• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.274-281
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• 2019

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the risk of Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) infection from various jerky products in Korea. Methods: For the exposure assessment, the prevalence and predictive models of C. jejuni in the jerky and the temperature and time of the distribution and storage were investigated. In addition, the consumption amounts and frequencies of the products were also investigated. The data for C. jejuni for the prevalence, distribution temperature, distribution time, consumption amount, and consumption frequency were fitted with the @RISK fitting program to obtain appropriate probabilistic distributions. Subsequently, the dose-response models for Campylobacter were researched in the literature. Eventually, the distributions, predictive model, and dose-response model were used to make a simulation model with @RISK to estimate the risk of C. jejuni foodborne illness from the intake of jerky. Results: Among 275 jerky samples, there were no C. jejuni positive samples, and thus, the initial contamination level was statistically predicted with the RiskUniform distribution [RiskUniform (-2, 0.48)]. To describe the changes in the C. jejuni cell counts during distribution and storage, the developed predictive models with the Weibull model (primary model) and polynomial model (secondary model) were utilized. The appropriate probabilistic distribution was the BetaGeneral distribution, and it showed that the average jerky consumption was 51.83 g/d with a frequency of 0.61%. The developed simulation model from this data series and the dose-response model (Beta Poisson model) showed that the risk of C. jejuni foodborne illness per day per person from jerky consumption was $1.56{\times}10^{-12}$. Conclusion: This result suggests that the risk of C. jejuni in jerky could be considered low in Korea.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.356-365
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• 2012

There have been growing concerns among people about food safety due to insufficient information on foodborne pathogens. In this study, we developed a risk priority of 15 foodborne pathogens. For the priority determination we collected risk profile criteria information from CODEX Alimentarius Commission and developed countries. The basis for criteria we selected from information of surveillance were frequency and severity of disease, frequency of consumption and probability of cross-contamination. We also considered foodborne pathogens which have been managed in developed countries though those pathogens are not currently managed appropriately in Korea. Priorities were divided into three groups following these consideration. The first priority group includes Norovirus, pathogenic E. coli, Salmonella spp, Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes. The second priority group includes Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Stapylococcus aureus, Campylobacter jejuni and Bacillus cereus, and the third priority group includes Clostridium perfringens, Yersinia enterocolitica, Shigella spp, Cronobacter sakazakii and Hepatitis A virus. Our results could be applied to prevent foodborne illness from fresh produce.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.1970-1978
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• 2024

Objective: This research aimed to analyze the prevalence, molecular characteristics, toxinotyping, alpha toxin production potential, and antibiotic resistance pattern of Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) isolates in meat samples collected from various sources. Methods: Sixty meat samples were screened for alpha toxin using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, revealing a positivity rate of 13.3%, predominantly in raw poultry meat. Subsequent culturing on Perfringens agar identified nine samples harboring characteristic C. perfringens colonies, primarily isolated from raw poultry meat. Molecular confirmation through 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing authenticated twelve isolates as C. perfringens, with nine strains exhibiting genetic resemblance to locally isolated strains. Toxinotyping assays targeting alpha toxin-specific genes confirmed all nine isolates as type A C. perfringens, with no detection of beta or epsilon toxin genes. Hemolytic assays demonstrated varying alpha toxin production potentials among isolates, with accession number OQ721004.1 displaying the highest production capacity. Moreover, antibiotic resistance profiling revealed multi-drug resistance patterns among the isolates. Results: The study identified distinct clusters within C. perfringens strains, indicating variations. Phylogenetic analysis delineated genetic relatedness among strains, elucidating potential evolutionary paths and divergences. Conclusion: The findings underscore the need for robust surveillance and control measures to mitigate the risk of C. perfringens contamination in meat products, particularly in raw poultry meat. Enhanced monitoring and prudent antimicrobial stewardship practices are warranted in both veterinary and clinical settings to address the observed antibiotic resistance profiles and prevent foodborne outbreaks.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.603-616
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• 2010

Based on recent dramatic increases in foodborne outbreaks in restaurants, self-managed sanitation systems are now recommended to control contributing risk factors. This study aimed to improve sanitation management practices in restaurants and had two objectives. First, we tried to develop a self-managed sanitation check-list, including risk factors contributing to foodborne illness and Korean food hygiene regulation articles. We also tried to evaluate current sanitation management practices in restaurants according to operation and restaurant type. Thirty restaurants were evaluated by on-the-spot inspectors using an auditing tool consisting of four dimensions, seventeen categories, and forty-one items. Total compliance rate categorized by operation type significantly differed between chain restaurants and self-managed restaurants, with values of 85.5% and 51.6%, respectively. Therefore, self-managed restaurants, which showed the lowest compliance rate of below 30.0%, need more strict control to improve current unsanitary management practices, specifically relating to 'sterilization of knives, chopping boards, and wiping cloths', 'sanitation training', 'not allowing access into the kitchen to outsiders', 'handling of food or utensils on shelves at a 15 cm distance away from floor', 'prevention of cross-contamination of cooked foods or vegetables', and 'records of kitchen access or inspection'. Thus, an effective food sanitation system is essential and should be implemented to improve the existing sanitary conditions in restaurants. However, the most important factor to achieving food sanitation management objectives is food handlers' self-motivation.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.579-592
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• 2017

This study assessed the quantitative microbial risk of non-enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). For hazard identification, hazards of non-EHEC E. coli in natural and processed cheeses were identified by research papers. Regarding exposure assessment, non-EHEC E. coli cell counts in cheese were enumerated, and the developed predictive models were used to describe the fates of non-EHEC E. coli strains in cheese during distribution and storage. In addition, data on the amounts and frequency of cheese consumption were collected from the research report of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. For hazard characterization, a doseresponse model for non-EHEC E. coli was used. Using the collected data, simulation models were constructed, using software @RISK to calculate the risk of illness per person per day. Non-EHEC E. coli cells in natural- (n=90) and processed-cheese samples (n=308) from factories and markets were not detected. Thus, we estimated the initial levels of contamination by Uniform distribution ${\times}$ Beta distribution, and the levels were -2.35 and -2.73 Log CFU/g for natural and processed cheese, respectively. The proposed predictive models described properly the fates of non-EHEC E. coli during distribution and storage of cheese. For hazard characterization, we used the Beta-Poisson model (${\alpha}=2.21{\times}10^{-1}$, $N_{50}=6.85{\times}10^7$). The results of risk characterization for non-EHEC E. coli in natural and processed cheese were $1.36{\times}10^{-7}$ and $2.12{\times}10^{-10}$ (the mean probability of illness per person per day), respectively. These results indicate that the risk of non-EHEC E. coli foodborne illness can be considered low in present conditions.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.115-118
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• 2008

Salmonella typhi is frequent causes of foodborne illness and its detection is important for monitoring disease progression. In this study, by using general PCR and novel LAMP (Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification) assay, we evaluated the usefulness of LAMP assay for detection of Salmonella typhi. In this LAMP assay, forward inner primer (FIP) and back inner primer (BIP) was specially designed for recognizing target invA gene. Target DNA was amplified and visualized as ladder-like pattern of bands on agarose gel within 60 min under isothermal conditions at $65^{\circ}C$. When the sensitivity and reproducibility of LAMP were compared to general PCR, there was no difference of reproducibility but sensitivity of LAMP assay was more efficient than PCR (the detection limit of LAMP assay was 30 fg, while the PCR assay was 3 pg). These results indicate that the LAMP assay is a potential and valuable means for detection of Salmonella typhi, especially for its rapidity, simplicity and low cost.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.31 no.2 s.115
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• pp.128-134
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• 2006

Frequent outbreaks of foodborne illness demand the need for rapid and sensitive methods for detection of these pathogens. Recent development of biosensor technology has a great potential to meet the need for rapid and sensitive pathogens detection from foods. An antibody-based fiber-optic biosensor and an automated reagents supply system to detect Listeria monocytogenes were developed. The biosensor for detection of Listeria monocytogenes in PBS and bacteria spiked food samples was evaluated. The automated reagents supply system eliminated cumbersome sample and detection antibody injection procedures that had been done manually. The biosensor could detect $10^4$ cfu/ml of Listeria monocytogenes in PBS. By using the fiber-optic biosensor, $2x10^8$ cfu/ml of Listeria monocytogenes in the food samples were detectable.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.43-48
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• 2009

Listeria monocytogenes is a major concern in food processing environments because it is ubiquitous and can easily contaminate food during processing. Contaminated food and the surfaces in food facilities can serve as reservoirs of L. monocytogenes, which can lead to the serious foodborne illness listeriosis in consumers. L. monocytogenes can adhere to materials commonly used in food processing equipment and form biofilms. In the biofilm mode, L. monocytogenes is significantly more resistant to disinfection or sanitizers than its planktonic counterparts. Many researchers have studied the effects of surface materials on bacterial adhesion and the formation of biofilms. Recent studies have focused on preventing the establishment of L. monocytogenes in niches in the food plant environments.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.19-38
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• 2024

Meat contains high-value protein compounds that might degrade as a result of oxidation and microbial contamination. Additionally, various pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms can grow in meat. Moreover, contamination with pathogenic microorganisms above the infectious dose has caused foodborne illness outbreaks. To decrease the microbial population, traditional meat preservation methods such as thermal treatment and chemical disinfectants are used, but it may have limitations for the maintenance of meat quality or the consumers acceptance. Thus, non-thermal technologies (e.g., high-pressure processing, pulsed electric field, non-thermal plasma, pulsed light, supercritical carbon dioxide technology, ozone, irradiation, ultraviolet light, and ultrasound) have emerged to improve the shelf life and meat safety. Non-thermal technologies are becoming increasingly important because of their advantages in maintaining low temperature, meat nutrition, and short processing time. Especially, pulsed light and pulsed electric field treatment induce few sensory and physiological changes in high fat and protein meat products, making them suitable for the application. Many research results showed that these non-thermal technologies may keep meat fresh and maintain heat-sensitive elements in meat products.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.12
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• pp.1895-1904
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• 2015

Foodborne illness associated with food service establishments is an important food safety issue in Korea. In this study, foodborne pathogens (Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, pathogenic Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus) and hygiene indicator organisms [total viable cell counts (TVC), coliforms] were analyzed for food and environmental samples from foodservice establishments at schools in Gyeonggi province. Virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance of detected foodborne pathogens were also characterized. A total of 179 samples, including food (n=66), utensil (n=68), and environmental samples (n=45), were collected from eight food service establishments at schools in Gyeonggi province. Average contamination levels of TVC for foods (including raw materials) and environmental samples were 4.7 and 4.0 log CFU/g, respectively. Average contamination levels of coliforms were 2.7 and 4.0 log CFU/g for foods and environmental swab samples, respectively. B. cereus contamination was detected in food samples with an average of 2.1 log CFU/g. E. coli was detected only in raw materials, and S. aureus was positive in raw materials as well as environmental swab samples. Other foodborne pathogens were not detected in all samples. The entire B. cereus isolates possessed at least one of the diarrheal toxin genes (hblACD, nheABC, entFM, and cytK enterotoxin gene). However, ces gene encoding emetic toxin was not detected in B. cereus isolates. S. aureus isolates (n=16) contained at least one or more of the tested enterotoxin genes, except for tst gene. For E. coli and S. aureus, 92.7% and 37.5% of the isolates were susceptible against 16 and 19 antimicrobials, respectively. The analyzed microbial hazards could provide useful information for quantitative microbial risk assessment and food safety management system to control foodborne illness outbreaks in food service establishments.