• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.153-161
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the consumption practices of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and to analyze the microbiological hazard of kimbab, a Korean dish, and the most popular of the RTE foods eaten by participants in this study. A questionnaire was distributed to 230 university students who had previously purchased RTE foods, and 224 were collected (response rate: 97.4%). Statistical analyses were conducted on the questionnaires using the SPSS program, and a total of 135 kimbab products were sampled for aerobic plate counts, coliforms, E. coli, E. coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes. The results of the analyses are as follows. Kimbab (87.0%), sandwich (86.4%), hamburger (89.8%), lunchbox (81.5%), and sushi (87.4%) were most often eaten immediately after purchasing. Additionally, the results of the microbiological hazards analysis of kimbab showed that the aerobic plate counts were significantly different according to the purchasing price (p<0.01). The coliform levels were significantly different according to the place of purchase (p<0.01) and the major ingredients of kimbab (p<0.05). In addition, Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli were detected in 5.9% and 5.2% of the tested samples, respectively. However, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes were not detected in any of the samples. In conclusion, the manufacturers of RTE foods should apply the HACCP system for food safety.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.602-612
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• 2016

The purposes of this study were to explore food-related lifestyle segments for commercialization of ready-to-eat Korean foods, to identify their demographic characteristics, and to evaluate perceptions and preferences related to Korean foods. The subjects consisted of 266 Koreans and 212 non-Koreans in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Daejeon, Korea including in Grapevine of the US. Koreans' scores for food-related lifestyle of taste seeking and convenience seeking were significantly higher than those of non-Koreans. Through cluster analysis, four segments for Koreans were identified: health-oriented group, diet-oriented group, rationality-oriented group, and price-sensitive group. The clusters for non-Koreans were classified into four segments: taste-oriented group, rationality-oriented group, diet-oriented group, and convenience-oriented group. Significant differences were detected among the four segments in terms of demographic characteristics. There were significant differences in perceptions and preferences related to Korean foods by food-related lifestyle segments of non-Koreans. Japchae, Bibimbap, and Naengmyeon were selected as the most likely to purchase ready-to-eat food items for Korean clusters, whereas Bulgoggi and Bibimbap were selected for non-Korean clusters. This study shows that food companies wanting to promote commercialization of Korean foods should consider characteristics of each segment of food-related lifestyle.

• Proceedings of KHEA Conference
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• 1997.07a
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• pp.62-62
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• 1997

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.335-342
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• 2024

This study aimed to examine the delivery conditions and microbial contamination of fresh-cut and ready-to-eat foods purchased from online markets between February and November 2023. Upon arrival, the average surface temperature of the products was 11.3℃. In the fresh-cut foods, the average number of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms was 4.5 log colony-forming units (CFU)/g and 1.2 log CFU/g, respectively, whereas in the ready-to-eat foods, these values were 10.6 log CFU/g and 1.2 log CFU/g, respectively. Pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, and pathogenic Escherichia coli were absent from all samples. Bacillus cereus was found in 2.7% of the fresh-cut foods and 0.9% of the ready-to-eat foods, with contamination levels averaging 0.05 log CFU/g and 0.01 log CFU/g, respectively. In the four samples in which B. cereus was detected, genetic testing of the six toxin genes produced by B. cereus revealed the presence of at least one enterotoxin gene, excluding the emetic toxin. L. monocytogenes was absent from ready-to-eat foods but was detected in 0.9% of fresh-cut foods. Analysis of the isolated L. monocytogenes confirmed the presence of six pathogenicity-related genes, including iap, indicating the potential risk of foodborne diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.381-389
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate effectiveness of sanitization on raw vegetables not heated in foodservice operations. Microbiological examinations of food materials and cooked food with leek Gukgalli were performed in 2 HACCP-implemented foodservices (A and B) appointed by Food and Drug Administrations, and in 2 other foodservices (C and D) not implemented HACCP. 'Washing and sanitizing raw vegetables' were monitored as CCP at A and B foodservices but only washing has been done in pre-preparation at C and D foodservices. Aerobic plate counts of received leek in A and B foodservices were above $10^7$ CFU/g indicating very poor microbiological quality. After sanitization treatment (soaking for 5 minutes in chlorine water: chlorine density 50〜100 ppm), its aerobic plate counts decreased to 7.06×$10^5$ CFU/g (A foodservice) and 4.31×$10^5$ CFU/g (B foodservice), coliform and faecal coliform were not detected. With this result, the effect of microbial reduction by sanitizer was conformed. But, the conditions of leek were still not acceptable by microbiological standards for ready-to-eat foods. After three more times of rinse has been done, the microbial conditions of leek became acceptable. In C and D foodservices, aerobic plate counts of leek showed decreasing trends by 2〜4 times of washings but microbiological quality of leek after pre-preparation were unacceptable by microbiological standards for ready-to-eat foods (C foodservice: 3.58×$10^5$ CFU/g, D foodservice: 1.29×$10^9$ CFU/g). For the prevention of foodborne illness, sanitizing raw vegetables should be performed during pre-preparation of non-heated foods.

• Journal of the FoodService Safety
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2020

B. cereus-produced cereulide as an emetic toxin is commonly isolated in starch-based cooked foods. This study examined the prevalence of B. cereus from ready-to-eat foods in markets by polymerase chain reaction analysis and determined the relationship between the level of B. cereus and the quantity of cereulide in the sample after different storage times and temperatures. The prevalence of general B. cereus in 43 starch foods was 32.6%, and the level of B. cereus ranged from 0.5 to 1.95 log cfu/g, meeting the Korea Food Code Specifications of 3 log CFU/g of B. cereus. No samples revealed emetic B. cereus. Fried rice samples were inoculated with a cereulide-producing reference strain, B. cereus NCCP 14796, to determine the level of B. cereus and the quantity of cereulide in the samples after storage for 0, 4, 6, 8, 20, 24, 30, 48, 72, and 96 h at 7, 25, 35, and 57℃. The average levels of B. cereus at 7, 25, 35, and 57℃ were 4.38, 7.31, 7.88, and 3.82 log cfu/g, and the levels of cereulide were 150.41, 1680.70, 2652.65, and 77.83 ㎍/mL, respectively, showing a significant difference according to the incubation time (P<0.05) and temperature (P<0.001).

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.236-239
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• 2004

Microbial contamination of ready-to-eat ingredients for Kimbab manufacturing and the effect of irradiation to reduce the microbial contamination of the products were investigated. Among 9 food items tested, there were no viable cells in the ham, seasoned and cooked beef, imitation crab leg, fried egg, and seasoned burdoc. Cucumber, surimi gel, and seasoned and blanched spinach were counted at 5.07$\pm$0.97, 3.50$\pm$0.14, and 5.41$\pm$0.51 log CFU/g, respectively. Irradiation at 1 kGy reduced the number of microorganism in these ready-to-eat foods to an undetectable level. However, the dried laver showed an 8.83$\pm$0.10 log CFU/g and an irradiation at 3 kGy reduced the level to only 7.14$\pm$0.23. Sensory evaluation of the irradiated Kimbab prepared from these food materials indicated that the measure of the control of the sensorial quality should be provided before applying an irradiation to the prepared Kimbab.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.730-738
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• 2010

We developed predictive growth models for Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus on various food matrices consisting primarily of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. A cocktail of three S. aureus strains, producing enterotoxins A, C, and D, or a B. cereus strain, were inoculated on sliced bread, cooked rice, boiled Chinese noodles, boiled bean sprouts, tofu, baked fish, smoked chicken, and baked hamburger patties at an initial concentration of 3 log CFU/g and stored at 8, 10, 13, 17, 24, and $30^{\circ}C$. Growth kinetic parameters were determined by the Gompertz equation. The square-root and Davey models were used to determine specific growth rate and lag time values, respectively, as a function of temperature. Model performance was evaluated based on bias and accuracy factors. S. aureus and B. cereus growth were most delayed on sliced bread. Overall, S. aureus growth was significantly (p<0.05) more rapid on animal protein foods than carbohydrate-based foods and vegetable protein foods. The fastest growth of S. aureus was observed on smoked chicken. B. cereus growth was not observed at 8 and $10^{\circ}C$. B. cereus growth was significantly (p<0.05) more rapid on vegetable protein foods than on carbohydrate-based foods. The secondary models developed in this study showed suitable performance for predicting the growth of S. aureus and B. cereus on various food matrices consisting of RTE foods.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.664-669
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• 2004

The contamination of Bacillus cereus was investigated in 240 RTE (ready-to-eat) food samples including 118 seafoods, 82 Korean packaged meals and 40 other RTE foods. Many B. cereus presumptive strains were isolated from the enrichment culture in Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB) added polymyxin, followed by selective culture in Mannitol Egg Yolk Polymyxin (MYP) agar and Gram staining. A total of 36 strains (16 in seafoods, 17 in Korean pack-aged meals and 3 in other RTE foods) were identified as B. cereus by the analysis of 61 biochemical tests of the API 50CHB/20E system test and supplementary tests of $\beta$-hemolysis, rhizoid growth, motility and oxidase activity. The 28 strains out of 36 B. cereus isolates produced diarrhoeal enter-otoxin in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) broth. All isolates were resistant to ampicillin and penicillin antibiotics, and most of them were susceptible to gentamicin, vancomycin, bacitracin, chloram-phenicol, kanamycin and streptomycin. The growth of B. cereus was affected by environmental temperature and incubation time. Culture with temperature under 1$0^{\circ}C$ effectively restricted the growth of B. cereus.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.327-337
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• 1999

This study was conducted on a sampling of 700 mixed college students from seven different schools nationwide by written questionnaire to evaluate the value system of convenience foods among Korean college students. Korean students put value on the following categories of convenience foods in order; convenience, taste, price, appearance, appliance to daily life, variety, locality, nutritional value, originality, improvement required, cleanliness and tradition. Significant differences between the sexes occurred in categories as cleanliness and convenience, since females considered convenience foods as convenient but not so clean (safe to eat). This study also conducted factor analysis on 24 individual convenient foods. Noodles laid emphasis on nutritional value; where refrigerated foods, ready to eat (RE) side dishes, on-the-spot kimbab, and sandwiches focused on cleanliness. Noodles. cereal, and instant soup focused on price. Frozen pizza, noodles, retort, RE meat, ham, fish cakes were dependent on locality and traditionality. Noodles, instant food, and packed kimchi scored highly on convenience. Frozen fried rice, retort, instant porridge, instant rice, RE meat, cereal, instant soup, and RE side dishes on consumption on a regular basis. Cereal, refrigerated foods, and RE side dishes laid emphasis on taste. Noodles, instant rice, cereal, ham, and RE side dishes focused on variety. Retort, RE meat, ramen, cereal, ham, and on the spot sandwiches looked to originality, while canned foods was recognized as ‘needing improvement’.