• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.217-227
• /
• 2023

The consumption of ready-to-eat side dishes is rapidly growing in South Korea. These foods are particularly vulnerable to microbiological contamination as they are often cooked without any treatment, such as heating or stored at room temperature after cooking. Hence, in 2022, we analyzed the ready-to-eat side dishes sold in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea for microbiological contamination. We collected 100 samples from supermarkets in 7 cities, and then examined them for presence of food-borne pathogens and sanitary indicator bacteria. In the analysis of the food-borne pathogens, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens were isolated from 51 samples (51.0%) and 3 samples (3.0%), respectively. However, both quantitatively met the Korean Food Standards Codex. Genes of five different enterotoxins and one emetic toxin were analyzed from the 51 isolated B. cereus strains. We detected enterotoxin entFM (100.0%), nheA (94.1%), hblC (58.8%), cytK (56.9%), and bceT (41.2%) in 51 isolates, and emetic toxin gene, CER, in only one (2.0%) isolate. We did not detect C. perfringens toxin gene (cpe) that causes food poisoning in any one of the three C. perfringens isolates. In the case of sanitary indicator bacteria, Kimchi had the highest levels of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms, followed by Saengchae, Jeotgal, Jeolim, Namul, and Jorim, respectively. We counted total aerobic bacteria at two different storage temperatures (4℃ and 20℃) to determine the effect of storage temperature. When stored at 20℃, total aerobic bacteria count increased in most of the ready-to-eat side dishes, except for Jeotgal. This result conclusively shows the need for refrigerating the ready-to-eat side dishes after purchase. Further research is needed to assess the risk and safety of the ready-to-eat side dishes available in the market and determine appropriate safety management practices.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.181-188
• /
• 2022

Despite the recent increase in the consumption level of the processed meat-byproducts, the health and safety issue has consistently been raised in the processes of production, distribution and consumption. The purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate the microbiological hazard elements in the Korean sausage, "Sundae," to present not only the safety standard of meat by-product vendors based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point), but also the quality control criteria and sanitary arrangements of small manufacturers. For the study, the microbiological hazards in 24 raw materials, 7 manufacturing processes, 40 facilities and tools, 17 workplace environment, and 12 workers were analyzed. The analysis revealed the hazardous elements in the initial stages with 6.28 and 4.07 log CFU/g of total aerobic count and coliforms, respectively, detected from the porcine blood and 3.23 log CFU/g of coliforms from the porcine small intestines. The result also showed that the total aerobic counts and coliforms in the process of mixing and filling process exceeds the standards in the hygiene guidelines by Natick with the total aerobic counts of 5.23, 5.45 log CFU/g, and the coliforms of 3.25, and 3.31 log CFU/g, respectively. Although the detected total aerobic count and the coliforms in the filling and washing rooms exceeded the standards, it was found that the total aerobic count was significantly reduced by 98% after cleaning and disinfecting and no coliforms was detected in any process thereafter. In order to achieve high level of safety in the manufacturing processes of Sundae, the separation of washing and disinfection room from the other sections and the sanitation control of the workers must be preceded, along with strict monitoring in the storage and distribution processes. The study raises necessity for additional studies for the safety evaluation of the processed meat-byproducts and further researches on the validity of the critical limits.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Postharvest Science and Technology of Agricultural Products Conference
• /
• 2007.11a
• /
• pp.162.2-162.2
• /
• 2007

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.211-218
• /
• 2004

The issue of safety and quality of cooked food served at foodservice institutions has brought more attention to food scientists because the foodservice system is growing and becoming more popular in Korea. In order to control the quality and safety of cooked foods, the production and holding methods of foods should be carefully studied and the implications considered by the foodservice industry. Therefore, studies on microbiological, nutritional, physicochemical and sensory quality are essential in this area. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the chemical and microbial qualities of salads during holding. Several holding temperatures in the range of 5∼26$^{\circ}C$ were used for holding. Chicken salad and ham ＆ cucumber salad exceeded the standard after 30min of room temperature holding after preparation. Quality deterioration increased at higher holding temperatures, which suggested that refrigerator holding is the most desirable.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.260-267
• /
• 2014

To evaluate microbiological and aflatoxin safety on traditional dried persimmon, a total of 315 samples were collected from 105 farms. The collected samples were assessed on aflatoxin and microorganisms (Aerobic plate count, coliform count, Escherichia coli, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus). The the APC of sliced dried persimmon, dried persimmon, and semi dried persimmon were $3.93{\pm}0.96$, $2.12{\pm}0.93$, and $1.50{\pm}1.08{\log}\;CFU/g$, respectively. S. aureus was detected in 40.0% of sliced dried persimmon, 29.5% of dried persimmon, and 23.5% of semi dried persimmon. E. coli recovered from dried persimmon and semi dried persimmon was 6.6%, and 2.9%, respectively. However, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and L. monocytogenes were not detected. According to the result of aflatoxin by ELISA and UPLC, aflatoxin was not detected in any sample. These data suggested that safety management system should be introduce to the farms producing traditional dried persimmon to enhance the safety of traditional dried persimmon.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.673-679
• /
• 2009

To develop ready-to-eat (RTE) style Korean traditional Galbi-jjim, the optimal conditions for sous-vide cooking and cookchill preparation and the sensory properties of the cooked products were investigated. During heating, the meat core temperatures reached $85^{\circ}C$ within 30 min and 45 min when a water bath and combination oven were used, respectively. Chilling to $3^{\circ}C$ within 45 min was conducted to meet the standards for microbiological safety set by the UK Department of Health and Social Security (DHSS) Guideline. Galbi-jjim that was vacuum-cooked in a water bath was much more tender than that of Galbi-jjim prepared using the cook-chill method, but had no difference in any reheating methods. The average sensory scores of juiciness and the overall acceptance of Galbi-jjim were significantly higher when water bath cooking was used, and there were no differences in reheating methods. In conclusion, the serial methods of sous-vide processing and rapid chilling can be applied to produce RTE traditional Galbi-jjim, and this can be conducted while meeting the standards specified in safety guidelines.

• Journal of the FoodService Safety
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.84-90
• /
• 2021

This study was performed to assess the microbiological quality and safety of microgreen sampled from harvesting farms and food processing plant in Korea. The samples were analyzed for total viable counts, coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus. Total viable counts were highly contaminated in samples collected from farms (7.7~8.2 log CFU/g) and the final products (5.8~7.8 log CFU/g), respectively. B. cereus was detected less than 100 CFU/g, which was satisfied with Korean standards (<1,000 CFU/g) of fresh-cut produce. A predictive model was developed for the changes of total viable counts in microgreens during storage at 5~35℃. The predictive models were developed using the Baranyi model for the primary model and the square root model for the secondary model. The results obtained in this study can be useful to develop the safety management options along the food chain, including fresh-cut produce storage and distribution.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.119-127
• /
• 2015

To date, detection of microbial populations in dairy products has been performed using culture media, which is a time-consuming and laborious method. The recently developed chromogenic media could be more rapid and specific than classical culture media. However, the newly developed molecular-based technology can detect microbial populations with greater rapidity and sensitivity than the classical method involving culture media and chromogenic media. This molecular-based technology could provide various options for monitoring the characterization of different states of bacteria and cells. Thus, it could help upgrade the processing system of the dairy industry so as to maintain the safety and quality of dairy foods. Among the various newly developed molecular-based technologies, flow cytometry can potentially be used for monitoring microbiological populations in the dairy industry if official international standards are available for this purpose. When omics technology would have biomarker identification, it could be regarded as the rapid and sensitive analytical methods. Methods based on PCR, which has become a basic technique in microbiological research, can be developed and validated as alternative methods for quantification of dairy microorganisms. This review discusses methods for monitoring microbiological populations in dairy foods and the limitations of these studies, as well as the need for further research on such methods in the dairy industry.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.631-639
• /
• 2003

In order to control the quality and safety of cooked foods, production and holding methods of foods should be carefully studied and applied to the foodservice industry. Therefore studies on microbiological, nutritional, physicochemical and sensory quality are essential in this area. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the chemical and microbial qualities of cooked foods during preparation and holding From the results, the following guidelines should be adhered to give effective quality control when holding foods after cooking in foodservice institutions, as well as to provide quality foods when selling cooked foods at commercial establishments. Sauteed and simmered foods such as sauteed chicken meat & vegetables and simmered pork in soy sauce satisfy the standard for microorganisms till 1-3 hours of room temp. holding, 6-18 hours at 60$^{\circ}C$ steam table, and 12-18 hours at 80$^{\circ}C$ heating table.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.39-46
• /
• 1986

Comparison of ethylene oxide(E.O) fumigation and gamma irradiation on the sterilization, microbiological, physicochemcial and sensory quality of dried fishery products (shucked shellfish and mussel powder) were investigated. The viable cell count of mesophilic total bacterial was reduced by over 2 to 3 log cycles with irradiation of 3 to 5 kGy, and those samples were completely sterilized by irradiation dose of 7 to 10 kGy. In view of reduction of microorganisms, D10 value of each samples were ranged from 1. 36-1. 46 kGy. fungi, mesophilic spores, acid tolerant bacteria and coliforms were sterilized at 5 to 7 kGy irradiation but E.O. fumigation proved insulfficient to eliminate the mesophilic total bacteria and fungi. In the physicochemical and sensory quality of samples, such as the amino acid, TBA value, TMA-N, color difference and overall acceptability irradiated sample with optimum dose was similar to those of the nonirradiated sample, while E.O. fumigated sample was remarkably deteriorated in the physicochemical and sensory quality of samples.