530$ CFU/ml (n=64) in the winter. Without using the summer data, the average bacterial population of the drinking water was $4,000{\pm}400$ CFU/ml, which was statistically significant (P=0.027). The average frequency of Escherichia coli O157 inside the feedlots was 5% (n=65) in the spring, 72% (n=65) in the summer, 67% (n=66) in the autumn, and 29% (n=66) in the winter on the basis of soil samples of the year 2007. The results indicate that most of the Escherichia coli O157 strains distributed in the summer and autumn was disappeared in the spring through the cold weather of the winter.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.424-428
• /
• 2013

Microbiological contamination of 4 vegetables (garlic, red pepper, perilla leaf and lettuce) collected from 10 restaurants around university was examined. The vegetables were evaluated for total plate count, coliforms, psychrophiles, yeast, and Staphylococcus aureus. The results of total plate count showed the highest value as $5.4{\pm}0.69$ log CFU/g in lettuce, following by $4.8{\pm}1.53$ log CFU/g in red pepper, $4.5{\pm}1.65$ log CFU/g in perilla leaf and $3.4{\pm}1.27$ log CFU/g in garlic. The contamination level of coliforms and psychrophiles were highest in red pepper with maximum as 4.7 log CFU/g and 8.2 log CFU/g, respectively. Red pepper of psychrophiles showed the highest average value as $5.0{\pm}1.82$ log CFU/g followed by $4.2{\pm}1.91$ log CFU/g in lettuce, $4.7{\pm}1.55$ log CFU/g in perilla leaf and $2.4{\pm}2.10$ log CFU/g in garlic. The average number of yeasts were highest in perilla leaf with $4.4{\pm}1.41$ log CFU/g and were lowest in garlic with $0.9{\pm}1.41$ log CFU/g. The contamination level of S. aureus was detected in 27 samples among the total 40 samples with the range of 0.5-5.2 log CFU/g. In conclusion, the microbial quality of the fresh vegetables evaluated in this study was not very good. Therefore, it needs to be enhanced through the good sanitation management and production and distribution methods to improve the safety of fresh vegetables.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.36 no.6
• /
• pp.493-503
• /
• 2021

The study was designed to analyze raw and auxiliary materials of Korean traditional cookies such as Yugwa and Gangjeong, equipment and tools, personal hygiene of workers and microbial contamination of materials by each manufacturing process. In addition, it looked at washing method for reducing microorganisms at the site and reduction effect of microorganisms by frequency in the manufacturing processes of Yugwa. In the process of producing Korean traditional cookies, the level of total aerobic bacteria (TAB) in popped rice was 1.2 Log CFU/g and the level of TAB in finished products increased to 3.7 Log CFU/g. In the process of producing Yugwa, the level of TAB increased to a maximum of 6.5 Log CFU/g in the soaking process but decreased to 1.3 Log CFU/g in the frying process. However, the level of TAB increased again to 1.3 Log CFU/g in finished products that proves its recontamination. It is estimated that he manufacturing process causes cross-contamination that comes from the work tools, equipment or workers. In particular, the spatula, one of the work tools, was found to have 4.4 Log CFU/g of aerobic bacteria and 4.2 Log CFU/g of colon bacillus that show they are highly contaminated. In the soaking process of Yugwa that lasts seven days, the level of TAB was a maximum of 10 Log CFU/g and the level of total colon bacillus was 6.8 Log CFU/g. When compared with washing methods, using hands and tools or running water, it is confirmed that the level of both TAB and total colon bacillus decreased to 5.0 Log CFU/g and 2.8 Log CFU/g respectively when hands were washed with running water 10 times. The above result shows that it's required for workers to wash their hands as well as wash and disinfect work tools and equipment in the process of producing Korean traditional cookies at small-scale companies. In addition, to reduce the level of microbial contamination in finished products, workers are required to apply their reduction method at the site.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.229-235
• /
• 2007

Cell number of Vibrio spp. was examined for the surface and bottom sea water harvested from the 9 stations in the Jeonam Archipelago Marine Ranching Ground in 2006～2007. Species population composition and dominant species were analyzed as well. The largest number of Vibrio spp. was detected in summer (June, 2007) among the 4 seasons with the surface and bottom sea water samples of 5.4～93.2 cfu㎖-1 and 1.0～53.1 cfu㎖-1. respectively. In winter (January, 2007), Vibrio spp. was not detected at all except that one station from which 0.2 cfu㎖-1 of Vibrio spp. was counted in the surface sea water sample. Cell numbers were 0～11.9 cfu㎖-1 and 0～8.3 cfu㎖-1, respectively, in the surface and bottom sea water samples retrieved in spring (April, 2007), and the corresponding sea water samples in autumn(November, 2006) were contaminated with 0.1～21.4 cfu㎖-1 and 0～2.9 cfu㎖-1, respectively. Species population composition of Vibrio spp. was found to be V. parahaemolyticus, V. alginolyticus and V. cholerae non-01 among which V. parahaemolyticus and V. alginolyticus were dominant in all seasons. V. alginolyticus was detected from all stations even in the winter season indicating that this species seems to be less temperature dependent than the other Vibrio spp..