To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of 68 Listeria monocytogenes isolates, including 11 reference strains and 57 isolates from imported US beef, domestic meats (beef, pork, chicken meat), raw milk, and milk plants. L. monocytogenes was to evaluate the production of virulence proteins, such as hemolysin (LLO) and lecithinase (LCP), the adsorption of Congo red (CRA), and to detect virulence genes using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In the study of virulence protein production, 68(100%), 62(91.2%), and 54(79.4%) of the 68 L. monocytogenes strains were positive for LLO production, the LCP test, and the CRA test, respectively, while strains of other species, such as L. innocua, L. gray, L. murrayi, and L. welshimeri, were not. There were no significant differences between L. monocytogenes serotypes and the ability to produce LLO or LCP. L. monocytogenesstrains had very high hemolytic titers (2 to 16 fold), while the other Listeria species, other than L. ivanovii and L. seeligeri, did not. The hemolysin activities of L. monocytogenes, L. ivanovii, and L. seeligeri usually exceeded 1.0 HU/mg, while those of other Listeria spp. were less than 0.04 HU/mg. In the PCR assay, all of the L. monocytogenes strains contained the hlyA, plcA, plcB, inlA, and inlB virulence genes and produced a product of the expected size. In the PCR of the actA gene, the expected 385-bp product was seen in 39(57.4%) L. monocytogenesstrains, while an unexpected 268-bp product was seen in 29(42.6%) strains. Most L. monocytogenes strains isolated from Hanwoo beef produced the 385- bp actA gene product, while strains of imported US beef usually produced the 268-bp actA gene product. By contrast, no virulence gene products were amplified in the other Listeria spp.

The contamination levels of food poisoning bacteria was investigated from 350 samples of beef, 338 samples of pork, and 350 samples of chicken during the period from March 1996 to October 1998. The contamination levels of pathogenic organisms were higher in refrigerated meat than packed frozen meat and were relatively higher in chicken and packed meat than in beef. The highest level detected for each of the various pathogens was : less than 10,000 cfu/g for Staphylococcus aureus : less than 0.9 MPN/g for Salmonella and Literia monocytogenes: 7MPN/g for Campylobacter jejuni /coli. In the comparisions of cross- contamination ratio of tested meat for four species food poisoning bacteria 14.3% of beef, 23.5% of pork and 55.0% of chicken were contained only one species of pathogen, whereas 2.7 of beef, 5.6% of pork and 14.7% of chicken contained two species and 2.3% of pork contained a total of three species. Generally, pathogens was encounted higher isolation freguency in packed frozen chicken meat than in chilled chickens.

The prevalence and serotype of food-borne pathogens was investigated from 888 samples of chilled meat, 222 samples of packed frozen meat and 117 samples of imported frozen meat during the period from March 1996 to October 1998. Isolation rates of pathogens associated with food poisoning were revealed in order of Staphyloccus aureus, Campylobacter jejuni/coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp, but Escherichia coli O157:H7 was not isolated in all of the meat samples. Amusingly, Cczmpylobacter jejuni/coli were isolated highly in refrigerated meat, but was not isolated in packed frozen meat. L. monocytogenes was encounted higher isolation frequency in packed frozen chicken meat than in refrigerated chicken meat. In the distribution of serotypes of isolates, most isolates of Sta. aureus classified as enterotoxin type C and D. All of the Salmonella spp. isolated from pork were diagnosed group A and most of isolates from chicken meat were grouped B and D. Most of L. monocytogenes isolated from chicken meat were grouped type 1 and a few number of isolates classified as type 4.