• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.953-958
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• 2016

Chitosan-based film-forming gel is regarded as a promising vehicle for topical delivery of antimicrobial agents to skin wounds, since it protects from microbial infection and the cationic polymer itself possesses antibacterial activity. In this study, possible synergistic interaction against common skin pathogens between the cationic polymer and tyrothricin (TRC), a cyclic polypeptide antibiotic, was investigated, by determining the concentration to inhibit 90% of bacterial isolates (MIC). The addition of the polysaccharide to TRC dramatically reduced the MIC values of TRC by 1/33 and 1/4 against both methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. The synergism of TRC and chitosan combination against both strains was demonstrated by the checkerboard method, with a fractional inhibitory concentration index below 0.5. Moreover, co-treatment of TRC and chitosan exhibited antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, due to the antibacterial activity of chitosan, whereas TRC itself did not inhibit the gram-negative bacterial growth. These findings suggested that the use of chitosan-based film for topical delivery of TRC could be an alternative to improve TRC antimicrobial activity against strains that are abundant in skin wounds.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.309-318
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• 2002

The purposes of this study were to estimate the microbial and physicochemical quality of vegetable dishes without heat treatment such as sengchae, a traditional Korean vegetable dish, and to suggest a safer method of preparation. Platycodon sengchae and vegetable salad were monitored from the ingredient to final product before serving while storing at different temperature (4, 10$^{\circ}C$) and period (1, 2, 4, 7 days) at foodservice establishments. The results showed that the storage temperature pH, Aw, moisture content, and microbial loads are the important factors affecting the quality of vegetable dishes without heat treatment, and a thorough hygienic management from the purchase to the preparation of the dishes is needed to secure the quality of prepared foods in the foodservice establishments.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.216-219
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• 2016

The microbial transformation of anthranilic acid (1) by the marine-mudflat-derived fungus Thielavia sp. produced an antibacterial polycyclic quinazoline alkaloid, thielaviazoline (2). The stereostructure of the metabolite was assigned based on detailed spectroscopic data analyses including comparison of the NMR ($^1H$ and $^{13}C$) data with those of reported compound (2). Compound 2 displayed in vitro antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant and multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MDRSA), with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 6.25 and $12.5{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Compound 2 also showed potent radical-scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) with an $IC_{50}$ of $11{\mu}M$, which was more active than the positive control, L-ascorbic acid ($IC_{50}$, $20.0{\mu}M$).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1763-1775
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• 2019

Objective: The influence of konjac gel level on fermentation process and product qualities were assessed to evaluate the feasibility of using it as fat analog in Northeastern Thai fermented sausage (Sai Krok E-san). Methods: Five treatments of fermented sausages were formulated by replacing pork backfat with 0%, 7.5%, 22.5%, and 30% konjac gel. The changes in lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and important physicochemical properties of samples were assessed during 3 days of fermentation. After the end of fermentation at day 3, water activity ($a_w$), instrumental texture, color, microbial counts, and sensory evaluation were compared. The best product formulation using konjac for replacing pork back fat were selected and used to compare proximate composition and energy value with control sample (30% pork backfat). Results: An increase in konjac gel resulted in higher values of LAB, total acidity, and proteolysis index with lower pH and lipid oxidation during 3 days of product fermentation (p<0.05). It was noted that larger weight loss and product shrinkage during fermentation was observed with higher levels of konjac gel (p<0.05). The resulting sausage at day 3 with 15% to 30% konjac gel exhibited higher hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, springiness, and chewiness than control (p<0.05). The external color of samples with 22.5% to 30% konjac gel were redder than others (p<0.05). Mold, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli in all finished products were lower than detectable levels. Product with 15% konjac gel had the highest scores of sourness linking and overall acceptability (p<0.05). Conclusion: The product with 15% of konjac gel was the optimum formulation for replacing pork backfat. It had higher sensorial scores of sourness and overall acceptability than control with less negative impact on external appearance (product shrinkage) and weight loss. Moreover, it provided 46% fat reduction and 32% energy reduction than control.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.919-923
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• 2005

A bacterium capable of poly(${\gamma}$-glutamic acid) production was isolated from nonpasteurized soy sauce. It was judged to be a variety of Bacillus subtilis and designated as B. subtilis C1. B. subtilis C1 produced ${\gamma}$-PGA in the absence of exogenous glutamic acid; therefore, it is a de novo PGA­producing bacterium. The product produced by B. subtilis C1 was characterized by amino acid analysis to be composed of solely glutamic acid. However, the $H^1-NMR$ spectra showed chemical shifts of glycerol protons in addition to those of authentic ${\gamma}$-PGA, indicating that the product is in fact a bioconjugate of ${\gamma}$-PGA. The finding is unique, because the microbial production of ${\gamma}$-PGA bioconjugate has never been reported before. The molecular mass of the product was over 10,000 kDa as determined by GPC, and $97\%$ of the product was D-glutamate, indicating that L-glutamate was converted to its D-form counterpart by B. subtilis C1.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2003

Several microbial biocontrol products (Greenbiotech Co., Paju, Korea), Green-all T (Trichoderma harzianum), Green-all S(Bacillus sp.) and Green-all G (Streptomyces sp.) were supplemented with organic amendments such as sawdusts and rice hulls to study on efficacy of biological control of seeding damping-off of cucumber caused by Pythium ultimum. Sawdusts amended into potato dextrose agar alone could inhibit in vitro mycelial growth of P. ultimum. All there microbial products of Green-all T, Green-all G and Green-all S significantly reduced seeding damping-off (LSD, P=0.05). However, several amendments such as sawdusts and rice hulls into Green-all T and Green-all S products did not increase efficacy of biological control compared to non-amended treatment. In contrast, supplements of aminodoctor containing several amino acids (Greenbiotech Co., Korea) into Green-all G product significantly increased efficacy of biological control of seeding damping-off, resulting in from 42% to 2% disease incidence in relation to seedling emergence (LSD, P=0.05). Also, amendment of sawdusts into Tricoderma product significantly increased efficacy of biological control as disease index of 5.0 compared to non-amended control of 56.0 in Green-all T product alone. This indicates that organic amendments could increase efficacy of biological control of cucumber seedling damping-off.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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• v.18 no.1_2
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• pp.33-38
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• 2012

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) was applied to steamed bread added with black rice in 10%. In terms of storage stability, the steamed bread was found to be susceptible to microbial spoilage and could be helped in its preservation and shelf life extension by MAP. According to microbial and sensory quality criteria, the product shelf life was determined as < 5 days for air package, 5 days for 100% $N_2$ package, 8 days for package of 60% $CO_2$/40% $N_2$, and 15 days for 100% $CO_2$ package. Even though MAP condition with $CO_2$ inclusion was effective in extending the shelf life based on microbial quality, it did not affect the staling of the bread.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.39-50
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• 2013

Biomass and community composition of microphytobentos in tidal flats were studied by HPLC analysis and also investigated to examine the relationship between microphytobenthic pigments and Adenosine-5' triphosphate (ATP) as an index of total microbial biomass in intertidal environments (muddy and sandy sediment) of Gyeonggi Bay, west coast of Korea. Microphytobenthic pigments and ATP concentration in muddy sediment were the highest at the surface while the biomass of microphytobenthos in sandy sediment was the highest at the sub-surface (0.75 cm sediment depth). The detected pigments of microphytobenthos were chlorophyll a, b (euglenophytes), $c_3$, peridinin (dinoflagellates), fucoxanthin (diatom or chrysophytes), diadinoxanthin, alloxanthin (cryptophytes), diatoxanthin, zeaxanthin (cyanobacteria), ${\beta}$-carotein, and pheophytin a (the degraded product of chlorophyll a). Among the pigments which were detected, the concentration of fucoxanthin was the highest, indicating that diatoms dominated in the microphytobenthic community of the tidal flats. There was little significant correlation between OC (Organic Carbon) and ATP in both sediments. However, a positive correlation between chlorophyll a concentration and ATP concentration was found in sandy sediment, suggesting that microbial biomass could be affected by labile OC derived from microphytobenthos. These results provide information that may help us understand the relationship between microphytobenthos and microbial biomass in different intertidal sediment environments.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.201-209
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• 2016

Many atmospheric pollutants including chemical agents, house dust, and microorganisms cause building-related illnesses through respiration in humans. This study was conducted to analyze the profiles of microbial pollutants in air purifiers used in home, office and playschool. Dominant eleven species of microorganisms were isolated and identified in environmental air and air purifiers. Among them, Staphylococcus sp., Micrococcus sp. and Bacillus sp. are the most dominant species. By phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, the dominant bacteria were identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Micrococcus luteus and Bacillus epidermidis, respectively. It has been known that these bacterial species are closely related with food spoilage and human infectious disease. Thus, these results indicate that microbial pathogens related with human illnesses through respiration will be contaminated in air purifiers and also need to develop a method to control those of pathogens for human health.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.122-129
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• 2005

Chlorine dioxide $(ClO_2)$ treatment was evaluated for microbial growth inhibition and its effects on the quality of vacuum-packaged chicken breasts. Chicken breast samples were treated with 3, 50, and 100 ppm of $ClO_2$ solution, respectively. After $ClO_2$ treatment, chicken breast samples were individually vacuum-packaged and stored at $4^{\circ}C$, a typical storage temperature for meat and meat product, for 7 days. The vacuum-packaged chicken breasts treated with $ClO_2$ had significantly lower total bacteria, yeast and mold, total coliform, and Salmonella spp. were significantly reduced by $ClO_2$ treatment. $D_{10}-values$ of total bacteria count, yeast and mold, total coliform, and Salmonella spp. in vacuum-packaged chicken breasts was 93, 83, 85, and 50 ppm, respectively. The pH of vacuum-packaged chicken breasts decreased with increasing $ClO_2$ concentration. Thiobarbituric acid reacted substance (TBARS) values of vacuum-packaged chicken breasts increased during storage, regardless of $ClO_2$ concentration. $ClO_2$ treatment caused negligible changes in Hunter L, a, and b values in the vacuum-packaged chicken breasts. Sensory evaluation of the vacuum-packaged chicken breasts showed that there were no significant changes among the samples treated with various $ClO_2$ concentration. These results indicate that $ClO_2$ treatment could be useful in improving the microbial safety and quality of meat products.