Browse > Article

Microbiological Evaluation in situ of Each Process in Seed Sprouting  

Jun, So-Yun (Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Kyungpook National University)
Kim, Tae-Hun (Daenongbio Agriculture Corporation)
Kwon, Joong-Ho (Department of Food Science and Technology, Kyungpook National University)
Lee, Yeon-Kyung (Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Kyungpook National University)
Publication Information
Food Science and Preservation / v.16, no.6, 2009 , pp. 971-976 More about this Journal
Abstract
The consumption of raw sprouts has increased in popularity worldwide because the food is natural and healthy. However, in Korea, nothing is known on the safety standards of sprout producers or changes in the microbial populations of sprouts during sprouting. We evaluated the microbial safety and quality of sprouts during each step in the sprouting process. Bacteriological analysis showed that seeds had a Total Plate Count (TPC) ranging from 3.04 - 5.21 log CFU/g and coliform counts ranging from 1.80 - 3.86 log CFU/g. TPC and coliform counts increased rapidly during the sprouting process to attain values of 6.99 - 8.26 and 3.70 - 7.15 log CFU/g, respectively, regardless of decontamination of seeds with commercial sanitizer. TPC and coliform counts were on high level after sprouts were washed. Escherichia coli was detected in samples of domestic radish sprouts at all stages from seed to storage, rape sprouts in the stages from soaked seed to storage, and red radish sprouts during sprouting, and no sanitizer was used in any of these processes. Untreated red radish sprouts were also positive for Bacillus cereus at all processing steps and Listeria monocytogenes after germination. However, pathogens were not detected at any sprouting stage of seeds treated with sanitizer. It is necessary to carefully control commercial sprouting, and to develop HACCP guidelines applicable to all sprouting processes, commencing at the first step in raw seed production.
Keywords
seed; sprouting process; microbiological quality;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 Portnoy, B.L., Goepfert, J.M. and Harmon, S.M. (1976) An outbreak of Bacillus cereus food poisoning resulting from contaminated vegetable sprouts. Am. J. Epidemiol., 103, 589-594   DOI   PUBMED
2 NAQS (2005) The status analysis of fresh-cut vegetables preprocessing facilities. 12, 7
3 NACMCF (1999) National Adivisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for foods
4 Marchetti, R., Casadei, M.A. and Guerzoni, M.E. (1992)Microbial population dynamics in ready-to-use vegetable salads. Italian J. Food Sci., 4, 97-108
5 Taormina, P.J., Beuchat, L.R. and Slutskert, L. (1999)Infections associated with eating seed sprouts: an international concern. J. Emerg. Infect. Dis., 5, 626-634   DOI   ScienceOn
6 KFDA (2005) Food Standard Code. Korea Food and Drug Administration, p.78-115
7 Magnuson, J.A., King, A.D. and Torok, T. (1990) Microflora of partially processed lettuce. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 56, 3851-3854   PUBMED
8 Lund, B.M. (1993) The microbiological safety of prepared salad vegetables. Food Technol. Int. Eur. p.196-200
9 Solberg, M., Buckalew, J.J., Dhen, C.M., Schaffner, D.W., O'Neil, K., Mcdowell, J., Post, L.S. and Boderck, M. (1990) Microbiological safety assurance system for food service facilities. J. Food Technol., 44, 68-73
10 Thayer, D.W. and Rajkowski, K.T. (1999) Developments in irradiation of fresh fruits and vegetables. J. Food Technol., 53, 62-65
11 Jaquette, C.B., Beuchat, L.R. and Mahon, B.E. (1996)Efficacy of chlorine and heat treatment in killing Salmonella Stanley inoculated onto alfalfa seeds and growth and survival of the pathogen during sprouting and storage. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 62, 2212-2215   PUBMED
12 Choi, J.W., Park, S.Y., Yeon, J.H., Lee, M.J., Chung, D.H., Lee, K.H., Kim, M.G., Lee, D.H., Kim, K.S. and Ha, S.D. (2005) Microbial contamination levels of fresh vegetables distributed in markets. J. Food Hyg. Safety,20, 43-47
13 Oh, D.H. (1999) Microbiological safety of minimally processed vegetables. J. Korean Soc. Food Sci. Nutr., 4, 48-54
14 Donnelly, C.W. and Briggs, E.H. (1986) Psychrotropic growth and thermal inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes as a function of milk composition. J. Food Protect., 49, 994-998   DOI
15 Watanabe, Y., Ozasa, K.. Mermin, J.H., Griffin, P.M., Masuda, K., Imashuku, S. and Sawada, T. (1999) Factory outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection in Japan. J. Emerg. Infect. Dis., 5, 424-428   DOI   ScienceOn