• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.459-467
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• 2020

In this study, we investigated the changes in both ambient temperature and microbial contamination of fresh convenience foods (FCFs) caused by the behavior of consumers after purchase. According to consumer survey results, it took 0.5 to 3 h put the purchased FCF in a home refrigerator or consume it. Only aerobic bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus (below maximum permitted limit) were detected in FCFs obtained from a local market. During storage of FCFs in a vehicle trunk for up to 3 h. the external and internal temperatures of FCFs were found to be 19 and 18.5℃ in spring, 44 and 42℃ in summer, 31.3 and 29.2℃ in autumn, and 17.6 and 16.8℃ in winter, respectively. Changes in contamination levels of aerobic bacteria on FCFs stored in a vehicle trunk for up to 3 hours are as follows: 2.72 → 3.41 log CFU/g in spring, 3.11 → 4.32 log CFU/g in summer, 3.08 → 3.81 log CFU/g in autumn, 2.71 → 3.36 log CFU/g in winter. S. aureus exceeding the tolerance was detected even when the FCFs were stored in a vehicle trunk for 1 h in summer and autumn and 2 h in spring and winter. Among three boxes (corrugated box, styrofoam box, and corrugated box coated with an aluminum film), the styrofoam box maintained the lowest temperature and showed the lowest growth rate of microorganisms on FCF after storage for 3 h in the vehicle trunk depending on whether ice was added. These results indicated that the possibility of food poisoning occurs when FCFs are exposed to the external environment. It is necessary to provide guidelines regarding storage temperature and allowable time for safe consumption of FCFs after purchase.