Microbial Quality of Fresh Vegetables and Fruits in Seoul, Korea

Abstract

본 연구에서는 2011년 3월에서 11월 사이에 서울지역에서 유통된 신선 채소류 187건을 대상으로 일반미생물과 식중독균 오염실태를 조사하였다. 중온균은 2.5-9.4 log CFU/g의 범위로 검출되었으며, 세균수가 6 log CFU/g 이상인 시료는 모두 115건(61.5%)으로 나타났고, 가장 균수가 높은 시료군은 미나리였다. 호냉성균은 중온균과 유사한 패턴으로 검출되었으며 범위는 2.3-8.9 log CFU/g로 나타났다. 총대장균군은 시료의 90.9%에서 검출되었으며, 평균함량은 3.2 log CFU/g 이었다. 대장균은 24건(12.8%)에서 검출되었으며, 상추, 미나리, 쑥갓에서 각각 19.1, 16.7, 13.3% 검출되었다. <TEX>$C.$</TEX> <TEX>$perfringens$</TEX>는 20건(10.7%), <TEX>$S.$</TEX> <TEX>$aureus$</TEX>는 15건(8.0%)이 검출되었으며, <TEX>$Salmonella$</TEX> spp.는 5건(2.7%)이 검출되었다. <TEX>$L.$</TEX> <TEX>$monocytogenes$</TEX>는 과일류(토마토)에서 1건이 검출되었으며, <TEX>$E.$</TEX> <TEX>$coli$</TEX> O157:H7은 검출되지 않았다. 식중독 세균과 대장균이 중복해서 검출된 경우는 8건(4.3%)이었다. A total of 187 samples of leafy vegetables and fruits were acquired at traditional markets and department stores in Seoul, Korea. Samples were tested for microorganism distributions and for the presence of pathogenic bacteria. The aerobic mesophilic counts ranged between 2.5 and 9.4 log CFU/g, with the highest count recorded from the dropwort. Counts of psychrotrophic microorganisms were as high as those of the mesophilic microorganisms. Total coliform populations between 1.0 and 7.8 log CFU/g were found in 90.9% of the samples. Microbiological counts for fruits were very low. <TEX>$Escherichia$</TEX> <TEX>$coli$</TEX> was isolated in 24 (12.8%) samples. <TEX>$Staphylococcus$</TEX> <TEX>$aureus$</TEX> and <TEX>$Clostridium$</TEX> <TEX>$perfringens$</TEX> contamination were found in 15 (8.0%) and 20 (10.7%) samples. <TEX>$Salmonella$</TEX> species and <TEX>$Listeria$</TEX> <TEX>$monocytogenes$</TEX> were detected in 2.7 and 0.5% of samples, respectively. Among the total 187 samples, 8 samples were contaminated by more than two pathogens. <TEX>$E.$</TEX> <TEX>$coli$</TEX> O157:H7 was not detected in any of the samples. The microbial contamination levels determined in the present study may be used as the primary data to execute microbial risk assessment of fresh vegetables and fruits.