• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1439-1446
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• 2009

Isocarbophos is a widely used organophosphorus insecticide that has caused environmental pollution in many areas. However, degradation of isocarbophos by pure cultures has not been extensively studied, and the degradation pathway has not been determined. In this paper, a highly effective isocarbophos-degrading strain, scl-2, was isolated from isocarbophos-polluted soil. The strain scl-2 was preliminarily identified as Arthrobacter sp. based on its morphological, physiological, and biochemical properties, as well as 16S rDNA analysis. The strain scl-2 could utilize isocarbophos as its sole source of carbon and phosphorus for growth. One hundred mg/l isocarbophos could be degraded to a non detectable level in 18 h by scl-2 in cell culture, and isofenphos-methyl, profenofos, and phosmet could also be degraded. During the degradation of isocarbophos, the metabolites isopropyl salicylate, salicylate, and gentisate were detected and identified based on MS/MS analysis and their retention times in HPLC. Transformation of gentisate to pyruvate and fumarate via maleylpyruvate and fumarylpyruvate was detected by assaying for the activities of gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (GDO) and maleylpyruvate isomerase. Therefore, we have identified the degradation pathway of isocarbophos in Arthrobacter sp. scl-2 for the first time. This study highlights an important potential use of the strain scl-2 for the cleanup of environmental contamination by isocarbophos and presents a mechanism of isocarbophos metabolism.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.301-305
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the microbiological contamination levels in rice cakes and rice flour due to climate change in three areas classified to their temperature and precipitation. We investigated the contamination levels of total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens of rice flour and 3 rice cakes such as Garaetteok, Sirutteok and Gyeongdan. Contamination levels of total aerobic bacteria in rice flour were 4.9 log CFU/g. In a total of 70 rice flour, yeasts & molds and coliforms were detected in 42 and 52 samples at the levels of 43 CFU/g and 1.29 log CFU/g, respectively. S. aureus were detected in only 1 rice flour (1.66 log CFU/g) out of 70. In an investigation of contamination levels in rice cakes, the population of total aerobic bacteria were highest in Gyeongdan (5.18 log CFU/g) and coliforms were highest in Gareattock (2.93 log CFU/g). There was no detection of E. coli and B. cereus except for only 1 Gareattock (1.20 log CFU/g). There were no differences of contamination levels among the three areas. If constant monitoring of rice cakes and rice flour is conducted on the basis of this study, it is expected to be able to analyze the change of contamination levels in rice cakes and rice flour due to climate change.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2006

Objectives : This study has attempted to establish an organized system for the microbiological quality of raw materials which are important factors in preparing the standard for microbial limits. Methods : This study has first set up microbial contamination limit test. total aerobic microbial count and total fungi count, int accordance with testing method of the Korea Pharmacopeia 8th edition in order to establish an inspection standard for microbial contamination. Results : The microbial contamination of 18 items that are highly prone to contamination by three regions(Seoul, Daejeon, Gyeongsangbuk-do), As a result, Morus alba Linne and Rehmannia glutimosa Liboschitz var. purpurea Makino showed as high contaminated by WHO's Microbial Contamination Limit standard. In case of Yukjin medicine in the Theory of Herb Medicinal Properties, total bacterial contamination rate showed as 17.7%, total fungal contamination rate showed as 41.2% and total aerobic mircobial count and total fungi count on Ephedra sinica Stapf. Pinellia ternate Breitenbach, Evodia officinalis Dode showed as high measured. The microbial conatmination rate materials which make up Yukmijihwanghwan were mostly high therefore the total aerobic microbial count was measured as high in case of Yukmijihwanghwan, the characteristics about microbial contamination strain is to be researched. Conclusions : By combining the basic data and experimental results related to microbial contamination of herb medicine, the most ideal storage standards for herb medicine has been attempted to be presented.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.126-128
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• 2006

This study confirms that Taq DNA polymerase could be contaminated with the $blaTEM-1_a$ gene. It also proposes two different methods that could be used to overcome DNA contamination: (i) DNase I treatment prior to PCR amplification; and (ii) the use of a highly purified Taq DNA polymerase which was devoid of detectable contamination.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.48-51
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• 1980

Open heart surgery patients have additional risks arising from the special nature of the operative procedure. And postoperative infections in patients with extracorporeal circulation are associated with high incidence of serious sequelae. To investigate the incidence and organisms of contamination, and the relation between the duration of extracorporeal circulation and contamination, following study was done. Eighty-four of the open heart surgery patients were examined with cultures from the blood and priming solution before and after bypass. 1. Cultures before bypass were sterile, but 2 cases of cultures from the blood and priming solution after bypass were positive, and culture positive group was 5% of all patients. 2. The organisms were Gram-negative, aerobic coliform bacilli; 3. The culture positive group had significantly longer bypass time.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.354-359
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• 2006

This study examined the capacity of immobilized bacteria to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons. A mixture of hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial strains was immobilized in alginate and incubated in crude oil-contaminated artificial seawater (ASW). Analysis of hydrocarbon residues following a 30-day incubation period demonstrated that the biodegradation capacity of the microorganisms was not compromised by the immobilization. Removal of n-alkanes was similar in immobilized cells and control cells. To test reusability, the immobilized bacteria were incubated for sequential increments of 30 days. No decline in biodegradation capacity of the immobilized consortium of bacterial cells was noted over its repeated use. We conclude that immobilized hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria represent a promising application in the bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated areas.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.7-10
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• 1965

Higher number in colony counts in coliforms, total aerobes, and anerobes was obtained from marketable soy-bean mash than front that in fermented tank. The ratio between coliform contamination and total viable cells was higher in red pepper mash than in soy-bean mash. E. coli, contaminated in soy-bean mash persisted longer at low temperature ($0^{\circ}C$-$^5{\circ}C$) than at room temperature and they vanished after seven days of storage at room temperature. At 30.deg.C and 35.deg.C, these organisms were more effected than at room temperature. E. coli cells, inoculated in red pepper mash, were not recovered at room temperature after five days incubation. Soy-bean mash, completely fermented at normal conditions, were detected to contain $10^8$- $10^9$ organisms per gram of sample. On the contrary, marketable soy-bean mash were found to have more than 10$^{9}$ per gram samples. Since samples were found to have more than $10^9$ aerobes and anaerobes per gram, contamination of coliforms seemed to be apparent.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.904-911
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• 2021

For the safety assessment of microbiological and chemical hazards in dried sea mustard, fifteen samples of dried sea mustards Undaria pinnatifida were purchased from the supermarkets distributed throughout Korea. The contamination levels of total viable bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and nine pathogenic bacteria [Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio spp., Clostridium perfringens, Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), Yersinia enterocolitica and Campylobacter jejuni/coli] were quantitatively or qualitatively assessed. Also, the heavy metals (lead, cadmium, total mercury, and inorganic arsenic), and radioactivity (¹³¹I, ¹³⁴CS+¹³⁷CS) were quantitatively assessed. This microbial and chemical analysis was performed using standard methods in Korean food code. The total viable bacteria ranged from 4.3×10² (5.0×10-1.5×10³) CFU/g. Coliforms and E. coli were not detected in all samples (ND, <1 log₁₀ CFU/g). All nine pathogenic bacteria were qualitatively detected as negative. The contamination levels of lead, cadmium, total mercury, and inorganic arsenic were 0.036 (0.015-0.051), 0.117 (0.088-0.156), 0.030 (0.017-0.048), and 0.058 (0.056-0.064) mg/kg, respectively. Radioactivity was also not detected in any sample. The microbial contamination levels determined in the current study may be potentially used as basis for performing microbial risk assessments of dried sea mustards.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 2020

This study investigated microbiological safety of employees' hands, dining tables, and indoor air in cooking areas and lunchrooms in child care centers. Microbiological tests were performed according to the Korea Food Code. Total numbers of aerobic bacteria and coliform bacteria were measured as 5.8±1.9 log CFU/hand and 4.0±2.4 log CFU/hand on employees' hands, and 4.3±3.0 log CFU/100 ㎠ and 2.6±3.3 log CFU/100 ㎠ on dining tables. Bacillus cereus were detected in two cases each of employees' hands and dining tables, respectively. The analysis of microbiological contamination of indoor air in chid care centers showed that the total numbers of aerobic bacteria and coliform bacterial were 28±7.2 CFU/plate and 3.1±2.9 CFU/plate, respectively. Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus were counted as 1.7±0.2 CFU/plate and 1.6±0.5 CFU/plate from the indoor air in child cate centers. These results indicate that indoor-air in child care centers is considered more safe compared to previous reports. In conclusion, it is necessary to carry out hygienic management using alcohol-based disinfectants before meals to remove microorganism contamination on dining tables and hands. In order to reduce microbial contamination in indoor air, it is also deemed necessary to freshen the sanitary caps, masks, and clothing of the catering staff with periodic ventilation of indoor air.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.3105-3105
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• 2001

Ingests and fecal contamination on a poultry carcass is a food safety hazard due to potential microbiological contamination. A visible/near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer was used to discriminate among pure ingesta and fecal material, breast skin contaminated with ingesta or fecal material and uncontaminated breast skin. Birds were fed isocaloric diets formulated with either maize, mile, or wheat and soybean meal for protein requirements. Following completion of the feeding period (14 days), the birds were humanely processed and eviscerated to obtain ingests from the crop or proventriculus and feces from the duodenum, ceca, and colon portion of the digestive tract. Pure feces and ingesta, breast skin, and contaminated breast skin were scanned from 400 to 2500 nm and analyzed from 400 to 900 nm. Principal component analysis (PCA) of reflectance spectra was used to discriminate between contaminates and uncontaminated breast skin. Results indicate that visible (400 to 760 nm) and NIR 760-900 nm spectra can detect contaminates. From PCA analysis, key wavelengths were identified for discrimination of uncontaminated skin from contaminates based the evaluation of loadings weights.