• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.437-442
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• 2014

Foodborne illness due to the consumption of contaminated raw strawberries is a continuing food safety concern. This study investigated and evaluated contamination levels of bacteria on strawberries at farms stage to evaluate potential hazards associated with fresh strawberries. A total of 315 samples, 105 samples from 5 sampling sites (A to E) of 21 farms and 210 samples from 1 sampling site of 6 farms, was collected every month for four months and analyzed to enumerate aerobic bacterial counts, Coliforms/E. coli, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, the prevalence study of five pathogens (S. aureus, E. coli, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes) was performed on each sample. Aerobic bacterial counts ranged from 0.48 to 6.36 Log CFU/g, with the highest bacterial cell counts recorded for D and E sites. Coliforms were detected in 71 samples (22.5%) with a minimum of 0.48 cfu/g and a maximum of more than 4 Log CFU/g. B. cereus was detected in 98 samples (31.1%) among total samples analyzed. S. aureus was detected in 2 samples with a minimum of 0.48 Log CFU/g and a maximum of 1.38 Log CFU/g. E. coli, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes were not isolated from any of the samples. The microbial contamination levels of strawberries determined in this study may be used as the fundamental data for microbiological risk assessment.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 2007

This study was carried out to investigate the usefulness of the aerial part of Cnidium officinale Makino as a bioactive material source. The aerial part(leaf and stem) of Cnidium officinale Makino was extracted with three kinds of solvents and determined their antimicrobial activities against several bacteria and yeast strains using the paper disc method and the microtiter dilution method. The extracts of the Cnidium offocinale aerial part exhibited the broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria, including food-borne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus. The extracts of Cnidium officinale also showed antifungal activity against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The ethyl acetate extracts completely inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aerogenes, and moderately inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae at the concentration of 0.5 mg/mL. However, water extract of Cnidium officinale exhibited lower antimicrobial activity than ethyl acetate and methanol extracts. The inhibitory effect of the ethyl acetate extract of Cnidium officinale Makino was not destroyed by heating at $100^{\circ}C$ for 30 min or at $121^{\circ}C$... for 15 min. These results suggest that the aerial part of Cnidium officinale Makino could be a useful source for a natural antimicrobial material.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.1606-1610
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• 2005

The effects of Whangkumtang extract and Scutellariae radix extract on the microbial growth were investigated. The antimicrobial activities and cell growth inhibiting effects were investigated to selected strains with different concentrations of Whangkmtang and Scutellariae radix extracts. Whangkmtang and Scutellariae radix extracts showed the antimicrobial activities on Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Shigella sonnei, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Enteritidis, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Escherichia coli O111 and Escherichia coli O126. Whangkumtang and Scutellariae radix extracts did not show the antimicrobial activity on Listeriamonocytogenes. Scutellariae radix extract showed the antimicrobial activity on Escherichia coli O157 but Whangkumtang extract did not, Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of Whangkumtang extract for each strain appeared to 40 mg/mL on Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cerus, 100 mg/mL on Shigella Flexneri and Salmonella enteritidis. The MICs of Sutellariae radix extract appeared to 10 mg/mL on Bacillus cereus, 20 mg/UL on Staphylococn aureus, Shigellanexneri and Salmonella Enteritidis. Scutellariae radix extract showed the higher antimicrobial activity than Whangkumtang extract. The cell growth inhibitions by Whangkumtang and Scutellariae radix extracts were observed from Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, repectively, during 48-hr incubation period.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2003

Prunus mume has been used for the folk medicine by many old civilizations to treat food-borne diseases or enteric disorders. This study was carried out to examine the antimicrobial effect of juice from Prunus mume against pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus. The juice of Prunus mume had the strongest antimicrobial activity to Sal. enteritidis. The concentrations of Prunus mume juice for the formation of clear zone were 1% for Sai. enteritidis(15.0mm), 3% for Lis. monocytogenes(14.7mm), and 5% for Bac. cereus(14.75mm), Esc. coli(13.45mm) and Sta. aureux(11.9mm). The growth of all tested microorganisms was inhibited apparently in tryptic soy broth containing 3% and 4% Prunus mume juice. And it was found that the Prunus mume juice showed the highest antimicrobial properties, followed by Sal. enteritidis, Bac. cereus, Sta. aureus, Lis. monocytogenes, Esc. coli.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.328-335
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• 2010

The aim of our study was to develop a new starter culture for fermented milk. Polymerase chain reaction screening of 103 acid-producing isolates from Kimchi identified 72 Lactobacillus strains. The ability of the strains to inhibit the growth of the food-borne human pathogens (Escherichia coli, Salmonella Enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus) was measured, using a conventional paper disk method. Among the 72 strains, strain LHC52 displayed potent antagonistic activity. Use of 16S rDNA sequencing and the API 50CHL system identified the strain as Lactobacillus plantarum and it was designated L. plantarum LHC52. Biochemical analyses revealed especially high antibacterial activity against E. coli. Yogurt produced using L. plantarum LHC52 did not show different microbiological and physicochemical properties compared to conventionally-prepared yogurt, implicating L. plantarum LHC52 as a useful, potently antibacterial starter culture for yogurt preparation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.224-232
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• 2019

This study evaluated the physicochemical and microbial quality characteristic of seasonal commercial kimchi for hygienic safety levels. The pH of seasonal commercial kimchi was 3.84-6.36 and the titratable acidity and salinity of the samples were 0.21-1.16 and 1.19-1.54%, respectively. The content of nitrate and nitrite in the commercial kimchi were lower in the spring and summer, which was affected by acidic condition of the kimchi depending on fermentation. Heavy metal contents in commercial kimchi are not an issue because they were detected only at very low levels. The total aerobic bacteria and coliforms counts ranged from 5.25 to 8.44 Log CFU/g and 0.00 to 5.08 Log CFU/g, respectively. The total aerobic bacteria and coliforms were detected more in summer than in the other seasons. E. coli was detected in three of the samples tested. Food-borne pathogens were not detected in any of the samples except for B. cereus. B. cereus was detected in the fall in more than 70% of samples. These results suggest that commercial kimchi distributed in the fall maintain the quality properties and the microbiological safety of kimchi compared to the other seasons. Therefore, further studies as an effective distribution system for the particular seasons will be needed to guarantee the hygienic safety levels of commercial kimchi required by the consumers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.66-74
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• 2005

This survey was conducted to assess the consumer perceptions of food-related hazard in 500 housewives from all over Korea. The subjects were selected by stratified random sampling method. The survey was performed using structured questionnaire through telephone interview by skilled interviewers. The results showed that 34.6% of the respondents felt secure and were not concerned about food safety, and 65.4% were concerned about food safety. Logistic regression analysis showed that the increasing concern on food brands, food additives (such as food preservatives and artificial color), and imported foodstuffs indicated the current increasing concern on food safety. Other related factors indicating the increasing concern on food safety were education level and care for children's health. The respondents who cared about food safety expressed a high degree of concern on processed foodstuffs such as commercial boxed lunch (93.3%), imported foods (92.7%), fastfoods (89.9%), processed meat products (88.7%), dining out (85.6%), cannery and frozen foods (83.5%), and instant foods (82.0%). The lowest degree of concern was on rice. All the respondents perceived that residues of chemical substances such as pesticides and food additives, and endocrine disrupters were the most potential food risk factors, followed by food-borne pathogens, and GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). However, these results were not consistent with scientific judgment. Therefore, more education and information were needed for consumers' awareness of facts and myths about food safety. In addition, the results showed that consumers put lower trust in food products information such as food labels, cultivation methods (organic or not), quality labels, and the place of origin. Nevertheless, the respondents expressed their desire to overcome alienation, and recognized the importance of knowing of the origin or the producers of food. They identified that people who need to take extreme precautions on food contamination were the producers, government officials, food companies, consumers, the consumer's association, and marketers, arranged in the order of highest to lowest. They also believed that the production stage of agriculture was the most important step for improving the level of food safety Therefore, the results indicated that there is a need to introduce safety systems in the production of agricultural products, as follows: Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), and Traceability System (75).

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.155-159
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• 2010

The antimicrobial activity of Sargassum fulvellum (SF) was investigated using the agar diffusion assay and MIC test. In addition, the stability of this activity under extreme heat and pH conditions was examined. The SF ethanol extract was shown to display strong antimicrobial activities against B. subtilis, C. perfringens, L. plantarum, S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, S. cerevisae and C. tropicalis in the agar diffusion assay at the concentration of 4 mg/mL. The MIC value of the SF ethanol extract against the tested microbes ranged from 0.05 to 0.0063%. In the heat and pH stability test, the antimicrobial activity of the SF ethanol extract was not altered when the temperature was maintained at $121^{\circ}C$ for 15 min, and it was also not affected in the pH range of 2-10. These results suggest that the SF ethanol extract is highly stable against drastic changes in temperature and pH.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.84-97
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• 2016

Isolates from Korean fermented soybean paste were identified as Enterococcus faecium SBP12, Pediococcus halophilus SBP20, Lactobacillus fermentum SBP33, Leuconostoc mesenteroides SBP37, Pediococcus pentosaceus SBP41, Lactobacillus brevis SBP49, Lactobacillus acidophilus SBP55, and Enterococcus faecalis SBP58 according to conventional morphological and biochemical characteristics, carbohydrate fermentation profiling, and 16S rRNA sequence comparison. Strain SBP20, SBP33, SBP49, and SBP55 showed very resistance to simulated gastric and intestinal juices with final populations exceeding 6 log CFU/ml, whereas cells of SBP12 and SBP58 after exposure to low pH were dramatically decreased within 2 h. Among 4 strains having good tolerance to gastrointestinal conditions, the high adhesive ability to HT-29 cells, antibiotic resistance, and antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 were observed with SBP49 and SBP55, therefore, these two strains were confirmed as putative probiotic candidates. There was no significant difference between the sourdoughs fermented with SBP49 and SBP55 with respect to the values of pH, total titratable acidity, and viable cell count. During sourdough fermentation, SBP49 strain produced significantly greater amounts of lactic acid than SBP55 strain, which secreted large quantities of hydrogen peroxide. SBP49 and SBP55 strains producing the antimicrobial substances such as lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocin effectively inhibited B. cereus and S. aureus inoculated in the sourdough.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.152-160
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to analyze hazards for the growing stage of 6 tomato farms (A, B, C; soli farms, D, E, F; Nutriculture farms) located in Gyeongsangnam-do to establish the good agricultural practices (GAP). A total of 144 samples for analyzing hazards collected from cultivation environments (irrigation water, soil, nutrient solution, and air) and personal hygiene (hands, gloves, and cloths) were assessed for biological (sanitary indications and major food borne pathogens) and chemical hazards (heavy metals). Total bacteria, coliform, and fungi were detected at levels of 0.2-7.2, 0.0-6.1, and 0.0-5.4 log CFU/g, mL, hand or 100 $cm^2$, respectively. Escherichia coli were only detected in the soil sample from B farm. In case of pathogens, Bacillus cereus was detected at levels of 0.0-4.4 log CFU/(g, mL, hand or 100 $cm^2$), whereas Staphylococuus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157, and Salmonella spp. were not detected in all samples. Heavy metals as a chemical hazard were detected in soil and irrigation water, but levels of them were lower than the permit limit. In conclusion, chemical hazard levels complied with GAP criteria, but biological hazards at the growing stage of tomato farms were confirmed. Therefore a proper management to prevent microbial contamination is needed.