The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality and safety of fresh produce at retail level in Korea in order to periodically update information and establish available risks associated with consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. The samples from different markets located in 3 provinces of South Korea were collected. The protocol in the Korean Food Standards Codex was applied and generic Escherichia coli, coliforms, aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB), and yeast and mold (YM) in 360 packaged and unpackaged fresh fruits and vegetables were analyzed. Presence of pathogens was examined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) after enrichment of samples. For all, the microbial counts ranged from 1.7 to 10.6 log cfu/g for AMB, 2.2 to 7.9 log cfu/g for coliforms, and 5.5 to 7.9 log cfu/g for YM. Three lettuce samples were contaminated by E. coli with a bacterial load ranging from 2 to 4 log cfu/g. Salmonella spp. were not detected in any fresh produce. Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, and Staphylococcus aureus were found in 1 (0.6%), 3 (0.8%), and 5 (1.4%) fresh produce samples, respectively. Bacillus cereus (50.3%) and Clostridium perfringens (13.3%) had the highest prevalence. These results indicate the need for employing strict control measures and developing preventive strategies to improve the quality and safety of fresh produce in Korea.

中文翻译：

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韩国零售层面新鲜水果和蔬菜的微生物质量和安全


本研究的目的是评估韩国零售层面新鲜农产品的微生物质量和安全性，以便定期更新信息并确定与新鲜水果和蔬菜消费相关的现有风险。样本来自韩国3个省份的不同市场。应用韩国食品标准法典中的协议，对 360 种包装和未包装新鲜水果和蔬菜中的通用大肠杆菌、大肠菌群、需氧嗜温细菌 (AMB) 以及酵母和霉菌 (YM) 进行了分析。富集样品后，使用实时聚合酶链反应（q-PCR）检查病原体的存在。对于所有微生物，AMB 的微生物计数范围为 1.7 至 10.6 log cfu/g，大肠菌群的微生物计数范围为 2.2 至 7.9 log cfu/g，YM 的微生物计数范围为 5.5 至 7.9 log cfu/g。三个生菜样品被大肠杆菌污染，细菌载量为 2 至 4 log cfu/g。沙门氏菌属在任何新鲜农产品中均未检测到。在 1 个（0.6%）、3 个（0.8%）和 5 个（1.4%）新鲜农产品样本中分别发现单增李斯特菌、大肠杆菌 O157:H7 和金黄色葡萄球菌。蜡样芽孢杆菌（50.3%）和产气荚膜梭菌（13.3%）的患病率最高。这些结果表明，需要采取严格的控制措施并制定预防策略，以提高韩国新鲜农产品的质量和安全性。