Comparative analysis of reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction for Aichivirus detection.

(AiV-A), a member of the genus of the family Picornaviridae, was first reported in stool samples of patients with non-bacterial gastroenteritis in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, in 1989. AiV has been reported from in various aquatic environments, such as surface water and sewage, can be transmitted via the fecal-oral route through contaminated water. As AiV is known to acute gastroenteritis worldwide, developing methods for AiV detection from contaminated environments and food is required.

Evaluation of crAssphages as a potential marker of human viral contamination in environmental water and fresh leafy greens.

CrAssphages are human gut bacteriophages with potential use as an indicator of human fecal contamination in water and other environmental systems. We determined the prevalence and abundance of crAssphages in water, food, and fecal samples and compared these estimates with the prevalence of norovirus. Samples were tested using two crAssphage-specific qPCR assays (CPQ056 and TN201-203) and for norovirus using TaqMan realtime RT-PCR.

Genetic Characteristics of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Isolated from Retail Meats in South Korea.

Earlier studies have validated the isolation of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing (ESBL-Sal) strains from food. While poultry is recognized as a reservoir for contamination, pertinent data regarding ESBL-Sal remains limited. Consequently, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has isolated spp.

Molecular and Genomic Analysis of the Virulence Factors and Potential Transmission of Hybrid Enteropathogenic and Enterotoxigenic (EPEC/ETEC) Strains Isolated in South Korea.

Hybrid strains acquires genetic characteristics from multiple pathotypes and is speculated to be more virulent; however, understanding their pathogenicity is elusive. Here, we performed genome-based characterization of the hybrid of enteropathogenic (EPEC) and enterotoxigenic (ETEC), the strains that cause diarrhea and mortality in children. The virulence genes in the strains isolated from different sources in the South Korea were identified, and their phylogenetic positions were analyzed.

Novel next generation sequencing panel method for the multiple detection and identification of foodborne pathogens in agricultural wastewater.

Detecting and identifying the origins of foodborne pathogen outbreaks is a challenging. The Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) panel method offers a potential solution by enabling efficient screening and identification of various bacteria in one reaction. In this study, new NGS panel primer sets that target 18 specific virulence factor genes from six target pathogens (, , , , , and ) were developed and optimized.

Seasonal Changes in the Microbial Communities on Lettuce ( L.) in Chungcheong-do, South Korea.

Lettuce is one of the most consumed vegetables worldwide. However, it has potential risks associated with pathogenic bacterial contamination because it is usually consumed raw. In this study, we investigated the changes in the bacterial community on lettuce ( L.

Development and Evaluation of a Next-Generation Sequencing Panel for the Multiple Detection and Identification of Pathogens in Fermented Foods.

These days, bacterial detection methods have some limitations in sensitivity, specificity, and multiple detection. To overcome these, novel detection and identification method is necessary to be developed. Recently, NGS panel method has been suggested to screen, detect, and even identify specific foodborne pathogens in one reaction.

Comparative Analysis of subsp. Serovar Thompson Isolates associated with Outbreaks Using PFGE and wgMLST.

The strains associated with foodborne Thompson outbreaks in Korea have not been identified. Therefore, we characterized S. Thompson strains isolated from chocolate cakes linked to foodborne outbreaks in Korea.

Prevalence and Characteristics of spp. Isolated from Raw Chicken Meat in the Republic of Korea.

In this study, we sought to investigate the various characteristics of spp. isolated from raw chicken meats available in Korean markets. The data collected, such as food source of isolation, sampling information, serotype, virulence, and genetic profile including sequence type, were registered in the database for further comparative analysis of the strains isolated from the traceback investigation samples.

Comparison of enrichment methods for isolating Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli in kimchi.

This study was conducted to compare the efficiency of four enrichment methods of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli by using the 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and a predictive model. Four different methods (US FDA, ISO, Japan Food Hygiene Association and Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) were used to enrich EHEC in kimchi inoculated with cocktails of EHEC strains (NCCP 13720, NCCP 13721, and NCCP 14134). The maximum growth rate (μ) and lag phase duration (LPD) were compared using the Baranyi model, and 16S rRNA targeted sequencing was performed with samples at the end of the exponential phase.

Evaluation of Hygiene Indicators and Sampling Plan for Detecting Microbial Contamination in Health Functional Foods.

Abstract: This study aimed to monitor microbial contamination levels in a variety of health functional foods and to establish new microbial criteria. Indicator organisms (i.e.

Development and validation of a predictive model for pathogenic in fresh-cut produce.

This study was performed to develop and validate a predictive growth model of pathogenic to ensure the safety of fresh-cut produce. Samples were inoculated with a cocktail of seven strains of five pathotypes (EHEC, Enterohemorrhagic ; ETEC, Enterotoxigenic ; EPEC, Enteropathogenic ; EIEC, Enteroinvasive and EAEC, Enteroaggregative ) and stored at 4, 10, 12, 15, 25, 30, and 37°C. Growth of pathogenic was observed above 12°C.

Effect of Enterotoxigenic on Microbial Communities during Kimchi Fermentation.

The diverse microbial communities in kimchi are dependent on fermentation period and temperature. Here, we investigated the effect of enterotoxigenic (ETEC) during the fermentation of kimchi at two temperatures using high-throughput sequencing. There were no differences in pH between the control group, samples not inoculated with ETEC, and the ETEC group, samples inoculated with ETEC MFDS 1009477.

Surveillance To Prevent the Spread of Norovirus Outbreak from Asymptomatic Food Handlers during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics.

Abstract: Human noroviruses are major causes of nonbacterial gastroenteritis and are transmitted by both food and water, as well as person-to-person. Asymptomatic norovirus infection of food handlers may play a role in transmission. The outbreak of norovirus infections was recognized in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, starting with security staff on 3 February 2018.

Accurate and Strict Identification of Probiotic Species Based on Coverage of Whole-Metagenome Shotgun Sequencing Data.

Identifying the microbes present in probiotic products is an important issue in product quality control and public health. The most common methods used to identify genera containing species that produce lactic acid are matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. However, the high cost of operation, difficulty in distinguishing between similar species, and limitations of the current sequencing technologies have made it difficult to obtain accurate results using these tools.

Prevalence of pathogenic Arcobacter species in South Korea: Comparison of two protocols for isolating the bacteria from foods and examination of nine putative virulence genes.

Contamination of foodstuffs by potentially enteropathogenic Arcobacter spp. is becoming a concern worldwide. However, few studies have examined virulence-associated genes in isolates of Arcobacter spp.

Novel motB as a potential predictive tool for identification of B. cereus, B. thuringiensis and differentiation from other Bacillus species by triplex real-time PCR.

Quantitative triplex real-time PCR (qPCR) offers an alternative method for detection of bacterial contamination. It provides quantitation of the number of gene copies. In our study, we established a qPCR assay to detect and quantify the specificity towards Bacillus cereus and B.

Teriyaki sauce with carvacrol or thymol effectively controls Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and indigenous flora in marinated beef and marinade.

An effective bactericidal cold-marinating method for beef products is described, exploiting the synergism between soy sauce and natural compounds (carvacrol, CV or thymol, TM) to reduce microbiological risks. Beef slices inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella Typhimurium (3.1-3.

Changes in microbial composition and the prevalence of foodborne pathogens in crab marinated in soy sauce produced by six manufacturing plants.

Background: The present study examined the changes in microbiological composition during the production process of crab marinated in soy sauce, potential microbial hazards, potential contamination routes and effective critical control points. Crab and soy sauce samples were obtained from six different manufacturing plants at different stages, and their microbiological content was comprehensively assessed by quantitative and qualitative analyses.

Results: The results revealed the following: (1) the final products contained 4.

A Comprehensive Review of Recent Studies on Herb-Drug Interaction: A Focus on Pharmacodynamic Interaction.

Objectives: The concomitant use of herbal and conventional drugs accelerates the possibility of clinically significant herb-drug interactions (HDIs). This paper aims to analyze the current status of HDI studies worldwide and to review studies on HDI-induced pharmacodynamic (PD) interactions.

Methods: HDI studies published from 2000 to 2014 and indexed in PubMed were categorized according to publication year, area/country, study methods and objectives, and disease categories.

Use of phytic acid and hyper-salting to eliminate Escherichia coli O157:H7 from napa cabbage for kimchi production in a commercial plant.

The aim of this study was to develop a new salting method using natural phytic acid (PA) to ensure the microbiological safety and quality of salted napa cabbage used for kimchi production. The production of salted napa cabbage involves several stages: trimming, hyper-salting (20% NaCl) for up to 1h, salting (10% NaCl for 10-18 h), three sequential washes in water (30s for each), and draining (2 h). Two separate experiments were performed: one to determine the appropriate treatment conditions and a second to validate applicability under commercial conditions.