• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.233-239
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• 1988

Vegetable mixed codiments, commercial products prepared using soybean,paste and natto, respectively as the ingredients, were used ina study to evaluate the efficacy of gamma irradiationas a means of decontamination and the emphasis was placed upon the determination of the effect of irradiation on the microbiological and some physicochemical properties of the samples. The number of microorganisms contaminated ranged from $10^{6}\;to\;10^{7}$ cells per gram in mesophilic total bacteria, which were composed of thermophilts and acid tolerant bacteria by over 90%. They were reduced by 3 to 4 log cycles with irradiation at 10 kGy. Gamma irradiation at 5 kGy could eliminate the microbial populations of yeasts and molds ($10^{2}\;to\;10^{3}$ cells per gram) and coliforms ($10^{6}\;to\;10^{6}$ cells per gram of natto condiments). However, total destruction of microorganisms in soybean-paste and natto condiments was shown to be possible at a dose-range more than 10 kGy. Irradiationup to 10 kGy was not detrimental to the physicochemical properties of the sample, such as pH. amino nitrogen, rancidity and color, even though some change was brought about in the content of sulfur-containing amino acids.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.665-673
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• 2014

We compared standard culture methods as well as conventional PCR and real-time PCR for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) in milk, cheese, fresh-cut vegetables, and raw beef that have different levels of background microflora. No statistical differences were observed in sensitivity between the two selective media in all foods. In total, real-time PCR assay exhibited statistically excellent detection sensitivity (p<0.05) and was less time consuming and laborious as compared with standard culture methods. Conventional culture methods showed poor performance in detecting L. monocytogenes in food with high levels of background microflora, generating numerous false negative results. While the detection of L. monocytogenes in fresh cut vegetable by culture methods was hindered only by L. innocua, various background microflora, such as L. innocua, L. welshimeri, L. grayi, and Enterococcus faecalis appeared on the two selective media as presumptive positive colonies in raw beef indicating the necessity of improvement of current selective media. It appears that real-time PCR is an effective and sensitive presumptive screening tool for L. monocytogenes in various types of foods, especially foods samples with high levels of background microflora, thus complementing standard culture methodologies.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.243-248
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• 2020

The long-chained perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), are a potential exposure risk in the environment, specifically for humans due to high levels of bioaccumulation, persistence, and toxicity. In the current study, the plant uptake factors (PUFs) of spinach and Welsh onion were investigated on the three different concentration levels of PFOA and PFOS in soil. Spinach and Welsh onion were divided into three residue groups, a control group and two levels of PFOA and PFOS. The PFAAs spiked soils were aged for six months and the extractable residue of PFOS in the aged soil was reduced to 30-59% of the initial spiked concentrations for PFOS, while PFOA showed almost the same initial spiked concentrations. The PUFs for PFOA and PFOS were 0.111-2.821 and 0.047-3.175 for spinach, and 0.203-0.738 and 0.035-0.181 for Welsh onion, respectively. The highest PUF values in both vegetable were displayed when the residual concentration of PFAAs were part-per-billion (ppb) or sub-ppb in soil.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.125-130
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relative influence of diet and physical activity on obesity. The subjects were 155 adults aged 35-52 years from 24 neighborhood committees in 4 urban districts of Beijing (male : 78, female : 77). They were divided into normal weight, overweight and obese groups according to their BMI. The general information of the subjects was collected by interview-administered questionnaire. Dietary intake was obtained by three-day(two weekdays and one weekend day) food weighted method, physical activity was assessed by a validated combination of data obtained from activity monitors, bicycling information and activity records. There were no significant differences of age, gender, height, educational, family economic level, smoking and drinking between different groups. The proportion of flour intake was higher in obese group compared to normal weight and overweight groups, and that of vegetables is lower in obese group. The physical activity (PAL) was not significantly different between two groups of the normal, overweight and obese groups. After the adjustment for confounding factors using logistic regression model, we found that the proportion of flour intake was positively associated with obesity, while the proportion of vegetable intake was inversely associated with obesity. It is concluded that dietary patterns were associated with obesity and diets composed of more vegetables and less staple combined with physical activities could contribute to obesity prevention.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2011

In this study, predictive mathematical models were developed to predict the kinetics of Listeria monocytogenes growth in the mixed fresh-cut vegetables, which is the most popular ready-to-eat food in the world, as a function of temperature (4, 10, 20 and $30^{\circ}C$). At the specified storage temperatures, the primary growth curve fit well ($r^2$=0.916~0.981) with a Gompertz and Baranyi equation to determine the specific growth rate (SGR). The Polynomial model for natural logarithm transformation of the SGR as a function of temperature was obtained by nonlinear regression (Prism, version 4.0, GraphPad Software). As the storage temperature decreased from $30^{\circ}C$ to $4^{\circ}C$, the SGR decreased, respectively. Polynomial model was identified as appropriate secondary model for SGR on the basis of most statistical indices such as mean square error (MSE=0.002718 by Gompertz, 0.055186 by Baranyi), bias factor (Bf=1.050084 by Gompertz, 1.931472 by Baranyi) and accuracy factor (Af=1.160767 by Gompertz, 2.137181 by Baranyi). Results indicate L. monocytogenes growth was affected by temperature mainly, and equation was developed by Gompertz model (-0.1606+$0.0574^*Temp$+$0.0009^*Temp^*Temp$) was more effective than equation was developed by Baranyi model (0.3502-$0.0496^*Temp$+$0.0022^*Temp^*Temp$) for specific growth rate prediction of L.monocytogenes in the mixed fresh-cut vegetables.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.337-341
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• 2013

After it was known that an antioxidant function was associated with a reducing risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, a large number of plant have been investigated for their antioxidant activity. However, lacking of the extensive antioxidant data in vegetables, a few natural antioxidant was used in the food industry. Therefore, this study was carried out to provide some scientific antioxidant activity data in the various vegetables. The samples (n = 275) including 24 kinds of vegetables were examined for antioxidant activity. Total Phenol Contents (TPCs) were measured colorimetric determination method using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent by gallic acid as the control group. DPPH radical scavenging activity were also investigated using calculation of $IC_{50}$(concentration of extracted needed to inhibit 50% of the DPPH radical). The contents of TPCs were $0.32{\sim}49.26{\mu}g/kg$ and DPPH radical scavenging activity ($CI_{50}$) was 0.0~2.43 mg/mL in vegetables. The best antioxidant effect was shown in Garlic for both antioxidant assay methods.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2008

Kimchi is a representative traditional food in Korea and a type of vegetable product that is the unique complex lactic acid fermentation in the world. It can be considered as a unique fermented food generated by various flavors, which are not included in raw materials, that can be generated by mixing and fermenting various spices and seasonings, such as red pepper powder, garlic, ginger, and salted fish, added to Chinese cabbages. Functionalities in Kimchi have been approved through several studies and the probiotic function that is mainly based on lactic acid bacteria including their physical functions in its contents has also verified. Studies on the verification of the safety of Kimchi including its physiological functions have been conducted. In particular, the function of lactic acid bacteria, which is a caused of the fermentation of Kimchi. Although the lactic acid bacteria contributed to the fermentation of Kimchi is generated from raw and sub-materials, the lactic acid bacteria attached on Chinese cabbages has a major role in the process in which the fermentation temperature and dominant bacteria are also related to the process. The salt used in a salt pickling process inhibits the growth of the putrefactive and food poisoning bacteria included in the fermentation process of Kimchi and of other bacteria except for such lactic acid bacteria due to the lactic acid and several antimicrobial substances generated in the fermentation process, such as bacteriocin and hydrogen peroxide. In addition, the carbon dioxide gas caused by heterolactic acid bacteria contributes to the inhibition of aerobic bacteria. Furthermore, special ingredients included in sub-materials, such as garlic, ginger, and red pepper powder, contribute to the inhibition of putrefactive and food poisoning bacteria. The induction of the change in the intestinal bacteria as taking Kimchi have already verified. In conclusion, Kimchi has been approved as a safety food due to the fact that the inhibition of food poisoning bacteria occurs in the fermentation process of Kimchi and the extinction of such bacteria.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.347-357
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• 2023

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic turned biological hazards in the working environment into a global concern. This systematized review of published reviews aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the specific jobs and categories of workers exposed to biological hazards with the related prevention. Methods: We extracted reviews published in English and French in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Two authors, working independently, subsequently screened the potentially relevant titles and abstracts recovered (step 1) and then examined relevant full texts (step 2). Disagreements were resolved by consensus. We built tables summarizing populations of exposed workers, types of hazards, types of outcomes (types of health issues, means of prevention), and routes of transmission. Results: Of 1426 studies initially identified, 79 studies by authors from every continent were selected, mostly published after 2010 (n = 63, 79.7%). About half of the reviews dealt with infectious hazards alone (n = 38, 48.1%). The industrial sectors identified involved healthcare alone (n = 16), laboratories (n = 10), agriculture (including the animal, vegetable, and grain sectors, n = 32), waste (n = 10), in addition of 11 studies without specific sectors. The results also highlighted a range of hazards (infectious and noninfectious agents, endotoxins, bioaerosols, organic dust, and emerging agents). Conclusion: This systematized overview allowed to list the populations of workers exposed to biological hazards and underlined how prevention measures in the healthcare and laboratory sectors were usually well defined and controlled, although this was not the case in the agriculture and waste sectors. Further studies are necessary to quantify these risks and implement prevention measures that can be applied in every country.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.641-646
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• 2018

Purpose : The aim of this research was to clarify the difference in awareness of food safety and what they feel as dangerous among parents in Japan, China, and Korea and how they are different among the nations. Methods : Research subjects were 250 parents in Japan, 181 parents in China, 166 parents in Korea whose children attend a child institution or a day care center. We conducted a questionnaire survey that was self-written and anonymous. Results : Parents in Japan feel safer than Korea and China, and parents in Korea feel safer than China about food that are sold generally. Especially, in China, the average of 5 level scale was lower than the median so it shows that people do not trust food that are sold in the market. All 3 countries tend to have the awareness that "pesticide that is over the standard amount is detected from vegetables in China" and "vegetable grown without pesticides and organic produce are safe" and showed no significant difference. Also, there was a significant difference statistically for the awareness that "it makes it easier to get cancer if you eat food that contain radiation" and "there is a possibility that seafood caught near Japan contain radiation". Parents in Japan emphasize that "the price is low" the most and it was significantly higher than in China and Korea. Also, similar to parents in Japan, parents in Korea tend to emphasize that it is "domestic". On the other hand, it verified that parents in China emphasized "the meat or fish is grown without antibiotics" and "it uses vegetable grown without pesticides".

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.282-287
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: The current study was carried out to investigate Cd, Hg, Pb and As contaminations in 222 commercial medicinal plants and to estimate the potential health risk through dietary intake of commercial medicinal plants in Korea.METHODS AND RESULTS: The Cd, Hg, Pb, and As in medicinal plants were analyzed by ICP/MS and mercury analyzer.The potential health risk was estimated using risk assessment tools. Total amount of Cd in medicinal plants with 29% samples exceeded the standard limit legislated in 'Pharmaceutical Affairs Act' while all plant samples were lower than the standard limit value for As, Hg, and Pb. However, when applying the standard limit for root vegetable (fresh weight) in the Food Sanitation Act, four samples exceeded the standard limit of Pb. For health risk assessment, the values of cancer risk probability were 0.3~5.9×10^-7which were less than the acceptable cancer risk of 10^-6~10^-4for regulatory purpose. Also, Hazard quotientvalues were lower than 1.0.CONCLUSION: Therefore, these results demonstrated that human exposure to Cd, Hg, Pb, and As through dietary intake of commercial medicinal plants might notcause adverse health effects although some medicinal plants were higher than the standard limit values for Cd and Pb.