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.