• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.157-163
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• 2014

Purpose: This study investigated the microorganisms in the hand before and after hand washing, using plain and antibacterial soap. The purpose of this study was to provide details, for educational purposes, of hand washing methods that should be used by college students for their hand hygiene. Methods: This study was arranged using a randomized control group pretest-posttest design. Data obtained through questionnaires were collected from college students in Gangwon Province. This study involved three groups under different conditions. The first and the second group washed their hands with plain and antibacterial soap, respectively. The third group members were educated about hand washing and they then washed their hands with plain soap. In addition, we collected samples to investigate the removal rate of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause bacterial disease, by using sterile swabs from the hands in group 3. Results: The removal rates of bacteria in the first and the second group after hand washing with plain and antimicrobial soap were 62.7% and 76%, respectively. The third group, who were educated concerning proper hand washing, showed a figure of 72.8%. Conclusion: Repeated and more consistent education of college students concerning proper hand washing would be important in order to improve their knowledge, attitude, and performance with regard to hand washing.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.195-199
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• 2024

Paraburkholderia phenoliruptrix T36S-14, identified as a potential plant growth-promoting bacterium, was isolated from the core microbiome of tomato rhizosphere soil. When assessed for its growth promotion, Strain T36S-14 demonstrated a notable 20% increase in the fresh weight of tomato seedlings. The strain possesses two circular chromosomes, one of 4,104,520 base pair (bp) (CP119873) and the other of 3,258,072 bp (CP119874), both exhibiting G+C contents of 63.5% and 62.7%, respectively. The chromosome comprises 6,319 protein-coding sequences, 65 transfer RNA genes, and 18 ribosomal RNA genes (5S: 6, 16S: 6, and 23S: 6). Additionally, P. phenoliruptrix T36S-14 produces siderophores that promote plant growth.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2018

This study was conducted to evaluate the microbiological safety of leafy vegetables (perilla leaf and lettuce) in relation to cultivation methods. A total of 2,304 samples were collected from plants, harvesting tools and soil mulching film during the production and harvest stages from organic- and conventional- farms. From the samples, sanitary indicator microorganisms (total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, E. coli., Environmental Listeria, and yeast and mold) and pathogenic microorganisms (S. aureus, B. cereus, Salmonella spp., Clostridium spp., and L. monocytogenes) were analyzed. In the production stage of leafy vegetables, the sanitary indicator microorganisms was not detected regardless of cultivation method or it was detected to be less than $3.4\;Log\;CFU/100cm^2$. B. cereus and S. aureus were found to be 0.22~1.55 Log CFU/g in perilla leaf and lettuce produced by organic farms, and S. aureus was not detected and B. cereus was found to be 0.42~2.19 Log CFU/g in conventional farms. There were no significant differences between two cultivation methods. In the harvesting tools and soil mulching film, the contamination levels of sanitary indicator microorganisms and pathogenic microorganisms was low regardless of the cultivation method. However, there was a positive correlation ($R^2=0.4526$) in that the higher the microbial contamination level in the harvesting tool, the higher the microbial contamination on the surface of the plant. In addition, sanitary indicator microorganisms and pathogenic microorganisms were not detected or low in soil mulching during the production of organic leafy vegetables. As a result of this study, microbial hygiene control by soil mulching and harvesting tools was more important than difference of cultivation method in production of leafy vegetables.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.189-194
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• 2003

Approved chemical preservatives have been widely used to preserve foods and increase their shelf life. There are increasing demends of the partial or complete removal of chemical preservatives from foods vecause of adverse health effect of chemicals. In this study, the possibility of natural antimicrobial compounds, Korean propolis as food preservatives are investigated. Propolis samples were extracted on various concentration of ethanol. Propolis extracts extracted with 100% ethanol showed the highest inhibitory effect aginst food spoilage microorganisms. The 100% ethanol extracts of propolis were selected and the antimicrobial activites of 100% ethanol extracts of proplis against several food spoilage microorganisms were examined. Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli, Staphylcoccus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Shigella sonnei, Salmonella choleraesuis, Erwinia rhapontici, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus as food poisoning microorganisms were chosen for the examination. The Propolis extracts had antimicrobial activity against food spoilage microorganisms. When the microorganisms were treated with propolis extracts, the population of food spolige microorganisms were decreased by 1~9 log.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.423-428
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• 2018

Anaerobic growth-inhibiting and acaricidal activities of 2'-hydroxy-5'-methoxyacetophenone derived from Cyanachum paniculatum oil and its derivatives against five intestinal bacteria (Bifidobacterium bifidum, B. longum, Clostridium pefringens, Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus casei) and Haemaphysalis longicornis were examined. In the packet test against the larvae of H. longicornis, none of the C. paniculatum oil exhibited acaricidal activity, while the C. paniculatum oil showed only antimicrobial activity against five intestinal bacteria in the disc diffusion method. Based on the inhibition zones and MIC values, 2',4'-dimethoxyacetophenone, 2',5'-dimethoxyacetophenone, 2'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyacetophenone, 2'-hydroxy-5'-methoxyacetophenone, 2'-methoxyacetophenone, and 4'-methoxyacetophenone, containing a methyl group on the acetophenone skeleton, possessed growthinhibiting activities against C. perfringens and E. coli. However, acetophenone, 2'-hydroxyacetophenone, 4'-hydroxyacetophenone, 2',4'-hydroxyacetophenone and 2',5'-hydroxyacetophenone, which contained a hydroxyl group on the acetophenone skeleton, had no growth-inhibiting activity against intestinal bacteria. These results indicated that 2'-hydroxy-5'-methoxyacetophenone and its derivatives could potentially be developed as natural antimicrobial agents to specific control of C. perfringens and E. coli.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2012

In order to inhibit the growth of pathogens and degrade biogenic amines during the fermentation of soybean products, an isolate with antimicrobial activity against pathogens and biogenic amine-degrading property was obtained from 83 traditionally fermented soybean products. The morphological and biochemical tests and the phylogenetic relationship among 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolate named as the strain SCK B11 was most closely related to Bacillus licheniformis. The cell-free supernatant of two day cultures was active against several pathogens including Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria monocytosis, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus. PCR analysis was conducted to determine relatedness to antimicrobial lantibiotics and biosurfactants produced by Bacillus spp., but showed negative for the genes encoding surfactin, lichenysin, and lichenicidine. Electron microscopic observation indicated that the antimicrobial agent seemed to attack the membrane of the pathogens, leaving the ghost or shrunken cells. The strain was found to degrade histamine by 72% and tyramine by 66% in the cooked soybean containing 5.3% of biogenic amine over 10 days of fermentation time. The use of selected strain would be a potential control measure in manufacturing traditionally fermented soybean products that are difficult to control pathogens and biogenic amine levels.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.481-487
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to provide safety management information by analyzing the survival and growth-related properties of foodborne pathogens from Romaine lettuce. After cultivating E. coli O157:H7 for 72 h on Romain lettuce via spray inoculation, the bacteria population increased by 2.0 log CFU/g from the initial population, confirming the possibility of survival and multiplication of the pathogen thereon. The study also revealed that there is no significant difference in the cultivation of E.coli O157:H7 after 72 h from inoculation on damaged and undamaged lettuce leaves. As a result of investigating distribution of E.coli O157:H7 on damaged lettuce leaves, it was found that the bacteria is unlikely to adhere on the smooth surface of undamaged leaves and, thus, results in a low population density, whereas the bacteria cluster on the rough surface of damaged leaves and easily enter through the damaged tissues. Furthermore, after 24 h of cultivation of the pathogenic microbe in the extract with concentrations of 10-100%, utilization of the lettuce extract by the pathogen was found to be 8.9 log CFU/mL E. coli O157:H7, 8.6 log CFU/mL L. monocytogenes, and 8.8 log CFU/mL P. carotovorum. The increase in the population of both the pathogenic microbe and foodborne pathogen reached over 4 log CFU/mL, implying the microbe can utilize the lettuce extract as a source of nutrition. Compared to the initial inoculation concentration in 0.1% lettuce extract, the final concentration has increased up to 2.7 log CFU/mL E. coli O157:H7, 1.3 log CFU/mL L. monocytogenes, and 2.9 log CFU/mL P. carotovorum. Accordingly, the study confirms that the minimal growth concentration of the pathogenic microbe is lower than 0.1% and that the pathogen possibly survive and multiply inside the lettuce leaves given the lettuce extract with concentration of 0.1% is consistently supplied through the damaged tissues.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.443-450
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• 2017

The objective of this study was to isolate algae growth inhibiting microorganism to biologically control Microcystis aeruginosa, which is a harmful cyanobacterium. Various bacterial strains were isolated in this study, and four bacterial strains of M1~M4 exhibited remarkable growth inhibiting activity against M. aeruginosa. Based on the 16S rRNA analysis, the isolated M1~M4 strains were identified, and isolated four strains were rod-type and gram-negative. In particular, as well as respective single strain, co-culture of the isolated M1~M4 strains showed obvious algicidal activity against M. aeruginosa. When mixed four strains were inoculated, about 50% of the chlorophyll a was reduced after two days, about 70% after four days, and about 80% after seven days. From these results mentioned above, the four bacterial strains may contribute to the control of harmful M. aeruginosa.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.343-351
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: Irrigation water is known to be one of the major sources of bacterial contamination in agricultural products. In addition, anti-microbial resistance (AMR) bacteria in food products possess serious threat to humans. This study was aimed at investigating the prevalence of foodborne bacteria in irrigation water and evaluating their anti-microbial susceptibility. METHODS AND RESULTS: Surface water (n = 66 sites) and groundwater (n = 40 sites) samples were collected from the Gyeongi and Gangwon provinces of South Korea during April, July, and October 2019. To evaluate the safety of water, fecal indicators (Escherichia coli) and foodborne pathogens (E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes) were examined. E. coli isolates from water were further tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using VITEK2 system. Overall, detection rate of foodborne pathogens in July was highest among three months. The prevalence of pathogenic E. coli (24%), Salmonella (3%), and L. monocytogenes (3%) was higher in surface water, while only one ground water site was contained with pathogenic E. coli (2.5%). Of the 343 E. coli isolates, 22.7% isolates were resistant to one or more antimicrobials (ampicillin (18.7%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (7.0%), and ciprofloxacin (6.7%)). CONCLUSION: To enhance the safety of agricultural products, it is necessary to frequently monitor the microbial quality of water.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.174-180
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• 2013

This study investigated the microbiological contamination of tomato in cultivation and distribution stage. Growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogens examined in tomato extracts (0.1, 1.0, and 10.0%) and incubation temperatures (5, 15, 25, and $35^{\circ}C$). In cultivation stage of tomato, total aerobic bacteria were 7.77 log CFU/g in gloves of APC (Agricultural Products Processing Center) worker and Bacillus cereus were 0.33 log CFU/g at nutrient tank, respectively. And Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., were not detected. After APC stage, total aerobic bacteria were significantly higher compared with before-APC stage. Among of general, pesticide-free and organic produce in tomato were no significant difference in microbial contamination. Coliforms of tomato in small vinyl package were significantly higher when compared to tomato in whole boxes package. There was no significant difference in bacteria count between unwashed tomato and washed tomato using tap water for one minute. The growth of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogens in tomato extracts were decreased significantly as the concentration increased, and the microbial population was reached the lowest point during storage in 10% tomato extracts concentration for 72h at $5^{\circ}C$. However, the population of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogens were gradually increased at 7.33~8.51 and 7.73~8.60 log CFU/ml during storage at $15{\sim}35^{\circ}C$ for 72h, respectively.