Staphylococcus aureus, a major human pathogen, produces a wide array of toxins, which causes various types of disease symptoms. Prevalence of S. aureus in various foods collected during 2006-2008 in Korea was investigated. S. aureus was isolated from 275 of 5,186 (5.3%) food samples collected from hyper-markets in Korea. Seasonal temperature affected the prevalence of S. aureus in various foods with high isolation rate during the summer. Most of the enterotoxigenic strains produced enterotoxin A only or enterotoxin A in combination with another toxin. A total of 54.5% of the tested strains contained either one or more enterotoxin genes and 3.6% possessed a tst gene. This study offers basic information for securing the stability of food during storage and circulation, and provides an epidemiological tool to study the cause, origin and temporal spread of S. aureus food poisoning.

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This study analyzed changes in the texture and salt content of Chinese cabbage after salting using different methods to determine the effects of low salt brining. To verify the possibility of brining under low salt concentration, Chinese cabbage was salted with 1%, 2%, 6%, and 10% salt solutions by pressing, pressure reduction, or steaming. After salting, the firmness (g, determined using the puncture test) of the Chinese cabbage changed according to the brining methods used, however, an increasing trend in rigidity was observed as the salinity increased. Because the power applied during pressing or pressure reduction treatments is higher, the firmness of and penetration time on the surface of the brined Chinese cabbages after these treatments increased more in the 6% salt solution cabbage. Additionally, the Chinese cabbages treated with steam showed significantly higher firmness and penetration time than those treated by pressing and pressure reduction. As a result of pressing the 6% salt concentrated cabbage with 1.35 kg·f/cm 2 , a pressure reduction from 250 mmHg, and steaming at 100 o C for 1 min, the cabbage had roughly 2% of the salt concentration, ultimately. These physical treatments of pressing, pressure reduction, and steaming could be used as new methods for preparing salted Chinese cabbage with low salt concentrations for general use.

Kyejang is a Korean traditional beverage manufactured from medicinal plants and fruits using honey, sugar, or starch in cold water. In this study, cinnamon-containing kyejang, which is a type of beverage Jang, was reproduced based on Imwonsibyukji's method published in 1827 in the Korean literature. Kyejang made by nuruk, cinnamon, and medicinal plants was prepared at various temperatures and periods. Kyejang was assayed for physiochemical properties (pH and acidity), contents of metabolites (organic acids, sugars, and amino acids), and sensory characteristics (aroma and taste). During fermentation, content of organic acids (e.g. lactic acid, acetic acid, and shikimic acid) increased, which lowered pH, increased acidity, and increased intensity of sour taste. In the case of free sugars, fructose and maltose levels decreased while glucose and mannitol levels increased during fermentation periods, and sweetness decreased. The main amino acid in kyejang was tryptophan, followed by asparagine, proline, and arginine. The sensory evaluation score of overall preference was highest for kyejang which was fermented at 20°C for 3 days. The results will be provide the basic data of fermentation conditions for standardized manufacturing process of kyejang. 1/2 nyang 100 units 3) 3 guen 1 mal 4) 112.50 g 37.50 g 300.00 g 18.75 g 30.00 g 1,800.00 g 18,000.00 mL 5.63 g 1.88 g 15.00 g 0.94 g 1.50 g 90.00 g 900.00 mL 1) 1 nyang=37.5 g.2) 1 geun=600 g.3) 100 units=30 g. 4) 1 mal=18,000 mL.

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