• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.141-145
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• 2014

There is a burgeoning number of products on the market that contain probiotics, but do they do you any good? What exactly are probiotics? They have been defined as living organisms that, when ingested in sufficient quantities, provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. They are often referred to as "friendly bacteria" or "good bacteria." Probiotics have been claimed, amongst other things, to (i) reduce the incidence of colon cancer and other diseases of the colon, such as IBS, (ii) stimulate the immune system, (iii) have anti-hypertensive and anti-cholesterolemic properties, (iv) mitigate against the effect of antibiotics on the intestinal microbiota, and (v) protect against gastrointestinal infections. However, the scientific basis for many of these claims is not well-established. Indeed, the European Food Safety Authority has denied the use of several health claims associated with probiotics, particularly those related to mitigation of diarrhea following consumption of antibiotics. Thus, there is a need for research on the mechanisms of action of probiotics. We have been mainly interested in the use of probiotics to control enteric infections. There are several possible modes of action to explain how probiotics may protect the host from enteric pathogens, including competitive exclusion and immunomodulation. We have shown that probiotics produce bioactive molecules that interfere with bacterial cell-cell communication (also called quorum sensing), and this results in a down-regulation of virulence genes that are responsible for attachment of the pathogen to the gastrointestinal epithelium. These bioactive molecules act on a variety of bacteria, including enterohemorrhagic and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens, and there is evidence that they can inhibit the formation of biofilms by Listeria monocytogenes. These bioactive molecules, which are peptidic in nature, can exert their effects not only in vitro but also in vivo, and we have shown that they mitigate against E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in mice and Salmonella and E. coli K88 infections in pigs. They can be delivered in foods such as yoghurt and maintain their activity.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.896-903
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• 2021

For the safety assessment of microbiological and chemical hazards in raw short-neck clam Ruditapes philippinarum distributed in the Yeongnam and Honam areas during the spring season, the contamination levels of total viable bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and nine pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni) as microbiological hazards, and heavy metals (lead, cadmium, total mercury), benzopyrene, shellfish poison (paralytic, diarrhetic, amnesic), and radioactivity (¹³¹I, ¹³⁴Cs+¹³⁷Cs) were also analyzed in 15 samples based on the methods of the Korean Food Code. The average contamination levels of total viable bacteria were 3.11 (1.40-4.49) log CFU/g, and coliforms were detected in 5 out of 15 samples (1.18-1.85 log CFU/g). E. coli and S. aureus were not detected in all samples. Furthermore, the presence of 8 pathogens were not detected in all samples. The average contamination levels of lead, cadmium, and total mercury were 0.155 (0.079-0.264), 0.160 (0.040-0.287), and 0.017 (0.008-0.026) mg/kg, respectively. Benzo(a)pyrene, shellfish poison, and radioactivity were not detected in all samples. The results of this study suggest that the safety against all microbiological and chemical hazard factors in raw short-neck clams distributed in markets has been assured.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.182-187
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• 2023

Fifteen samples of dried laver Pyropia tenera were collected from markets and processing plants in Korea for an assessment of their microbial and chemical hazards, in accordance with the Korean food code. The contamination levels of total viable bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and nine other pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Bacillus cereus, and Campylobacter jejuni) were evaluated The concentrations of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, total mercury, and total arsenic) and radioactive isotopes (¹³¹I, and ¹³⁴Cs+¹³⁷Cs) in the laver samples were also determined. The total viable count of bacteria was 2.62±0.80 (1.48-4.45) CFU/g. The contamination levels of lead, cadmium, total mercury, and total arsenic were 0.024±0.005 (0.018-0.035), 0.090±0.038 (0.041-0.146), 0.008±0.005 (0.003-0.018) and 1.315±0.372 (0.814-1.930) mg/kg, respectively. All samples tested negative for significant levels of radioactivity, the nine pathogenic bacteria, coliforms, and E. coli (<1.00 CFU/g). We assume that ensuring the microbiological and chemical safety of dried laver can increase the demand for its exportation. The present study may serve as a basis for microbiological and chemical hazard assessment of dried lavers.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.383-397
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• 2012

The incidence of zoonoses in Korea has recently increased. But the study for high risk group such as pig farmers to zoonoses has not been conducted in Korea. Thus we reviewed the articles in order to obtain basic data for zoonoses among pig farmers, especially in rural communities. Pigs are one of the most important domestic livestock in Korea not only from economic standpoint but also from standpoint of food. Pigs also represent a potential reservoir for many novel pathogens, therefore may transmit these to humans via direct contact, vectors such as mosquitos, or contaminated meat. The zoonoses associated with pigs can be classified into bacterial pathogen, viruses and so on. Bacterial zoonoses include brucellosis, leptospirosis, listeriosis, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infection, pasteurellosis, salmonellosis, yersiniosis, tuberculosis, anthrax, necrobacillosis, swine erysipelas, erysipeloid, melioidosis, Streptococcus suis infection, Clostrium difficile infection, and campylobactor infection. Viral zoonoses consist of Japanese encephalitis, swine influenza, Nipah virus, Reston ebolavirus, and hepatitis E virus infection. Other type of zoonoses include actinomycosis, toxoplasmosis and Taenia solium infection. These zoonoses were important in Korean health policy but lately they have been overlooked. For effective health policy, we need to study zoonoses associated with pigs, and clinicians and veterinarians must care deeply about these zoonoses.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2014

This study has been performed for about 270 days at analyzing biologically hazardous factors in order to develop HACCP system for the non heat-frozen carrot juice. A process chart was prepared by manufacturing process of raw agricultural products of non heat-frozen carrot juice, which was contained water and packing material, storage, washing, cutting, extraction of the juice, internal packing, metal detection, external packing, storage and consignment (delivery). As a result of measuring Coliform group, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Bacillus cereus, Listeria Monocytogenes, Enterohemorrhagic E. coli before and after washing raw carrot, Standard plate count was $4.7{\times}10^4CFU/g$ before washing but it was $1.2{\times}10^2CFU/g$ detected after washing. As a result of testing airborne bacteria (Standard plate count, Coliform group, Yeast and Fungal) depending on each workplace, number of microorganism of in packaging room, shower room and juice extraction room was detected to be 10 CFU/Plate, 60 CFU/Plate, 20 CFU/Plate, respectively. As a result of testing palm condition of workers, as number of Standard plate count, Coliform group and Staphylococcus aureus was represented to be high as $6{\times}10^4CFU/cm^2$, $0CFU/cm^2$ and $0CFU/cm^2$, respectively, an education and training for individual sanitation control was considered to be required. As a result of inspecting surface pollution level of manufacturing facility and devices, Coliform group was not detected in all the specimen but Standard plate count was most dominantly detected in scouring kier, scouring kier tray, cooling tank, grinding extractor, storage tank and packaging machine-nozzle as $8.00{\times}10CFU/cm^2$, $3.0{\times}10CFU/cm^2$, $4.3{\times}10^2CFU/cm^2$, $7.5{\times}10^2CFU/cm^2$, $6.0{\times}10CFU/cm^2$, $8.5{\times}10^2CFU/cm^2$ respectively. As a result of analyzing above hazardous factors, processing process of ultraviolet ray sterilizing where pathogenic bacteria may be prevented, reduced or removed is required to be controlled by CCP-B (Biological) and critical level (critical control point) was set at flow speed is 4L/min. Therefore, it is considered that thorough HACCP control plan including control criteria (point) of seasoning fluid processing process, countermeasures in case of its deviation, its verification method, education/training and record control would be required.