• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.109-119
• /
• 2012

This study analyzed the antibacterial activity of the ethanol extract of Schizandra chinensis Baillon against food pathogenic microorganisms to determine its capabilities as a natural antimicrobial agent. A paper disc diffusion test, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination, and time-kill assay showed that the ethanol extract strongly inhibits the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Release of cytoplasmic ${\beta}$-galactosidase was detected in E. coli, E. coli O157:H7, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa treated with the ethanol extract. An increase of outer membrane permeability caused by the ethanol extract was also observed. An outward flow of cell constituents was detected in the Gram negative strains treated with the ethanol extract. These results imply that the inner and outer membranes of cells were partially destroyed and cell constituents were released by the treatment of the S. chinensis Baillon ethanol extract. The results of this study indicate that ethanol extract of S. chinensis Baillon evidences a fairly good antibacterial effect.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.111-120
• /
• 2013

Sprassis crispa was cultivated using soybean curd whey, and its antimicrobial activities were examined against those of eight microorganisms that were foodborne pathogens or food-poisoning bacteria. The culture broth of soybean curd whey was superior in mycelium content (17.76 g/L) to that of the defined culture broth, and the ${\beta}$-glucan content was about 10.64 percent (w/w). The antimicrobial activities of the culture broth were confirmed against those of B. cereus, St. aureus, L. monocytogenes and S. typhimurium using the paper disk method. The antimicrobial activity was also maintained after the heat treatment and alcalase treatment. The filtrate with less than 3 kDa M.W. also showed the antimicrobial activity against four strains: B. cereus, St. aureus, L. monocytogenes and S. typhimurium. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was about 1.26 mg/mL in the B. cereus and 12.6 mg/mL in the St. aureus and L. monocytogenes. The S. typhimurium showed a MIC of 62.8 mg/mL. Thus, the culture of Sparassis crispa using soybean curd whey provides a thermally stable antimicrobial agent that can be used as a natural preservative in the biofood industry.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.38 no.5
• /
• pp.287-296
• /
• 2023

Mushroom consumption is gradually growing annually worldwide for many centuries. Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus), and enokitake (Flammulina filiformis) are mainly consumed in Korea. However, mushrooms can be contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms, such as Listeria monocytogenes, because antibacterial treatment during mushroom cultivation and processing is insufficient. Therefore, many cases of mushroom contamination-related foodborne illnesses and food recalls have been reported. Three representative treatments are used to prevent microbial contamination in mushrooms: chemical, physical, and combination treatments. Among the chemical treatments, chlorine compounds, peroxyacetic acid, and quaternary ammonium compounds are commercially used and ozone and electrolyzed water has recently been used. Additionally, physical treatments, including ultrasound, irradiation, and cold plasma, are being developed. Combination techniques include ultraviolet/chlorine compounds, ozone/organic acid, and ultrasound/organic acid. This review describes the domestically consumed mushroom types and their characteristics, and investigates the mushroom contamination levels. Additionally, effective antibacterial technologies for reducing microbial contamination in mushrooms are also discussed.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.25-38
• /
• 2003

This study was conducted to establish the microbiological quality standards applying the HACCP system on sushi items of Japanese restaurant in Korea. The study evaluated hygienic conditions of kitchen and workers, pH time-temperature relationship, and microbial assessments during whole process of sushi making in 2001. Overall hygienic conditions were normal for both kitchen and for workers by 3 point scale, but hygienic controls against the cross-contamination were still needed. Each process of sushi making was performed under the risk of microbial contamination, since pH value of most of ingredients was over pH 4.6 and also production time(3.5~6 hrs) were long enough to cause problems. Microorganisms were high enough to cause foodborne illness ranged 8.0$\times$10$^2$~3.3$\times$10$^{6}$ CFU/g of TPC and 1.0$\times$10$^1$~1.6$\times$10$^3$CFU/g of coliforms, although TPC, coliforms and Staphylcoccus aureus were within the standard limits (TPC 10$^2$~10$^{6}$ CFU/g, coliforms 10$^3$CFU/g). However, Salmonella and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were not detected. High populations TPC and coliforms were also found in the cooks' hands and cooking utensils(TPC 10$^2$~10$^{6}$ CFU/100cm$^2$and Coliforms 10$^1$~10$^3$CFU/100cm$^2$). Based on the CCP decision tree analysis, the CCPs were the holding steps far six sushi production line except the tuna and the thawing step for tuna sushi. In conclusion, overall state of sushi production was fairly good but much improvement was still needed.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.319-326
• /
• 1999

Recently, it is continuously rising to concern about the health risk being induced by microorganisms in food such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. Various organizations and regulatory agencies including U.S.FPA, U.S.DA and FAO/WHO are preparing the methodology building to apply microbial quantitative risk assessment to risk-based food safety program. Microbial risks are primarily the result of single exposure and its health impacts are immediate and serious. Therefore, the methodology of risk assessment differs from that of chemical risk assessment. Microbial quantitative risk assessment consists of tow steps; hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose-response assessment and risk characterization. Hazard identification is accomplished by observing and defining the types of adverse health effects in humans associated with exposure to foodborne agents. Epidemiological evidence which links the various disease with the particular exposure route is an important component of this identification. Exposure assessment includes the quantification of microbial exposure regarding the dynamics of microbial growth in food processing, transport, packaging and specific time-temperature conditions at various points from animal production to consumption. Dose-response assessment is the process characterizing dose-response correlation between microbial exposure and disease incidence. Unlike chemical carcinogens, the dose-response assessment for microbial pathogens has not focused on animal models for extrapolation to humans. Risk characterization links the exposure assessment and dose-response assessment and involve uncertainty analysis. The methodology of microbial dose-response assessment is classified as nonthreshold and thresh-old approach. The nonthreshold model have assumption that one organism is capable of producing an infection if it arrives at an appropriate site and organism have independence. Recently, the Exponential, Beta-poission, Gompertz, and Gamma-weibull models are using as nonthreshold model. The Log-normal and Log-logistic models are using as threshold model. The threshold has the assumption that a toxicant is produce by interaction of organisms. In this study, it was reviewed detailed process including risk value using model parameter and microbial exposure dose. Also this study suggested model application methodology in field of exposure assessment using assumed food microbial data(NaCl, water activity, temperature, pH, etc.) and the commercially used Food MicroModel. We recognized that human volunteer data to the healthy man are preferred rather than epidemiological data fur obtaining exact dose-response data. But, the foreign agencies are studying the characterization of correlation between human and animal. For the comparison of differences to the population sensitivity: it must be executed domestic study such as the establishment of dose-response data to the Korean volunteer by each microbial and microbial exposure assessment in food.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.382-390
• /
• 2020

This study was carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of red ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) against several foodborne pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. The antimicrobial effect was determined by agar diffusion method using red ginseng extract, crude saponin and non-water-soluble fractions. Red ginseng extract showed antimicrobial effect against S. aureus, but not C. albicans or A. niger. The extract showed anti-bacterial activity at concentration above 30% against S. aureus, which cause both food poisoning and atophic dermatitis. Crude saponin showed antibacterial activity above 7.5% against the bacterium. However, the ginsenosides purified from crude saponin showed no antimicrobial activities at 100-200 ㎍/mL. To investigate the mode of growth inhibition, red ginseng extract and crude saponin were added to 0.85% NaCl solution containing S. aureus and then incubated at 35℃ for 12 h. The results showed that viable cells were rapidly reduced in above 10% concentration of red ginseng extract and above 2% of crude saponin, respectively. However, the crude saponin and red ginseng extract did not inhibit the bacterial cells completely at those same concentrations. On the other hand, whereas all non-water-soluble fractions showed inhibition zones above 10 mm against S. aureus, they showed no inhibition effects against E. coli, C. albicans or A. niger. The methanol fraction-1 (MF-1) showed the highest antibacterial activity against S. aureus, and the MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration) was 0.625 mg/mL. These results suggest that red ginseng extract, crude saponin and non-water-soluble fractions show selective antibacterial activity against S. aureus, and non-water-soluble fractions might be used as natural antibacterial agents.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.249-257
• /
• 2015

The purposes of this study were to develop a small scale post-harvest facility, and consequently to evaluate the effects of applying the facility along with hygiene education on the level of microbial safety in Korean leeks production. A total of 135 samples were collected at three Korean leeks farms in Yangju, Gyeonggi province. Food safety indicators (Aerobic plate count (APC), coliform count, and Escherichia coli) and foodborne pathogens (E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus cereus) on/in the samples were assessed. The microbial load measured as APC with harvesting tools such as comb, chopping board, and knife, at the farms where the small scale post-harvest facility had been operated (Farms A and B) was lower than that at another farm having no post-harvest facility (Farm C) by 1.44~2.33 log CFU / $100cm^2$. Moreover, the chopping board from Farm C was observed being contaminated with B. cereus at 6.03 log CFU / $100cm^2$. The coliform counts from the samples increased by 0.57~1.89 log CFU/g after leeks was submerged in ground water for washing. E. coli was recovered from leeks, soil, and the ground water used in the washing process, while no E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and L. monocytogenes was detected. Our results indicated that the small scale post-harvest facility developed in this study as well as the hygiene education played an important role in enhancing the level of microbial food safety in the leeks production environment. However, a disinfection technique could be needed during the washing step in order to prevent a potential contamination.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.123-130
• /
• 2023

Salmonella spp. are prevalent foodborne pathogens that are infective at relatively low concentrations, thus posing a serious health threat, especially to young children and the elderly. In several countries, the management and regulation of Salmonella spp. in food, including seafood, adhere to a negative detection standard. The risk of infection is particularly high when seafood is consumed raw, which underscores the importance of timely detection of pathogenic microorganisms, such as Salmonella. Accordingly, this study aimed to develop a combined pre-treatment and detection method that includes pre-culture and DNA extraction in order to detect five species of Salmonella at concentrations below 10 CFU/mL in seafood. The effectiveness of the proposed method was assessed in terms of the composition of the enrichment (pre-culture) medium, minimum incubation time, and minimum cell concentration for pathogen detection. Furthermore, a practical DNA extraction method capable of effectively handling high salt conditions was tested and found to be successful. Through polymerase chain reaction, Salmonella spp. Were detected and positively identified in shellfish samples at cell concentrations below 10 CFU/g. Thus, the proposed method, combining sample pre-treatment and cell culture with DNA extraction, was shown to be an effective strategy for detecting low cellular concentrations of harmful bacteria. The proposed methodology is suitable as an economical and practical in situ pre-treatment for effective detection of Salmonella spp. in seafood.