• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.37 no.10
• /
• pp.1343-1356
• /
• 2008

The evaluation of microbiological quality for school food samples collected from 19 selected middle and high schools located in Seoul was undertaken. Eighty-nine food samples consisting of 38 non-pretreated vegetables, 13 pre-washed and cut vegetables, 9 meats and poultry, 3 fish and shellfish, 7 dried fish, and shellfish and 20 processed foods were collected. Aerobic plate count, total coliforms, and Escherichia coli (E. coli ) were detected using $Petrifilm^{TM}$, and the food-borne pathogens were screened by multiplex PCR with species-specific primer sets. Sequentially, the quantitative and confirmative test of the food-borne pathogens were carried out with the selective media and biochemical kits. The contamination of coliform counts was observed on the pre-washed vegetables ($3.4{\sim}4.3\;log\;CFU/g$) and meats ($2.2{\sim}4.3\;log\;CFU/g$). Also, the cooked foods were heavily contaminated with coliform, ranging from 1.0 to $5.5\;log\;CFU/g$. E. coli counts were found in 16 raw and cooked food samples, exceeding the microbiological standards for the guideline of safety management for school foods. Through PCR detection, B acillus cereus was detected in 32 raw and cooked foods, and quantitatively found in pre-washed carrot, radish, and pan-broiled dried shrimp and filefish ranging from $2.3{\sim}3.6\;log\;CFU/g$, respectively. E. coli O157:H7 was detected on frozen pork sample and was confirmed with API kit. Campylobacter jejuni was found in 3 ready-to-eat type vegetables. Vibrio parahaemolyticus were found in 4 pre-washed vegetables and 2 cooked foods, indicating unsatisfactory quality based upon the microbiological standards of ready-to-eat vegetables and cooked foods by Korea Food and Drug Administration. Salmonella spp. was detected in frozen chicken sample and confirmed by API kit and latex antisera agglutination.