• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.227-233
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• 2013

In this study, we evaluated the ability of various disinfectants to suppress the growth of microorganisms in fresh-cut products and organic vegetable. The growth of more than 50% of B. cereus isolates were suppressed by 50% ethanol, 0.1% hydrogen peroxide, 0.4% sodium hypochlorite or 1% calcium oxide. E. coli generally showed high susceptibility to concentration of 10% ethanol, 0.4% sodium hypochlorite and 1% calcium oxide. Eighty percent or more of S. aureus isolates exhibited resistance to ethanol, hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite, but the isolates were susceptible to concentrations of 1% calcium oxide. All isolates evaluated in this study were sensitive to benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and growth in the presence of $2.0{\mu}g/mL$ of BAC was completely inhibited. These pathogens showed widely different susceptibilities to different organic acids. Greater than 0.5% acetic acid and 2% and higher concentrations of malic acid and tartaric acid inhibited the growth of 60% of the isolates of B. cereus. Two percent acetic acid and tartaric acid inhibited 50% of the S. aureus isolates. Seventy percent of the E. coli isolates were resistant to malic acid and susceptible to 1% acetic acid and 10% tartaric acid. The antibacterial effects of the various sanitizers evaluated in this study were not only dependent on the type of disinfectant but also on the pathogen. Thus, it is important to select a sanitizer that is safe and effective at removing specific types of microorganisms.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2007

Little information exists on how wash operations affect water quality, or the efficacy of sanitizers on vegetable quality and microbial reduction in fresh-cut carrot shreds. This study evaluated the efficacy of chlorine and ozone in reducing microbial loads and maintaining vegetable quality of carrot shreds. Fresh-cut carrot shreds were teated with various chlorine and ozone concentrations for differing times. The samples were then centrifuged to remove excess water, packaged in film, and stored at $5^{\circ}C$. The result indicated that varying the ozonated water wash time affected microbial growth the development of unpleasant odors, color, and the overall quality of carrot shreds. Ozonated water washing for 20 min maintained vegetable quality by inhibiting unpleasant odors, the development of whiteness, and by reducing microbial populations. A single chlorine water wash was effective and resulted in better vegetable quality when compared with two washes. Samples washed for 20 min in ozonated water, however, had better vegetable quality and smaller microbial counts compared to samples washed once in chlorine water A 20 min ozonated water wash is an attractive method for the maintenance of vegetable quality and shelf-life in fresh-cut carrot shreds.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.236-242
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• 2008

We investigated the optimum concentration of a $NaClO_2$ solution and the amount of gaseous $Cl_2$ for production of high yield and purity of aqueous $ClO_2$ by use of a gaseous chlorine-chlorite $ClO_2$ generator. This system produced lower concentrations of chlorine dioxide and is applicable for direct-use in food processing as a cleaner and sanitizer. The concentration of $NaClO_2$ solution and the amount of gaseous $Cl_2$ was varied from 0.01-0.1% and 100-1,000 g/hr, respectively. The concentrations of chlorite, chlorate, FAC (free available chlorine), and chlorine dioxide that were produced increased with increasing concentration of $NaClO_2$ solution and with the amount of gaseous $Cl_2$. The optimum concentration of $NaClO_2$ solution and amount of gaseous $Cl_2$ were 0.1% and 900 g/hr respectively. $ClO_2$ and FAC produced at these concentrations were 882.0 ppm and 8.0 ppm, with no detection of chlorite and chlorate. The yield and purity of $ClO_2$ were 97.0% and 96.0% respectively. Immersion-cleaning experiments showed that this protocol decreased the level of CFU/g by $10^3$- to $10^4$-fold, with a similar effect on fruit.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.637-642
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• 2010

Pre-treatment steps of fresh produce as Saengshik raw materials are followed by initial clean-up, dipping, primary washing, and cutting. Hypochlorous acid solution was applied in the dipping step to reduce natural microflora. Also, procedures were changed by cutting, dipping and then primary washing, and the efficacy of hypochlorus acid was evaluated. Potatoes, carrots, kales, and angelicas were submerged in water or 100 ppm of hypochlorous acid for 5 min. After initial clean-up, the aerobic plate counts of potatoes, carrots, kales and angelicas were 4.7, 5.3, 5.6, and 5.7 log CFU/g, respectively. When samples were submerged into water, it only reduced the population of natural microflora by 0.2 to 1.1 log CFU/g, whereas when treated with hypochlorous acid, it reduced the population by 0.5 to 2.8 log CFU/g. Reductions of natural microflora in green leafy vegetables were more highly achieved than bulbs such as potatoes and carrots. However, the numbers of natural microflora were increased after cutting step. To control the cross contamination at the cutting process, the process was changed as follows: initial clean-up, cutting, dipping in hypochlorous acid, and then primary washing. It showed effective reduction of the population by 2.3 to 3.2 log CFU/g. Hypochlorous acid solution could be useful as a sanitizer for surface washing of fresh vegetables.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.594-598
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• 2006

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and frequency of food-borne pathogens in unprocessed Products such as grains, tubers, vegetables, and seaweeds. Three hundred and twenty seven samples were purchased from the retail market and the supermarket in the Kyonggi-do and Seoul areas, and washed with running tap water for 4 minutes. The total aerobic bacteria count was approximately 2 to 6 log CFU/g and the highest counts were 6 log CFU/g far lettuce and sesame leaf. The coliform count showed 1-5 log CFU/g and the highest counts were 4 log CFU/g for lettuce and carrot. Escherichia coli was detected in seven samples of white rice, sweet potato, lettuce, sesame leaf, and cabbage. Clostridium perfringens was detected in six samples of brown seaweed, laver, lettuce, and sweet potato. However, Bacillus cereus contamination was found in more than 30% of brown rice, carrot, sweet potato, lettuce and sesame leaf samples, and some of these showed contamination of more than 2.0 log CFU/g. Therefore, these results suggest that pretreatment with sanitizer to remove Bacillus cereus in such products is necessary.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.599-603
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• 2006

This study investigated the efficacy of common sanitizers and disinfectants on E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium spiked on the surface of the main processing machine. All four microorganisms were greatly reduced by hydrogen peroxide (1,100 ppm), iodophors (25 ppm) and quarternary ammonium compounds (200 ppm). The reduction levels of E. coli, S. aureus, S. Typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes were 3.5, 3.4, 3.0, and 2.8 $log_{10}CFU/100cm^2$, respectively. Peroxy compounds and quaternary ammonium compounds can be applied to animal food manufacturing plants as a good sanitizer.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.235-244
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• 1998

Hand washing is an important component of hygiene program for food handlers. Hands can be a source of direct or indirect contamination of foods with pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, the effectiveness of hand washing methods and the use of 70% alcohol solution against transient skin bacteria was tested in an university foodservice facility. 70% alcohol solution is sprayed for 5 seconds automatically when hands are placed in the dispenser. Samples were taken using swab technique in meat cutting area, vegetable trimming area, and vegetable cutting area: before and after washing hands according to planned methods, and after being sprayed with 70% alcohol solution after washing hands. The bacteriological analysis of total plate counts, coliform, fecal coliform of food handlers' hands was done. Statistical data analysis was completed with Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis model using the SPSS program. The levels of initial contamination of workers' hand were significantly different by the work areas($x^2$=9.156, p<0.01). Workers in the vegetable trimming area had more heavily soiled hands than in the other work areas. Mean of TPC counts and coliform was 8.97×$10^5$ CFU/12.4$cm^2$, 2.93×$10^2$ MPN/12.4$cm^2$ respectively, but fecal coliform was not detected. Transient bacteria were removed from hands after washing and using 70% alcohol solution but were not removed completely. Mean reduction percentage in TPC varied among work areas and ranged from 93.19% to 94.99%, and in coliforms from 97.31% to 100%. A significant difference in TPC was found between before and after hand disinfection (Z=-2.714, p<.01) and between standardized hand washing procedures and un-standardized hand washing procedures(z=-2.301, p<.01). Subjects using the hand sanitizer showed a great elimination of TPC(99.45% reduction), but this effect was valid only after following proper washing procedures. Based on the results, the most effective hand washing method was recommended as the combination of the standardized hand washing procedure with warm-water and use of the 70% alcohol solution. The results can be used to develop hand hygiene programs and training strategies for enhancing hand hygiene practices for food handlers in foodservice operations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.901-908
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• 2014

Blueberries and strawberries are highly perishable and easily contaminated with microorganisms. To maintain the quality of these commodities during refrigerated storage, the effects of two packaging materials as well as passive modified atmosphere packaging on the quality of blueberries and strawberries were investigated. The harvested blueberries and strawberries were first treated with combined non-thermal treatment of aqueous chlorine dioxide and fumaric acid, followed by packaging with polyolefin film (6,000 mL $O_2/m^2{\cdot}24hr{\cdot}atm$ at $24^{\circ}C$) and polyamide/polyamide/polyethylene film (PA/PA/PE, 60 mL $O_2/m^2{\cdot}24hr{\cdot}atm$ at $24^{\circ}C$), respectively. After combined sanitizer treatment, the populations of total aerobic bacteria in blueberries and strawberries were reduced by 2.50 and 1.97 log CFU/g while those of yeast and molds were reduced by 1.95 and 2.18 log CFU/g, respectively, compared with the control. In particular, microbial growth in these samples packed with PA/PA/PE film was reduced during refrigerated storage. In addition, the blueberries and strawberries packed with PA/PA/PE film underwent lower weight loss than those packed with polyolefin film during storage. These results suggest that appropriate packaging with proper gas permeability is necessary to maintain the quality of blueberries and strawberries during refrigerated storage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.8
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• pp.1227-1232
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• 2016

Electrolyzed activated water (EAW) has been reported to exhibit strong bactericidal effects on foodborne microorganisms. However, the disinfection efficacy of EAW is affected by factors such as water source and hardness. This study investigated bactericidal effects of EAW against three gram-positive (Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus) and three gram-negative (Cronobacter sakazakii, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella Enteritidis) foodborne pathogens. Six strains were treated with EAW prepared at different water temperatures (4, 22, and $40^{\circ}C$) for 15 min, and D-values were generated. The results show that the lowest D-values for Lis. monocytogenes by EAW produced at $4^{\circ}C$ and $40^{\circ}C$ were 6.60 and 1.57 min, respectively. The lowest D-value for Sal. Enteritidis by EAW produced at $22^{\circ}C$ was 2.92 min. D-values of all strains treated by EAW produced at $40^{\circ}C$ decreased significantly compared to those treated by EAW produced at $4^{\circ}C$ (P<0.05). These results demonstrate that applying EAW produced at warm temperature is more effective for reducing foodborne pathogens for food safety.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.290-294
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• 2006

Inactivation rates of Salmonella enteritidis in vitro and in vivo were assessed using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. S. enteritidis was inactivated with 1% (w/v) trisodium phosphate (TSP) and live cells, and inactive cells were distinguished by staining with fluorescent probe, LIVE/DEAD BacLight Bacteria Viability stain. After TSP treatment for 1 min, most of Salmonella cells changed from green (live cells) fluorescence to red (inactive cells) fluorescence, indication of effective sanitizing. Inactivation efficiency and contamination sites of S. enteritidis on chicken skin by TSP treatment were assessed using confocal laser microscopy. Precise flow cytometry histograms for viability changes of S. enteritidis. after TSP treatments were obtained. Efficiency of various sanitizer treatments on foodborne pathogens could be assessed using this method.