• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2021

This study investigated how ozone treatment can successfully inactivate pathogenic bacteria in both artificial seawater and effluents discharged from the fishery quarantine station in Pyeongtaek Port, Korea. Vibrio sp. and Streptococcus sp. were initially inoculated into the artificial seawater. All microbes were almost completely inactivated within 10 min and 30 min by injecting 6.4 mg/min and 2.0 mg/min of ozone, respectively. It was discovered that the water storing Pleuronichthys, Pelteobagrus, and Cyprinus imported from China contained the indicator bacteria, Vibrio sp., Enterococcus sp., total coliforms, and heterotrophic microorganisms. Compared to the control, three indicator bacteria were detected at two to six times higher concentrations. The water samples displayed a diverse microbial community, comprising the following four phyla: Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Almost all indicator bacteria were inactivated in 5 min at 2.0 mg/min of ozonation; comparatively, 92.9%-98.2% of the less heterotrophic microorganisms were deactivated within the same time period. By increasing the dosage to 6.4 mg/min, 100% deactivation was achieved after 10 min. Despite the almost complete inactivation of most indicator bacteria at high doses after 10 min, several bacterial strains belonging to the Proteobacteria have still been found to be resistant under the given operational conditions.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.636-643
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• 2009

Inactivation by UV-C irradiation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes inoculated onto washed carrots was examined. Carrot samples were inoculated with 6-7 log CFU/mL of E. coli O157:H7 or L. monocytogenes, treated with doses of 0, 1, 3, 5, or $10\;kJ/m^2$ UV-C, and stored at $4{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ for 8 d. The populations of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes significantly decreased with increasing irradiation dose (p<0.05). In particular, E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes populations fell significantly by 2.35 and 2.38 log CFU/g at $10\;kJ/m^2$, respectively, compared to control values. UV-C irradiation inhibited color changes and decreased the whiteness index in carrot during storage, compared to controls. Sensory evaluation results showed that UV-C-treated carrots had better sensory characteristics than did the control. Therefore, the results suggest that UV-C irradiation could be useful to improve the microbial safety and sensory qualities of fresh-cut carrots during storage.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.583-590
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• 2019

As the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables increases, food poisoning caused by foodborne pathogen contamination is not decreasing. To prevent the contamination of produce, a quick and easy, low-cost, environmentally-safe disinfection method that does not affect produce freshness or quality is needed. This study demonstrates a new-concept, circulating-water disinfection system that purifies water by using newly developed 'LED-PS (photosensitizer)-induced ROS generation unit'. Using various types of LED-PS induced ROS generation units, we investigated the conditions for reducing the density of various pathogenic bacteria by more than 3 log CFU / mL in 1 hour. The major operational factors affecting the density reduction of the LED-PS-induced ROS generation unit were analyzed. Depending on bacteria species, the density reduction rate was varied. The effect of the units on reducing the density of Bacillus cereus and Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum was high, but the effect on foodborne bacteria such as Escherichia coli was relatively low. In this circulating water disinfection system, the density reduction effect tended to increase as the flow rate increased and the initial bacterial density decreased. As the amount of PS absorbed beads increased, the density reduction effect increased exponentially in some bacteria. Model 3280, a double cylindrical unit connecting two single cylindrical units, could completely sterilize more than 3 log CFU/mL of B. cereus and P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum in 30 minutes of LED irradiation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.8
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• pp.1233-1238
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• 2016

Combined treatment of chlorine dioxide ($ClO_2$) gas, mild heat, and fumaric acid was performed to reduce microbial growth and maintain quality of Citrus unshiu during storage at $4^{\circ}C$. Citrus unshiu fruits were treated with $ClO_2$ gas (15 or 30 ppmv), mild heat (40, 50, or $60^{\circ}C$), and fumaric acid (0.1, 0.3, or 0.5%). Combined treatment of 15 or 30 ppmv $ClO_2$ gas, $50^{\circ}C$ mild heat, and 0.5% fumaric acid reduced populations of inoculated Listeria monocytogenes by 3.5~3.7 log CFU/g. In addition, combined treatment decreased populations of yeast and molds in Citrus unshiu by 2.54 log CFU/g after 30-day storage at $4^{\circ}C$. Combined treatment also reduced the decay rate by 48% after 30 days of storage compared with the control. Total solid content, titratable acidity, and color values were not significantly affected by the combined treatment. Therefore, combined treatment of $ClO_2$ gas, mild heat, and fumaric acid can be a useful hurdle technology to improve microbial safety and quality of Citrus unshiu during storage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.1095-1101
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• 2001

Spinach was minimally processed into the unseasoned side dish to be used for Korean food service industry, using the techniques of cook-chill and sous vide. Spinach was blanched at 10$0^{\circ}C$ for 6 minutes, vacuum-packaged in the unit of 500 g by plastic film of low gas permeability, pasteurized at 9$0^{\circ}C$ and then cooled rapidly at 3$^{\circ}C$. The chilled products were then stored at 3 and 1$0^{\circ}C$ with measurement in their quality. Six log cycle (6D) inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes and 13 log (13D) thermal destruction of Streptococcus faecalis were compared as two pasteurization conditions, which corresponded to heating for 22.8 and 30.0 minutes at 9$0^{\circ}C$, respectively. Milder heat processing based on 6D process of L monocytogenes gave better quality of color, texture, ascorbic acid and chlorophyll than the conditions of 13D process of S. faecalis. Any microbial growth in total aerobic, psychrophilic and anaerobic bacteria was not observed until 8 days at 1$0^{\circ}C$ and 14 days at 3$^{\circ}C$, which might be regarded as strict guidelines of shelf life. Storage times based on the changes in physical and chemical quality were longer than those based on strict microbial quality in case of the products pasteurized by 6D process of L. monocytogenes. The seasoned vegetables prepared from sous vide processed spinach were found to be inferior in sensory quality to those from freshly blanched one.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.177-182
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• 2020

This study evaluated the effect of steam heating, gamma irradiation, and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on microorganism reduction in order to determine an effective sterilization method for red pepper powder. The effect of each treatment on the reduction of thermoduric bacteria and total aerobic bacteria in red pepper powder were as follows: 10 kGy gamma irradiation, reduction of 4 log and 6 log CFU/g, respectively; 12 mW/㎠ UV irradiation (264 nm UV-C), reduction of less than 1 log CFU/g; steam heating at 120℃ for 40 s, reduction of approximately 2 log CFU/g. High-temperature short-time processing at 110℃ for 30 s reduced the total bacterial count in Gochujang solution from 5.70 log CFU/g to 2.26 log CFU/g; at 121℃, the solution was commercially sterile. Steam heating resulted in 1, 2, and 4 log microbial inactivation in garlic, onion, and pepper powder, respectively. Steam sterilization, which consumers prefer over other methods, may be an effective method for reducing microorganisms in spice powders, including those in red pepper powder.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.230.2-230.2
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• 2016

A new approach for antimicrobial is based on the overproduction of reactive nitrogen species (RNS), especially; nitric oxide (NO) and peroxinitrite ($ONOO^-$-) are important factors to deactivate the bacteria. Recently, non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) has been frequently used in the field of microbial sterilization through the generation of different kinds of RNS/ROS species. However, in previous study we showed APPJ has combine effects ROS/RNS on bacterial sterilization. It is not still clear whether this bacterial killing effect has been done through ROS or RNS. We need to further investigate separate effect of ROS and RNS on bacterial sterilization. Hence, in this work, we have enhanced NO production, especially; by applying a 1% of HNO3 vapour to the N2 based APPJ. In comparison with nitrogen plasma with inclusion of water vapour plasma, it has been shown that nitrogen plasma with inclusion of 1% of HNO3 vapour has higher efficiency in killing the E. coli and different type of cancer cell through the high production of NO. We also investigate the enhancement of NO species both in atmosphere by emission spectrum and inside the solution by ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy. Moreover, qPCR analysis of oxidative stress mRNA shows higher gene expression. It is noted that 1% of HNO3 vapour plasma generates high amount of NO for killing bacteria and cancer cell killing.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.159-159
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• 2015

A new approach for antimicrobial is based on the overproduction of reactive nitrogen species (RNS), especially; nitric oxide (NO) and peroxinitrite (ONOO-) are important factors to deactivate the bacteria. Recently, non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) has been frequently used in the field of microbial sterilization through the generation of different kinds of RNS/ROS species. However, in previous study we showed APPJ has combine effects ROS/RNS on bacterial sterilization. It is not still clear whether this bacterial killing effect has been done through ROS or RNS. We need to further investigate separate effect of ROS and RNS on bacterial sterilization. Hence, in this work, we have enhanced NO production, especially; by applying a 1% of HNO3 vapour to the N2 based APPJ. In comparison with nitrogen plasma with inclusion of water vapour plasma, it has been shown that nitrogen plasma with inclusion of 1% of HNO3 vapour has higher efficiency in killing the E. coli through the high production of NO. We also investigate the enhancement of NO species both in atmosphere by emission spectrum and inside the solution by ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy. Moreover, qPCR analysis of oxidative stress mRNA shows higher gene expression. It is noted that 1% of HNO3 vapour plasma generates high amount of NO for killing bacteria.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.11
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• pp.1696-1700
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• 2016

In this study, acorn pomace extract (APE) was developed as a natural chemical sanitizer and substitute for chlorine-based sanitizers such as sodium hypochlorite containing harmful substances. Antimicrobial activities of APE and its combined treatments with fumaric acid (FA) and mild heat against Listeria monocytogenes inoculated on red chard were examined. Among the treatments, combined treatment of 0.5% APE at $50^{\circ}C$ and 0.5% FA was the most effective, causing reduction of L. monocytogenes populations by 3.36 log CFU/g compared to the control. After combined treatment, populations of aerobic mesophilic bacteria in the red chard decreased by 2.89 log CFU/g during storage at $4^{\circ}C$ for 8 days compared to the control. Regarding color changes in red chard upon combined treatment, there was no significant change among the red chard samples. These results indicate that combined treatment of APE, FA, and mild heat can improve microbial safety of red chard without affecting quality such as color during storage.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.106-113
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• 2023

The supply of microbiological risk-free water is essential to keep food safety and public hygiene. And removal, inactivation, and destruction of microorganisms in drinking water are key for ensuring safety in the food industry. Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) irradiation is an attractive method for efficient disinfection of water without generating toxicity and adversely affecting human health. In this study, the disinfection efficiencies of UV-C irradiation on Shigella flexneri (Gram negative) and Listeria monocytogenes (Gram positive) at various concentrations in drinking water were evaluated using a water purifier. Their morphological and physiological characteristics after UV-C irradiation were observed using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry combined with live/dead staining. UV-C irradiation (254 nm wavelength, irradiation dose: 40 mJ/cm²) at a water flow velocity of 3.4 L/min showed disinfection ability on both bacteria up to 10⁸ CFU/4 L. And flow cytometric analysis showed different physiological shift between S. flexneri and L. monocytogenes after UV-C irradiation, but no significant shift of morphology in both bacteria. In addition, each bacterium revealed different characteristics with time-course observation after UV-C irradiation: L. monocytogenes dramatically changed its physiological feature and seemed to reach maximum damage at 4 h and then recovered, whereas S. flexneri seemed to gradually die over time. This study revealed that UV-C irradiation of water purifiers is effective in disinfecting microbial contaminants in drinking water and provides basic information on bacterial features/responses after UV-C irradiation.