• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.2036-2042
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• 2016

We evaluated the potentials of 10 isothiocyanates (ITCs) from cruciferous vegetables and radish root hydrolysate for inhibiting the growth of oral pathogens, with an emphasis on assessing any structure-function relationship. Structural differences in ITCs impacted their antimicrobial activities against oral pathogens differently. The indolyl ITC (indol-3-carbinol) was the most potent inhibitor of the growth of oral pathogens, followed by aromatic ITCs (benzyl ITC (BITC) and phenylethyl ITC (PEITC)) and aliphatic ITCs (erucin, iberin, and sulforaphene). Sulforaphene, which is similar in structure, but has one double bond, showed higher antimicrobial activity than sulforaphane. Erucin, which has a thiol group, showed higher antimicrobial activity than sulforaphane, which has a sulfinyl group. BITC and iberin with a short chain exhibited higher antimicrobial potential than PEITC and sulforaphane with a longer chain, respectively. ITCs have strong antimicrobial activities and may be useful in the prevention and management of dental caries.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.286-289
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• 2000

Mechanol extracts of three cold-tolerant eucalyptus trees-Eucalyptus darlympleana, E. gunnii and E. unigera were screened for antimicrobial activity against twenty two phyto-pathogenic fungi and six food-borne bacterial pathogens. E. unigera showed the antagonistic activity against all the tested pathogens. Among the tested fungal pathogens, Pythium species were highly sensitive to the leaf extracts. Especially, P. vanterpoolii, a causal agent of leaf blight in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris), was completely inhibited by the extracts. The eucalyptus extracts were also effective in inhibiting the fungal growth of Botrytis cinerea and Phomopsis sp. isolated from the lesions of kiwifruit soft rot during post-harvest storage. Escherichia coli O-157 was less sensitive to the inhibition than the other bacterial pathogens tested. It was likely that Gram positive bacteria-Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus mutans were more sensitive to the eucalyptus extracts than Gram negative bacteria-Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our findings suggest that the cold-tolerant eucalyptus species have antimicrobial properties that can serve the development of novel fungitoxic agents or food preservatives.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.10
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• pp.1337-1342
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• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate effects of chemical sanitizers on inhibiting foodborne pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium), and E scherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7), on cabbages. Cabbages were inoculated with the culture cocktail of pathogens and treated with water, 100 ppm commercial chlorine, and 50, 100, and 200 ppm chlorine dioxide ($ClO_2$) for 1, 5, and 10 min at room temperature ($22{\pm}2^{\circ}C$). Treatments with water did not significantly reduce levels of three pathogens whereas other treatments with chemical sanitizers significantly reduced levels of three pathogens. Treatment with 200 ppm $ClO_2$ for 10 min was the most effective at inhibiting pathogens and reduction levels were 1.90, 1.92, and 1.98 log CFU/g for L. monocytogens, S. Typhimurium, and E. coli O157:H7, respectively. Levels of reduction were increased with the increase of $ClO_2$ concentrations. When chemically injured cells were investigated, there were no significant differences on the levels of injured cells between before and after treatment with commercial chlorine and $ClO_2$. These results suggest that $ClO_2$ can be used as an alternative sanitizer for reducing pathogens on fresh produces.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.255-265
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• 2016

Objectives: Mobile phones have become one of the most essential accessories in daily life. However, they may act as reservoir of infectious pathogens if they are used without hygienic practices in their handling. Therefore, this study aimed to isolate food-borne pathogens from mobile phones and investigate the characteristics of toxin genes and antibiotic susceptibility patterns. Methods: A total of 146 mobile phones were collected from 83 middle- and 63 high-school students in Busan. The surfaces of the mobile phones were aseptically swabbed. Results: Among the food-borne pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli were detected in 26 (17.8%), 20 (13.7%) and four (2.7%) samples, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences according to school level, gender or phone type. None of four E. coli strains had pathogenic toxic genes. All of the B. cereus strains carried at least three different toxin genes among the nine enterotoxin and emetic toxin genes. Three out of 20 B. cereus strains (15%) possessed emetic toxin genes, which are rarely detected in food-poisoning cases in Korea. Among the 26 strains of S. aureus, the detection rate of staphylococcal enterotoxin genes, toxic shock syndrome toxin (tsst) and factors essential for methicillin resistance (femA) were 84.6%, 7.7% and 100%, respectively. In the antibiotic susceptibility test, there was no methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA). Conclusion: The results show that students' mobile phones in Busan were contaminated by food-borne pathogens which carried various toxic genes. Therefore, regular phone disinfection and hand hygiene is important in order to reduce cross-contamination.

• Journal of the FoodService Safety
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2020

Salt is a common seasoning agent used in various processed foods, especially in kimchi and salted seafood (jeotgal). This study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of salt with antimicrobial substances (acetic acid, garlic extract, carvacrol, nisin, thymol, and their combination (acetic acid+nisin+thymol)) on improvement of antibacterial effects of salt against foodborne pathogens. Salt (10%) was prepared using six different types of 0.2% natural antimicrobial substances. The antibacterial effect of salt combined with natural antimicrobial substances was evaluated against foodborne pathogens using the broth micro-dilution method and growth curve plotted using absorbance measurements. For the five foodborne pathogens, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of salt without antimicrobial substances as control were in the range of 24~>50,000 ㎍/mL and >50,000 ㎍/mL, respectively. Salt with nisin, thymol, or garlic extract showed strong inhibitory effects and their MIC against L. monocytogenes were 49, 12,500, and 24 ㎍/mL, respectively. In particular, salt with nisin showed inhibitory activities against Gram-positive bacteria. However, all the antimicrobial substances were less effective against Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium than Gram-positive bacteria. These results could be used for the development of salt with natural antimicrobial substances especially targeted against L. monocytogenes. This would enable the lowering of saline concentration while improving the storability of food.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 2003

In this study, Artemisia capillaries, which has been used as a folk remedy, was investigated for its antimicrobial activity. First, the Aremisia capillaris was extracted with methanol at room temperature, and fractionation of the methanol extracts from Artemisia capillaris was carried out using petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethyl acetate. Second, the antimicrobial activity of the Artemisia capillaris extracts was determined using a paper disc method and minimum inhibitory concentration of ethyl acetate extracts from Artemisia capillaris against food-borne pathogens and food spoilage bacteria was measured. Finally, the growth inhibition curve was determined using ethyl acetate extracts of Artemisia capillaris against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium. The ethyl acetate extract of Artemisia capillaris showed strong antimicrobial activity against S. typhimurium at a concentration of 1,000 ppm. The 3,000 ppm of ethyl acetate extract from Artemisia capillaris retarded the growth of S. aureus and S. typhimurium for up to 6 hours.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.241-248
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• 2002

The dried Prunus mume, an alkaline food abundant in organic acids (citric acid, malic acid and tartaric acid), has been largely used in both folklore remedies and Chinese herbal medicine for a long time. This study was performed to investigate the antimicrobial activity of the dried Prunus mume. The fractionation of the methanol extracts from Prunus mume was conducted using petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and butanol, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of the Prunus mume extracts was then determined against food-borne pathogens using a paper disc method. The ethyl acetate extract showed the strongest antimicrobial activity against the eigth food-born pathogens used in this present study. Diaion HP 20 column chromatography was performed to remove some sugars that might inhibit the antimicrobial activity of Prunus mume. The strongest antimicrobial activity of ethyl acetate fraction of Prunus mume was shown against Staphylococus aureus. The growth inhibition curve was determined using ethyl acetate extracts of Prunus mume against Staphylococus aureus, which showed the growth inhibition up to 72 hours at 1,000 ppm concentration.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.184-191
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• 2020

Objectives: This study was performed to analyze cases of food poisoning outbreaks reported in Chungcheongnamdo Province in 2019 and report it as effective data for preventing food poisoning in the future. Methods: Food poisoning outbreaks were analyzed to detect virus, bacteria, and protozoa according to the Manual for Detection of Foodborne Pathogens in Outbreaks to clarify the causes of food poisoning that occurred in Chungcheongnam-do Province in 2019. Results: Among the 79 cases of food poisoning outbreaks, 59 cases (74.7%) were in general restaurants, 15 cases (19.0%) in food service institutions, three cases at banquets, and two cases in take-out food. The 42 cases at general seafood restaurants made up the majority of food poisoning in Chungcheongnam-do. Food poisoning pathogens were shown in 13 cases (86.7%) out of the 15 cases at food service institutions, and 10 cases were related to Norovirus. Among the 79 cases, food-borne pathogens were identified in 35 cases of outbreaks, accounting for 44.3%. The confirmed pathogens were as follows: bacteria (24 cases), Norovirus (12 cases) and Kudoa septempunctata. (five cases). The food-borne bacteria were pathogenic E. coli (12 cases), Staphylococcus aureus (six cases), Salmonella spp. (two cases), Campylobacter jejuni, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus (one case). Conclusions: To prevent food poisoning, it is necessary to analyze regional characteristics and environments and to hold a campaign for the prevention of food poisoning based on that analysis. In addition, when food poisoning occurs, the results of analyzing its cause and spread based on accurate epidemiological survey need to be shared.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.195-204
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• 2020

This research was investigated the effects of temperature and time against the formation of biofilms by foodborne pathogens on surfaces of polyethylene and stainless steel. After preliminary experiments with 32 strains from 6 species of foodborne pathogens (Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella Typhimurium), one strain from each species with the highest biofilm formation efficiency was selected. All foodborne pathogens showed a tendency toward an increased ability for biofilm formation with increasing temperature, but there was no consistency between the two materials and between foodborne pathogens. At all tested temperatures, the biofilm formation ability of E. coli and P. aeruginosa on the polyethylene surface was higher than that on the stainless steel surface with significant differences. The foodborne pathogens all formed biofilms immediately upon inoculation, and biofilm formation by E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and S. Typhimurium increased on both the polyethylene and stainless steel surfaces at 1 h after inoculation compared to at 0 h. At 7 days after biofilm formation, the other strains except S. aureus showed no difference in survival rates on polyethylene and stainless steel. The ability of these 6 foodborne pathogens to form biofilms showed different trends depending on the type of bacteria and the instrument material, i.e., polyethylene and stainless steel.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.114-119
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• 2011

In this study, two duplex real-time PCR approach with melting curve analysis is presented for the detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus, which are important food-borne bacterial pathogens usually present in fresh and/or minimally processed vegetables. Reaction conditions were adjusted for the simultaneous amplification and detection of specific fragments in the ${\beta}$-glucuronidase (uidA, E. coli), thermonuclease (nuc, S. aureus), hemolycin (hly, L. monocytogenes) and tetrathionate reductase (ttr, Salmonella spp.) genes. Melting curve analysis using a SYBR Green I real-time PCR approach showed characteristic $T_m$ values demonstrating the specific and efficient amplification of the four pathogens; $80.6{\pm}0.9^{\circ}C$, $86.9{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$, $80.4{\pm}0.6^{\circ}C$ and $88.1{\pm}0.11^{\circ}C$ for S. aureus, E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp., respectively. For all the pathogens, the two duplex, real-time PCR was equally sensitive to uniplex real-time PCR, using same amounts of purified DNA, and allowed detection of 10 genome equivalents. When our established duplex real-time PCR assay was applied to artificially inoculated fresh lettuce, the detection limit was $10^3$ CFU/g for each of these pathogens without enrichment. The results from this study showed that the developed duplex real-time PCR with melting curve analysis is promising as a rapid and cost-effective test method for improving food safety.