• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.429-435
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to predict multiplication patterns of foodborne pathogens according to packaging methods and storage conditions in home-delivered meals. Pan fried oak mushroom and meat, soy sauce glazed hair tail and roasted dodok which inoculated $10^6\;CFU/g$ of foodborne pathogens were packaged by wrap packaging, top sealing, vacuum packaging and stored at 25, 4 and $-18^{\circ}C$ during 5 days. The result of study was revealed that the growth and multiplication pattern of the inoculated foodborne pathogens was inhibited in chilling and freezing storage after vacuum packaging, and was significantly influenced by storage temperature. The survival of Listeria monocytogenes was also significantly influenced by storage period. The effective method to preserve the bacteriologic safety of pan fried oak mushroom and meat and soy sauce glazed hair tail in home-delivered meals was stored for maximum three days in chilling storage after vacuum packaging.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.172-176
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• 2012

Doenjang is a traditional Korean fermented soybean product that provides a major source of protein. In this study, a total of 18 different home-made doenjang samples were examined for the presence of foodborne pathogens and the total aflatoxin levels. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to assess microbial quality and potential public health risk, we showed that total coliform levels in the doenjang samples ranged from 0 to $4.43{\pm}2.32{\times}10^6\;CFU/g$, and the maximum limit of Bacillus cereus was $4.67{\pm}2.0{\times}10^5\;CFU/g$. However, other foodborne pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp., were not detected among the tested samples. One of the samples (S3) showed a maximum limit of $42.2{\pm}9.1\;{\mu}g/kg$ for aflatoxin levels, which was above the safety limit allowed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) regulatory agency. Further research is necessary to determine whether and how doenjang safety can be improved via elimination/reduction of microbial contamination during fermentation and storage or using microbial starter cultures for its fermentation.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.236-252
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to assess the microbiological quality of home-delivered meals during production and delivery for children from low-income families. Production flows from a facility in Seoul that provides home-delivered meals were analyzed and the time-temperature of the food was measured. Microbiological assessment was performed for the production environment, personal hygiene, and food samples at each production and delivery step based on the process approach. It took 2 hours or longer from completion of production to meal delivery. An aerobic colony count (ACC) and coliform were not detected at knives, cutting boards, and dish towels. However, ACC (at pre-preparation, preparation, and packing areas) and coliform (at the preparation area) were detected on the hands and gloves of employees. Air-borne bacterial counts varied according to day and preparation area (ND~6 CFU/plate/15 min). Food temperatures, on the completion of production and meal delivery, fell into temperature danger zones. ACC and coliform counts of raw ingredients did not decrease after pre-preparation (washing and sanitizing) for menus involving food preparation with no cook step. ACC decreased after cooking step for menus of food preparation with cook step, but the ACC of the stir-fried and seasoned dried filefish fillet on the completion of cooking was too numerous to count due to improper heating. The ACC of seasoned young Chinese cabbages (a menu with complex food preparation) increased during delivery (from 2.5 log CFU/ml to 5.0 log CFU/ml). This qualitative assessment of foodborne pathogens revealed that B. cereus was detected in vegetable and meat product menus. These results suggest time-temperature control is necessary during production and delivery and management guidelines during production of home-delivered meals are provided for safe production.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.149-154
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• 2013

Food hygiene practices must be maintained from farm to table in order to prevent contamination by microorganisms. This study was conducted to investigate consumer hygiene practices related to the refrigerator storage of meat, including a microbial analysis, monitoring of refrigerator temperatures and consumer surveys of female homeowners in the capital area of Korea. Home refrigerator temperatures were maintained above $5^{\circ}C$ in 26 (19.7%) of the 132 houses investigated. The percentage of the refrigerators with a total microbial count over $10^2\;CFU/100\;cm^2$ was 14.4%. No E. coli, Salmonella spp. or Listeria monocytogenes microbes were detected. However, Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 14 houses (10.6%). The only statistically significant difference in hygiene practices between the non-contamination group and contamination group was in the last time of refrigerator cleaning (p<0.01), as determined by the consumer survey. To improve food hygiene when using a refrigerator, raw materials must be packaged, meat should be stored only on a designated shelf, and cooked foods must be contained to prevent cross-contamination. The refrigerator should be cleaned regularly, at least once a month, and refrigerator thermometers should be monitored below $5^{\circ}C$ in order to keep food safe.

• 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.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.342-349
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• 2003

Escherichia coli O157：H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis are food borne pathogens involved in food poisoning in numerous countries. This study aimed to obtain knowledges on the survival of Esc coli O157：H7, Sta aureus and Sal. enteritidis in the yoghurt added with water extract of Omija(Schizandra chinensis). The growth inhibition of Schizandra chinensis extract on the food borne pathogens were measured by total microbial count and effect of growth inhibition was correspondent to the concentration of Schizandra chinensis extract. The highest growth inhibition effect of Schizandra chinensis extract was shown on the Sta aureus followed by Sal. enteritidis and Esc. coli O157：H7. The number of surviving Esc. coli O157：H7 cell(3.55${\times}$10$\^$5/ CFU/mL) was decreased to 1.00${\times}$10$^1$∼3.00${\times}$10$^1$ CFU/mL after 24 hours incubation by the addition of 0.4∼l.0％ of Schizandra chinensis extract in the yoghurt. And also the viable cell counts of surviving Sta. aureus cells (initial inoculum 1.24${\times}$10$\^$5/ CFU/mL) were decreased gradually to 4.00${\times}$10$^2$∼8.50${\times}$10$^2$ CFU/mL after 48 hours of incubation, but the viable cells of Sal. enteritidis were not detected after 24 hours of incubation. Growth of the food borne pathogens was strongly inhibited by the addition and incubation of Schizandra chinensis extract for 48 hours in the yoghurt.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.240-253
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• 1997

The main problems contributing to food poisoning outbreaks in institutional settings and a home were reviewed and analyzed through the epidemiological investigations of food poisoning. The major documented factors included improper holding temperatures, inadequate cooking, poor personal hygiene, cross-contamination and contaminated equipment, food from unsafe sources, failure to follow food hygiene policies, and lack of education, training, monitoring and superivision. Usually more than one factor contributed to the development of an outbreak. (1) Use of improper holding temperatures was the single most important factor contributing to food poisoning. They included improper cooling, allowing a laps of time (12 hours or more) between preparing food and eating it, improper hot holding, and inadequate or improper thawing. Food thermometers were not used in most of the instances. (2) In inadequate cooking, the core temperature of food during and after cooking had not been measured, and routine monitoring was limited to recording the temperature of plated meals. Compared with conventional methods of cooking, microwave ovens did not protect against food poisoning as effectively. Centralized food preparation potentially increased the risk of food poisoning outbreaks. (3) Poor personal hygiene both at the individual level (improper handwashing and lack of proper hygienic practices) and at the institutional level (poor general sanitization) increased the risk of transmission. Person to person transmission of enteric pathogens through direct contact and via fomites has been noted in several instances. (4) Obtaining food from unsafe sources was a risk factor in outbreaks of food poisoning. Food risks were high when food was grown or harvested from contaminated areas. Possibilities included contamination in the field, in transport, at the retail site, or at the time it was prepared for serving. (5) Cross-contamination and inadequate cleaning/handling of equipment became potential vehicles of food poisoning. Failure to separate cooked food from raw food was also a risk factor. (6) Failure to follow food hygiene policies also provided opportunities for outbreaks of food poisoning. It included improper hygienic practices during food preparation, neglect of personnel policies (involvement of symptomatic workers in food preparation), poor results on routine inspections, and disregarding the results and recommendations of an inspection. (7) Lack of formal and in-service education, training, monitoring, and supervision of food handlers or supervisors were critical and perhaps neglected elements in occurrences of food poisoning.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.277-285
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• 1996

Retrospective study on the comparison of outbreaks of food poisoning for food hygiene in Korea and Japan. The average value of morbidity rate by year in Korea during the period of 1971 to 1992 was 2.9 per 100,000 population, and that of Japan was 29.1. The mean value of mortality rates in case of food poisoning by year in Korea was 2.33%, and that of Japan was 0.07%. When compared the rates of morbidity and mortality between Korea and Japan during the same period, the morbidity rates of Japan were much higher than those of Korea (p<0.01). However, mortality rate of patients in Korea were much higher then those of Japan(p<0.01). Resulting from comparative observation of food poisoning by preparing facilities between Korea and Japan. The highest list the places where the outbreaks occurred was home-made foods accounted for 48.8% of the total cases in Korea and that of Japan was restaurants accounted for 33.0%. Causative foods in Korea, the most common incrimination vehicles were seafood, meat and animal products and grain and vegetables, including mushroom. However, in the case of the common incrimination vehicles Japan were unknown and other foods, seafood, vegetables and meat and animal products etc.. Food poisoning of pathogenic substance in Korea were 60.9% of bacterial food poisoning of the total cases showing that Vibrio species, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus spp., pathogenic E. coli, Clostridium spp. and other spp. were 33.3%, 26.2%, 16.3%, 5.3%, 0.4% and 18.5%, respectively. On the other hand, in Japan, major causes were Vibrio spp. (45.7%), Staphylococcus spp. (23.7%), Salmonella spp. (16.8%), pathogenic E. coli (3.8%), Clostridium spp. (0.2%) and other spp. (9.6%).

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.248-253
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• 2011

KFDA compiles the statistical data of food poisoning outbreaks two or more persons since 2002 in Korea and release them to the public on the web. There is a gap of outbreak number between the real situation and the reports. To reduce the gap, addition of sporadic individual case of food poisoning may be one of the solution method. The statistical data of Japan where food consumption pattern is similar to Korea, were used in this study to compare the ratio and the pattern between the outbreak cases two or more persons and individual cases. By doing so, the data of Japan regarding to outbreak cases two or more persons will be comparable to that of Korea. The data of 2002 and 2003 in Japan showed that sporadic individual cases were 43.3% in the total food poisoning cases. The individual cases occurred highly in unknown places (90-92.3%) and home (6.2-8.5%) whileas the outbreaks two or more persons occurred mostly in the place of restaurants (46.6-50.l%) and inns (9.2-9.8%). The food-borne pathogens attributed to the individual cases were C. jejuni (51.9%), Salmonella spp. (35.3%), and V. parahaemolyticus (9.8%) while those to the outbreak cases two or more persons were norovirus (31.3%), Salmonella spp. (20.8%), C. jejuni (15.5%) in Japan. The data of 2002-2009 between Korea and Japan showed the outbreak case report rate was 1:1.5 based on the total population number.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.87-96
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• 2005

This survey was conducted to assess the perception of hazards and washing behavior of vegetables of 500 housewives in Korea. The subjects were selected by the stratified random sampling method. The survey was performed using a structured questionnaire through telephone interviews by skilled interviewers. Most people have bought vegetables and fruits in the supermarket or (traditional) markets rather than stores, department stores, or direct transactions. Eighteen percent of the subjects felt vegetables were secure and were not concerned about safety. But $42.8{\%}$ were concerned about vegetable safety. The perceptions of vegetable-related hazards differed significantly by the respondent's socioeconomic characteristics. Higher concern about vegetable safety was reported by subjects with higher income, children, and who usually buy vegetables in supermarkets or department stores. Most subjects ($88.6{\%}$) perceived that residues of chemical substances such as pesticides were the most significant potential vegetable risk factor, followed by heavy metal, and pathogens. Housewives mainly rinsed vegetables in flowing-water ($85.2{\%}$ of subjects), 3${\~}$4 times ($63.8{\%}$ of subjects), and without detergent ($90.6{\%}$). Subjects believed that hazards decreased by blanching or boiling vegetables rather than washing. Subjects realized more or less correctly the removal rate of pesticide and pathogen through the washing and cooking processes. However, the removal rate of heavy metals was less than subjects thought it would be. Therefore, the scientifically assessed results on safety in the washing and cooking process should be opened to the public to provide the right-to-know and assure confidence in consumers.