Assessment of Microbial Contamination Levels of Street‐vended Foods in Korea

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the microbial quality of street‐vended foods in Korea. The microbiological contamination levels of aerobic mesophilic bacteria ranged from 0 to 7.43 log cfu/g with a mean value of 4.71 ± 1.53 log cfu/g, while the level of total coliforms ranged from 0 to 6.86 log cfu/g with a mean value of 3.24 ± 1.40 log cfu/g. Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Escherichia coli (EC) were detected in 9% (mean value: 3.75 ± 0.56 log cfu/g) and 3% (mean value: 2.33 ± 0.90 log cfu/g) of 326 examined samples, respectively. Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were not detected. More than 50% of the isolated SA were found to be enterotoxin producers and these organisms primarily possessed type A toxin genes. Conversely, verocytotoxin‐producing EC were not detected. Taken together, these results indicate that consumption of street‐vended foods may pose a risk of foodborne disease and that good hygienic practices should be required to ensure public health. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Accurate and up‐to‐date data for microbiological contamination of ready‐to‐eat foods are necessary for consumer protection to improve sanitary conditions in food processing plants in Korea. Known contamination levels can be used by administrators to establish national regulations for the control of foodborne diseases.

Microbiological evaluation of ready-to-eat sandwiches served near hospitals and schools

“…However, Meloni et al (28) found that 9.5% of RTE products were contaminated with L. monocytogenes. Mouspye and Von Holly (29), Cho et al (17), Rodriguez et al (31), and Balzaretti and Marzano (10) found neither Listeria spp. nor Salmonella spp.…”

Bacterial contamination of ready-to-eat meats vended in highway markets in Uganda

“…RTE foods can be defined as foods and beverages prepared and/ or sold by vendors on the street and in other public places for immediate consumption or consumption at a later time without further processing or preparation (Cho et al, 2011;Tsang, 2002). Due to socio-economic changes characterized by increased mobility, resulting in more RTE foods taken outside the home, food vendors' services are on the increase and responsibility for the food safety have been transferred from individuals/families to the food vendors who rarely enforce good manufacturing practices (Musa and Akande, 2002).…”

Discordance in risk perception between children, parents, and teachers in terms of consumption of cheap and poorly nutritious food sold around schools

“…Children tended to ignore the potential hazards associated with cooked snacks sold in snack bars, even though their high calorie content and poor nutritional value can cause children to become overweight/obese (Deckelbaum & Williams, 2001;Ebbeling, Pawlak, & Ludwig, 2002;Gillis & Bar-Or, 2003). These foods may also contain microbiological hazards (Cho et al, 2011).…”