• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.376-386
• /
• 2011

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial hazards posed by food utensils and fixtures in food service operations at selected middle and high schools located in Seoul, Korea. Methods: We collected 200 samples of utensils and fixtures including cups, spoons/chopsticks, food trays and tables from five different schools in Seoul. Target microorganisms of this study were divided into two groups: total bacterial count and total coliform as indicators of microbial contamination and Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus as pathogens of food poisoning. We used selective media to quantify microbial concentration and 16S rRNA PCR assay for qualitative analysis. In addition, intensive interviews with nutritionists were conducted and observations were made to identify factors that may affect microbial contamination. Logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the relationship between the microbial concentration and operation characteristics of each operation. Results: The level of microbial concentration in school B and C were significantly lower than in school A, D and E (p<0.05). Some samples from school A, D and E showed over 3.4 log CFU/100 $cm^2$ (total bacterial count) and 1.0 log CFU/100 $cm^2$ (total coliform), which requires immediate hygienic action. The number of customers per staff member, periodicity of hygiene education for staff and daily operation time of sterilizers were also found to be important factors related with the microbial contamination of food service operations. Conclusions: These results suggested that not only a HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) approach, but also efforts to assess internal risk factors within operations be needed to reduce the microbial contamination of food utensils and fixtures. This study is expected to provide preliminary data for assessing microbial hazards in food service operations.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.24 no.3 s.35
• /
• pp.287-304
• /
• 1991

Tolerance to several toxic effects of cadmium, including lethality has been shown following pretreatment with cadmium and zinc. This study was designed to determine if tolerance also develops to Cd-induced hepatotoxicityandrenaltoxicity. Three groups of rats (A, B, C), each consisting of 16 rats, were studied and each group was divided into four subgroups (1, 2, 3, 4), 4 rats for each subgroup. Rats were subcutaneously pretreated with saline (A), $CdCl_2$ (0.5 mg/kg, B), and $ZnCl_2$ (13.0 mg/kg, C) during time periods of $1{\sim}6$ weeks. At the end of the period, rats were challenged with $CdCl_2$ (3.0, 6.0 and 9.0 mg/kg, ip). After giving the challenge dose, cadmium and metallothionein (MT) concentrations were determined and also observed the histologic change in liver and kidney. The concentration of cadmium in liver and kidney increased dose-dependently to the challenge dosage. These da indicate the kidney is a major target organ of chronic cadmium poisoning, and suggest that cadmium induced hepatic injury, via release of Cd-MT, may play an important role in the nephrotoxicity observed in response to long-term exposure to cadmium. In addition, histologic examination of group $A_2,\;A_3\;and\;A_4$ revealed moderate to severe cadmium toxicity, evidenced by infiltration of inflammatory cells, cell swelling, pyknosis, enlarged sinusoids and necrosis in liver, and tubule cell necrosis and degeneration in kidney. However, MT concentrations in liver and kidney were increased by the pretreatment of $CdCl_2$ and $ZnCl_2$, and their morphological findings were not significantly changed, comparing with control group. Higher MT concentration in liver and kidney observed in the pretreated groups constitutes a plausible explanation of the protective effects of pretreatment against the cadmium toxicity after challenge dosing.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.829-832
• /
• 2003

To develop natural food preservatives, ethanol and water extracts were prepared from the cornus (Cornus of officianalis) and antimicrobial activities were examined against 10 microoganisms which were food borne pathogens and/or food poisoning microoganisms, food-related bacteria and yeasts. Ethanol extract exhibited antimicrobial activity for the microoganisms tested, except lactic acid bacteria and yeast. Especially, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the ethanol extracts were determined as 0.25 mg/mL against bacteria and 2 mg/mL against target lactic bacteria and yeasts. Antimicrobial activity of the ethanol extracts were not destroyed by the heating at 121$^{\circ}C$ for 15 min and not affected by pH. The ethanol extract of cornus exhibiting high antimicrobial activities were fractionated in the other of diethylether and butanol fractions to test antimicrobial activity The antimicrobial activity adjust bacteria test was highest in the ethanol fraction.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.411-418
• /
• 2004

Mercury, one of the most diffused and hazardous organ-specific environmental contaminants, exists in a wide variety of physical and chemical states. The murcury with the nature which evaporates easily can cause an acute or chronic mercury poisoning to workers at mercury-handling workplaces. Although many studies indicate that mercury induces a deleterious damage, little has been reported from the investigations of mercury effects at surrounding levels in living things. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biological effects of mercury chloride and ionizing radiation. Prepubertal male F344 rats were administered mercury chloride in drinking water throughout the experimental period or were given wholebody irradiation with a dose of 6.5 Gy. The amount changed of body weight during the experimental period showed a 4.9% rise in the mercury-treated group and 14.4% decline in the irradiated group compared with the level of the control group. The results of hematological analysis (red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit) indicated the differential effects of mercury chloride and ionizing radiation. However the concentration of cortisol as assessed by radioimmunoassay increased in both of the groups. Relative expressions of mRNA related to mitochondrion-mediated apoptosis were investigated using semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction on gonad and urinary organs of the experimental groups. While the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA exhibited different patterns depending on the organs or the experimental groups, both of the experimental groups showed a conspicuous expressions of Bax mRNA. In conclusion, the target organ of mercury chloride seems to be a urinary organ and the pattern of damage induced by mercury chloride differs from that by ionizing radiation.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.133-162
• /
• 2001

Unexpected accidents in school has been gradually increased every year, and student's mistaken was the first reason of the accident. To preventing the students from Unexpected accidents in school, safety education is more important than having strong facilities to have much more strong protecting forces for the accidents. Therefore, systematic education of safety is needed most of all, and especially, strengthening safety education in school is needed. Hereby, this study is aimed at investigating and analysing the actual condition and demand of safety education. It also conducted a survey with the target of 1,255 students in the second grade of high school in Seoul from April 20 to May 19, and the result of this study is as follows. 1. In the general features of the subject of the survey, boy students and girl students occupied 50.8％ and 49.2％ each, and boys' high school (34.3％), girls' high school(32.2％) and co-ed(33.5％) participated in balance. In the location, north from Han river occupied 54.6％, south were 45.2％. 2. According to the status of experiencing an accident, boys were more experienced then girls(p〈0.05). From the section, home accident(56.8％) occupied most followed by school accident, traffic accident, sports accident and poisoning. The accident happening most often in detailed category is sports accident such as basket ball, foot ball and dodge ball. The actual condition of the subject's using a school health facility shows that boys students use it more often than girl students(p〈0.01) 3. In attitude toward safety, the subject showed lower interest in safety issues than other social issues. But attitude in seriality of safety problems were high. Also, they responded ‘individual citizen’(63.1％) as the one who should make efforts for safety. Regarding knowledge of preventing safety accidents in attitude toward individual safety, 42.2％ answered ‘they know a little’ and 32.6％ of respondents say ‘they do not know’. To a question of the degree of the subject's following safety rules, 36.4％ were answered ‘keeping’ and the group using a school health facility shows more ‘keeping’ the others(p〈0.05). 4. To a question of asking if they have experienced safety education, 51.2％ answered ‘yes’. Teachers who mainly take care of safety education are answered as training teacher(48.7％). As for education time, training class(51.3％) is said to have safety education most followed by health-related event and PE(Physical Education). Frequency of education shows once or twice a session (62.8％) most often, but in case of co-ed school, 5-7times a session or more(20.1％) are being practiced. Looking at education time, 1-2 hour(s)(22.1％) or for a short time(22.1％) during class are being practiced. As an education method, instruction(43.8％) and video education(32.5％) are being practiced, and when it comes to education evaluation method, ‘not practiced’(70.0％) answered. To the question if they are satisfied with school safety education, they answered more ‘no(43.1％)’ than ‘yes(6.7％)’, and the reason is that safety education class is just for formality's sake, and the fact they already know is being repeated. The contents of safety education is composed of school safety, home safety, and first aid. 5. It is turned out that 56.5％ of the total boy students and 61.1％ of the total girl students recognize the necessity of safety education. To the question if safety education is needed in an elementary and middle education course, 46.4％ of the subject answer answered' it's necessary'. The most reason for their answers are ‘safety education is directly related to life’. 6. Regarding the requested time of safety education is ‘one hour a week’ by 55.9％. For safety education, safety education teachers(38.7％) are answered to be the most proper. As a request for safety education, video education is answered to be the most appropriate(30.6％), followed by practical skills, lecture and discussion(p〈0.05). Demand of educational evaluation, practical skills, interview and observation are answered to be needed. To the question if they want to participate in the way of demanded safety education, 41.9％ of respondents answer ‘have a mind to participate in’ (41.9％). To benefits followed by completing safety education, 72.0％ of respondents answer ‘agree’, and 24.7％ ‘do not agree’, which means lout 4 disagrees with completing safety education. 7. Looking at demand of safety education according to the features of the subject, ‘our position for the person who has handicapped’ was answer to the most.