• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to analyze the hazard of fungi in Garaetteok (Korean rice cake) by isolating and identifying of fungi contaminated with Garaetteok and investigating the possibility of mycotoxin production. Garaetteok used in this study were the ones that were returned back to the manufacturers in Jeollanam-do due to the presence of foreign matters presumed to be fungi. The fungi foreign matter was collected and inoculated on Potato dextrose agar, Malt extract agar, and Czapek yeast extract agar, and then cultured at 25℃ for 7 days. The micro-structure was observed under an optical microscope for the colonies in which pure isolation was confirmed. The gene sequencing of the product of amplified PCR was analyzed using the ITS primer. Colony-1 and 2 maintained the same properties in each tray, confirming that they were purely isolated. Budding cells were observed from the Colony-1, thus, it was determined to be yeast. Colony-2 was determined to be a fungus that belongs to Fusarium spp. as fusiform conidia were observed. As a result of gene sequencing, a total of 76 cases of fungi of Fusarium spp. were found, among which Fusarium solani was the most observed cases (53 cases). From the morphological and genetic identification, Colony-2 was identified as Fusarium spp., specifically, Fusarium solani. The fungi found in Fusarium spp. produce mycotoxins such as nivalenol, zearalenone, and fumonisin, which may cause vomiting, diarrhea, and cancer. Conclusively, the results confirm the possibility of mycotoxin production by Fusarium spp. isolated from Garaetteok. Consequently, when an unknown fungus was found, it is necessary to isolate and identify the fungus, determine whether it is a mycotoxin producing species, and strengthen relative administrative measures, accordingly.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.97-102
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• 1987

The effects of gamma irradiation on microbiological and physicochemical qualities in raw ingredients (thirteen kinds of cereal grain and their by-product) of mixed feeds were investigated. The total aerobic bacteria counts in the samples were $10^2\;to\;10^6/g$. They were sterlllzed to a undetectable level by 5 to 7 kGy irradiation. Coliforms were contaminated in high levels in all sample, ranging from $10^2\;to\;10^6/g$. They were radiation-llensitive and completely eliminated by irradiation with 3 to 5 kGy. Total fungi, ranging from $10^2\;to\;10^4/g$, mainly osmophiles were identified as Aspergillus and Penicillium. They were eliminated below identification limit by 5 to 7 kGy irradiation. Seven kinds of species, including Aspergillus IkrlJUB. were identified as a potential mycotoxin producers. Physicochemical qualities, such as total amino acid content, total sugar content. TBA value and color difference showed that an optimum dose of irradiation was less detrimental than ethylene oxide fumigation.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.183-191
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• 2010

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the distribution patterns and exposure concentrations of bioaerosols in industries suspected to have high levels of bioaerosol exposure. Methods: We selected 11 plants including 3 livestock feed plants (LF industry), 3 metal working fluids handling plants (MWFs industry), and 5 sawmills and measured total airborne bacteria, fungi, endotoxins, as well as dust. Airborne bacteria and fungi were measured with one stage impactor, six stage cascade impactor, and gelatin filters. Endotoxins were measured with polycarbonate filters. Results: The geometric means (GM) of the airborne concentrations of bacteria, fungi, and endotoxins were 1,864, $2,252\;CFU/m^3$, and $31.5\;EU/m^3$, respectively at the sawmills, followed by the LF industry (535, $585\;CFU/m^3$, and $22.0\;EU/m^3$) and MWFs industry (258, $331\;CFU/m^3$, and $8.7\;EU/m^3$). These concentrations by industry type were significantly statistically different (p < 0.01). The ratio of indoor to outdoor concentration was 6.2, 1.9, 3.2, and 3.2 for bacteria, fungi, endotoxins, and dust in the LF industry, 5.0, 0.9, 2.3, and 12.5 in the MWFs industry, and 3.7, 4.1, 3.3, and 9.7 in sawmills. The respiratory fractions of bioaerosols were differentiated by bioaerosol types and industry types: the respiratory fraction of bacteria in the LF industry, MWF industry, and sawmills was 59.4%, 72.0%, and 57.7%, respectively, and that of fungi was 77.3%, 89.5%, and 83.7% in the same order. Conclusion: We found that bioaerosol concentration was the highest in sawmills, followed by LF industry facilities and MWFs industry facilities. The indoor/outdoor ratio of microorganisms was larger than 1 and respiratory fraction of microorganisms was more than 50% of the total microorganism concentrations which might penetrate respiratory tract easily. All these findings suggest that bioaerosol in the surveyed industries should be controlled to prevent worker respiratory diseases.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.36-47
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• 2009

Microbial and related biochemical mass of composts are important for optimization of its process and end-products. This study was carried out to assess the specific microbial and related biochemical mass which could be used as an indicator for compost maturity during composting stages. The samples from five compost plants were collected at three stages (Initial, Thermophilic and Mature) and analyzed for total aerobic bacteria (TAB), Coliforms, Escherichia coli, Actinomycetes and fungi. Significantly, the coliforms and E.coli counts decreased during the thermophilic stage and were completely eliminated during mature stage. However, the other microbial mass were completely eliminated during mature stage. Which disclosed that Coliforms and E.coli communities can be used as compost maturity indicator. Interestingly, the microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen ratio (MBC/MBN) were decreased a little during the thermophilic stage due to the decreasing number of coliforms, Ecoli and fungi, while the ratio increased during the mature stage due to increasing fungal and aerobic bacterial counts. In addition the heavy metals were shown strong negative correlation with Actenomycetes. This study provides insight to the evaluation of compost maturity as well as the quality by the metal-microbial interactions.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.96-100
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• 2007

In order to select ${\gamma}-Linolenic$ acid (GLA)-producing fungi, a total of forty-four strains of 4 genera such as Phytophthora, Pythium, Mucor and Rhizopus were obtained from Koran Agricultural Culture Collection (KACC) and then analysed by using GC-FID and GC-MS. GLA was detected on 39 fungal strains, and the highest rate of GLA was found as 24.8% of total fatty acids on Mucor hiemalis f. sp. hiemalis KACC 40264. Total GLA content of Zygomycota was comparatively high - Mucor (14.2%) and Rhizopus (14.3%), whereas that of Oomycetes was low - Phytophthora (3.3%) and Pythium (3.0%). Moreover, total fatty acids of the Zygomycota fungi such as Mucor (15.4 mg/100 ml) and Rhizopus (7.1 mg/100 ml) were higher compared with the Oomycetes such as Phytophthora (2.6 mg/100 ml) and Pythium (4.5 mg/100 ml). Thus, two genera such as Mucor and Rhizopus have higher potential as an useful microbial resource. The total fatty acid content varies even within the strains of the same genus e.g. Mucor. M. blumbeus KACC 40935 showed the highest values on productivity (18.2%) of GLA and total fatty acid contents (50.8 mg/100 ml liquid medium).

• Mycobiology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 2014

Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) family Malvaceae is an important crop used in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutics industries. Roselle is cultivated mainly in Upper Egypt (Qena and Aswan governorates) producing 94% of total production. Root rot disease of roselle is one of the most important diseases that attack both seedlings and adult plants causing serious losses in crop productivity and quality. The main objective of the present study is to identify and characterize pathogens associated with root rot and wilt symptoms of roselle in Qena, Upper Egypt and evaluate their pathogenicity under greenhouse and field condition. Fusarium oxysporum, Macrophomina phaseolina, Fusarium solani, Fusarium equiseti and Fusarium semitectum were isolated from the natural root rot diseases in roselle. All isolated fungi were morphologically characterized and varied in their pathogenic potentialities. They could attack roselle plants causing damping-off and root rot/wilt diseases in different pathogenicity tests. The highest pathogenicity was caused by F. oxysporum and M. phaseolina followed by F. solani. The least pathogenic fungi were F. equiseti followed by F. semitectum. It obviously noted that Baladi roselle cultivar was more susceptible to infection with all tested fungi than Sobhia 17 under greenhouse and field conditions. This is the first report of fungal pathogens causing root rot and vascular wilt in roselle in Upper Egypt.

• Mycobiology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.79-81
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• 2012

Cankers are localized dead areas in the bark of stems, branches or twigs of many types of trees and shrubs, and are usually caused by fungi. We observed severe canker symptoms in oak trees located in Gyeongnam province in 2011. A total 31 trees were discovered with cankers of varied size, with an average of $48.5{\times}15.2cm$. Black, half-rounded globular mound shaped stromata were associated with the cankers, and the asci of the fungi associated with the cankers were cylindrical shaped with their spore-bearing parts being up to 84 ${\mu}m$ in length. The average fungal ascospores size was $7.59{\times}4.23{\mu}m$. The internal transcribed spacer sequence for the canker causing fungus showed 99% similarity to the sequence of $Annulohypoxylon$ $truncatum$. In this study, the isolated fungus was precisely described and then compared with fungi of similar taxa.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.202-206
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• 2008

Antifungal activity of Korean and Chinese lichen-forming fungi (LFF) was evaluated against plant pathogenic fungus of Colletotrichum acutatum, causal agent of anthracnose on hot pepper. This is the first attempt to evaluate antifungal activity of LFF, instead of lichen thalli, against C. acutatum. Total 100 LFF were isolated from the lichens with discharged spore method or tissue culture method. Among the 100 isolates, 8 LFF showed more than 50% of inhibition rates of mycelial growth of the target pathogen. Especially, Lecanora argentata was highly effective in inhibition of mycelial growth of C. accutatum at the rate of 68%. Antifungal activity of other LFF was in the order of Cetrelia japonica (61.4%), Ramalina conduplicans (59.5%), Umbilicaria esculenta (59.5%), Ramalina litoralis (56.7%), Cetrelia braunsiana (56.5%), Nephromopsis pallescensn (56.1%), and Parmelia simplicior (53.8%). Among the tested LFF, 61 isolates of LFF exhibited moderate antifungal activity against the target pathogen at the inhibition rates from 30 to 50%. Antifungal activity of the LFF against C. acutatum was variable at the species level rather than genus level of LFF. This study suggests that LFF can be served as a promising bioresource to develop novel biofungicides.

• Mycobiology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.100-108
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• 2014

Twelve plant species were collected from the east coast of Korea to identify culturable endophytes present in their roots. The fungal internal transcribe spacer (ITS) region (ITS1-5.8SrRNA-ITS2) was used as a DNA barcode for identification of fungi. A total of 194 fungal strains were identified and categorized into 31 genera. The genus Penicillium accounted for the largest number of strains, followed by the genus Aspergillus. Furthermore, using 5 statistical methods, the diversity indices of the fungi were calculated at the genus level. After comprehensive evaluation, the endophytic fungal group from Phragmites australis ranked highest in diversity analyses. Several strains responsible for plant growth and survival (Penicillium citrinum, P. funiculosum, P. janthinellum, P. restrictum, and P. simplicissimum), were also identified. This study provides basic data on the sheds light on the symbiotic relationship between coastal plants and fungi.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.75-79
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• 1989

The etiologic agents of mucormycosis are several nonpathogenic fungi of the order Mucorales and are ubiquitous. A total of 82 chickens were infected with the disease and developed anorexia, diarrhea, malnutrition, dyspnea, and paralysis in a chicken farm, Sokcho, Kwangwon. At necropsy there were multiple nodular lesions and hemorrhages in livers, spleens, kidneys, gastrointestinal track, and respiratory system. On histopathological examination it was found that the nodular lesions were consisted of granoulomatous inflammation accompanying characteristic hyphae ($4{\sim}24{\mu}$ wide) of the fungi.