• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09b
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• pp.524-526
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• 2003

Lipsticks are cosmetics which do not contain water and are usually preserved with parabens. When submitted to the Challenge Test, theses products did not reach the CTFA criteria, which means that microbiological contamination could occur before the end of its shelf life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contamination level of 130 lipsticks after its use. Microorganisms were isolated from 14,6 % of the samples. However, only in two samples (1,5%) the contamination level exceeded the 100 CFU/g level, which means that, although the preservative system was not efficient to eliminate bacteria, the lack of free water was enough to prevent the microbial development. Total bacteria and fungi were determined by conventional methodology, according to CTFA Microbiological Guidelines. The microbes were then isolated and characterized as normal skin flora microorganisms. This suggest that products were contaminated by the constant application of lipsticks by consumers. This could lead to cross contamination when the same product is shared by several people. Extra care should be taken into account when this type of products are available to be tested by several consumers in demonstration displays.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.233-238
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to determine microbiological contamination of fresh-red pepper and packaged-red pepper powder commercially available in South Korea. Thirty-seven fresh-red peppers were collected from 5 farms and 31 packaged-red pepper powders were purchased from retail markets in South Korea. Foodborne pathogens (Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus), total viable counts, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, yeast and mold, and Aspergillus flavus were determined. Detection percentage of contamination of Bacillus cereus in fresh-red pepper was 8.1%, which was lower than the 39% of detection rate in packaged-red pepper powder. The contamination level of Bacillus cereus was 1～3 log CFU/g in packaged-red pepper powder. Escherichia coli was detected in 5.4% of fresh-red pepper samples and was not detected in packaged-red pepper powder. Enterobacteriaceae and coliforms were detected in both of fresh-red pepper and packaged-red pepper powders. Foodborne pathogens, except Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli, were not detected.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.920-924
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• 2006

The microbiological safety of foodservice facilities and side dishes in 6 elementary schools and 6 universities in the Jeolla-do region was evaluated. The micro-aerosol evaluation of foodservice facilities including the kitchen, refrigerators, and freezers showed a comparatively high level of microbial contamination. In the microbial safety evaluation of cooking utensils and appliances, the total plate counts of serving tables, cutting boards, and food plates were comparatively high, but did not reveal significant counts of coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli were both below the general limit of microbial contamination. The microbiological safety of the cooking utensils and appliances were satisfactory. In the microbiological safety evaluation of side dishes served at these foodservice facilities, microbial counts were generally below the limit of microbial contamination.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.256-262
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to investigate microbial contamination in water purifiers from two universities (A and B) in Chungcheong region and to evaluate about the harmfulness of the isolated bacteria to the human. The degree of microbiological contamination of six water purifiers at university A was investigated three times from July 2018 to September 2019, and nine water purifiers at university B were investigated in 2023. The isolated bacteria were biochemically identified using an API kit and Vitek-2 system, and then the bacteria were identified to the species level using MALDI-TOF MS. In addition, the possibility of human infection of the isolated bacteria was evaluated through a literature search. In July 2018 and September 2019, the number of bacteria isolated inside the faucet was below the acceptable standard for hot water, but exceed for cold water in all water purifiers. In January and September 2019, bacteria exceeding the acceptable standards were isolated nine times from the cold water of six water purifies (a total of 12 water purifiers). Bacteria identified by MALDI-TOF MS included anaerobic bacteria (Clostridium novyi, Clostridium themopalmarium etc.), Gram-positive bacilli (Microbacterium testaceum, Arthrobacter woluwensis etc.), and Gramnegative bacilli (Acinetobacter nosocomialis, Comamonas kerstersii etc.), which are difficult identify by biochemical methods. In conclusion, bacteria exceeding the acceptable standard were isolated from the cold water of most of the water purifiers. Most of the isolated bacteria were low-pathogenic bacteria from natural environment, but opportunistic bacteria that can cause infection in humans were also isolated from some water purifiers.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.10
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• pp.1071-1082
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• 2003

The objective of this study was to evaluate and improve the microbiological quality of HACCP application in school foodservice operations. The microbiological quality of foods and utensils were evaluated two times at each critical control point (CCP) with 3M petrifilm in five Daegu elementary schools. Two processes were evaluated: Heating process and after-heating process. The CCPs of the heating process were receiving, cooking and serving temperatures. The CCPs of the after-heating process were personal hygiene, cross contamination avoidance and serving temperature. After the first experiment, 31 employees of five schools were classroom educated, trained on-site, and pre- and post-tested on HACCP-based sanitation with the goal of improving the microbiological quality of the foodservice. Scores representing knowledge of holding, thawing, washing, food temperature, sanitizing and food-borne illness increased after education. In the heating process, internal food temperatures in the first and second experiments were higher than 74$^{\circ}C$, the holding temperature in the first experiment was less than 6$0^{\circ}C$. In the second experiment, the serving temperature improved to a satisfactory level. The microbiological quality in the second experiment improved by decreasing the time from cooking to serving. In the after-heating process, the ingredients were boiled before being cut in the first experiment. In the second experiment, ingredients were cut before being boiled, improving microbiological quality. Also in the second experiment, cooking just before serving food improved its microbiological quality through time-temperature control. These results strongly suggest it is essential to measure microbiological quality regularly and to educate employees on HACCP continuously, especially time-temperature control and cross contamination avoidance in order to improve foodservice quality.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.1237-1245
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• 2018

In this study, the contamination levels of hygienic indicators and foodborne pathogens in retail meat products were investigated in relation to the various market factors including processing temperature, processing area, and market type. Ground beef samples (n=80) were purchased from 40 meat markets and investigated for microbiological quality. Beefs processed below $20^{\circ}C$ had significantly lower numbers of total coliforms (TC) than these processed over $20^{\circ}C$ (2.01 vs. 2.79 log CFU/g; p<0.05). Interestingly, separation of processing area did not affect the contamination levels. Remarkably, the contamination levels of hygienic indicator differ among market types, indicating that not only processing condition but distribution structure that is directly related with storage period could affect the final microbiological loads of the meat products. In addition, the prevalences of Listeria monocytogenes (a psychrotroph), Enterococcus faecium, and Enterococcus faecalis were 7.5% (6/80), 10.0% (8/80), and 20.0% (16/80), respectively, which is irrelevant to market factors except meat products from wholesale markets where no L. monocytogenes were found among 30 samples. The results of this study indicate that the contamination level of hygiene indicator and foodborne pathogens in retail beef is more related with processing temperature and storage period than other environmental factors.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2016

This study was aimed to assess microbiological contamination level of Liriope platyphylla farms (A, B, and C) located in Cheongyang, Chungnam province. Specimens sampled from those farms and L. platyphylla tuberous roots were assessed for sanitary indication bacteria such as total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, and Escherichia coli and pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, quantitatively and qualitatively. As a result, those farms are not contaminated by E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., at all. And S. aureus was only found qualitatively from workers' gloves at a farm. As a whole, those farms (soil, harvest container, harvester, cleanser, washing water and tray) were maintained in a low level of microbiological contamination. However a cleanser was contaminated by coliforms ($4.35log\;CFU/100cm^2$), and it is required to improve farm hygiene. Microbiological contamination level of L. platyphylla tuberous root was decreased in the postharvest process including washing and drying.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2002

Major hazards existed in slaughterhouse are pathogenic microorganisms originated from intestinal microflora of slaughtered animals. This study was intended for the identification of microbial contamination sources during pork slaughtering in small plants. Total aerobic bacteria, Coliform group, Salmonella spp, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter jejuni/coli were isolated from the surface sample of pork carcasses. Contamination level among different sampling points of ham, belly and neck did not showed statistical differences. Therefore, the mixed sampling from belly and neck of carcass could be effective for microbiological monitoring. Isolation rates of pathogenic microorganisms showed Salmonella spp 20.9%, Listeria monocytogenes 10.5%, and Campylobacter jejuni/coli 8.1% from 296 sampling points. High prevalence rate of Salmonella spp indicated that the contamination of intestinal microflora occurred due to unsanitary processing control, which required HACCP system in small plants. It was recommended that the prerequisite program should be a key factor for a successful HACCP system implementation especially in small size slaughterhouse.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.333-338
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• 2017

This study was performed to assess microbial contamination of Aronia melanocarpa, blueberry, raspberry, and cranberry sold in several markets. We investigated total aerobic bacteria and detected foodborne bacteria by multiplex PCR from Aronia melanocarpa, blueberry, raspberry, and cranberry. Total aerobic bacteria of each sample showed mean 3.54 log CFU/g for Aronia melanocarpa, mean 1.90 log CFU/g for blueberry, and mean 1.40 log CFU/g for raspberry, but not detected in cranberry. Specially, Aronia melanocarpa contained high total aerobic bacteria contamination among various berries and contamination level reached 4.17 log CFU/g in sample 5. To evaluate the effect of distribution conditions, we also investigated total aerobic bacteria of various berries. Total aerobic bacteria showed mean 2.89 log CFU/g for berries in refrigerated distribution and 1.40 log CFU/g in frozen distribution, but not in dry distribution. For assessment of foodborne bacteria contamination, we conducted PCR with multiplex primers of E. coli O157, S. aureus, B. cereus, V. parahaemolyticus, L. monocytogenes, Y. enterocolitica, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp. Among these foodborne bacteria, B. cereus was amplified in Aronia melanocarpa in sample 4 and blueberry in sample 1, 2, 3, and 5. The result of quantitative analysis of B. cereus contamination showed 4.08 log CFU/g of Aronia melanocarpa in sample 4 and higher contamination rate 4.07 log CFU/g of blueberry in sample 3. These results suggest that strict food safety control in harvest and distribution of various berries is necessary to prevent foodborne disease and improve microbiological safety.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2022

Background/Aims: Multiple outbreaks of multidrug-resistant organisms have been reported worldwide due to contaminated duodenoscopes. In 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration recommended the following supplemental enhanced surveillance and reprocessing techniques (ESRT) to improve duodenoscope disinfection: (1) microbiological culture, (2) ethylene oxide sterilization, (3) liquid chemical sterilant processing system, and (4) double high-level disinfection. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to assess the impact of ESRT on the contamination rates. Methods: A thorough and systematic search was performed across several databases and conference proceedings from inception until January 2021, and all studies reporting the effectiveness of various ESRTs were identified. The pooled contamination rates of post-ESRT duodenoscopes were estimated using the random effects model. Results: A total of seven studies using various ESRTs were incorporated in the analysis, which included a total of 9,084 post-ESRT duodenoscope cultures. The pooled contamination rate of the post-ESRT duodenoscope was 5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.3%-10.8%, inconsistency index [I²]=97.97%). Pooled contamination rates for high-risk organisms were 0.8% (95% CI: 0.2%-2.7%, I²=94.96). Conclusions: While ESRT may improve the disinfection process, a post-ESRT contamination rate of 5% is not negligible. Ongoing efforts to mitigate the rate of contamination by improving disinfection techniques and innovations in duodenoscope design to improve safety are warranted.