This study investigates (1) the consumer characteristics of fresh-cut produce in Korea and (2) the expected taste of fresh-cut produce. To accomplish the first goal of this study, food purchase data from household panels collected by the Rural Development Administration from 2017 to 2020 were used. Further, an online survey was conducted about the expected taste regarding fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. The results revealed that younger consumers with more expenses on fresh fruits tend to buy more fresh-cut fruits. Similarly, younger consumers with more expenses on fresh vegetables and higher household incomes tend to purchase more fresh-cut vegetables. Furthermore, consumers expect more convenience from fresh-cut apples but less tastiness from fresh-cut apples than whole apples.

본 연구에서는 농산물에서 오염 가능성이 있는 병원성 식중독 균 L. monocytogenes에 대해 신선편의 샐러드, 파인애플, 냉동망고에서 예측 모델을 개발하고, 본 연구에서 개발된 예측 모델을 다른 제품에서 적용 여부를 검증하였다. 시료에 L. monocytogenes를 접종하여 각각의 저장 온도에 보관 시 샐러드는 13oC, 파인애플은 10oC 이상에서 성장하였으며, 두 식품 중 파인애플에서 L. monocytogenes 가 더 빠르게 성장하는 것으로 확인 되었다. 또한, 냉동망 고에 접종한 L. monocytogenes는 -2, -10, -18oC의 저장온 도에서 온도가 낮아질수록 delta 값이 커지며 생존력이 높아지는 양상을 보였다. 본 실험 검증을 통해 같은 신선편 의 과일, 채소 식품 그룹에 속하더라도 식품 각각의 특성에 따라 L. monocytogenes의 성장 패턴은 일정하지 않으며 각기 다른 행동 패턴을 보이는 것으로 확인하였다. 신 선편의 샐러드 및 절단된 과일류는 냉장유통 되며 추가세 척 없이 소비되는 제품 특성상 공정과정에서 L. monocytogenes에 의한 오염이 일어나지 않도록 위생관리 에 주의하고 유통과정에서 온도 남용이 되지 않도록 유통 온도 관리에도 유의해야할 것으로 사료된다.

Widespread consumption of fresh-cut vegetables without cooking results in ingestion of major foodborne pathogens including Bacillus cereus. In this study, we aimed to develop a method to rapidly detect B. cereus in fresh-cut vegetables by combining commercial PCR analysis with enrichment of the pathogenic levels. A mixture of B. cereus strains (KCTC1013, KCTC1014, KCTC1092, KCTC1094, and KCTC3624) was inoculated on the surface of fresh-cut cabbage lettuce (20 g) and baby leafy vegetables (10 g) to concentration 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 log CFU/g. Eighty milliliters of TSB with 0.15% polymyxin B was used for cabbage lettuce, and 90 mL of medium was used for baby leafy vegetables and incubated at 42oC for 0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 h. One milliliter of the enriched media was plated on mannitol-egg yolk-polymyxin agar for quantification, and another 1 mL was used for DNA extraction for PCR analysis. Additionally, the minimum number of sub-samples to be tested from a pack of fresh-cut vegetable samples was determined using 5 sub-samples. The results from this study showed that for detecting B. cereus in fresh-cut cabbage lettuce, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 h enrichment were required to at least detect 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 log CFU/g of B. cereus, respectively. B. cereus in fresh-cut baby leafy vegetables could be detected after 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 h of enrichment at 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 log CFU/g, respectively, using a combination of enrichment and PCR analysis. To determine if a pack of fresh-cut vegetable is positive, the minimum number of sub-samples should be 3. These results can be used to develop a rapid detection method to semi-quantify B. cereus in fresh-cut vegetable samples combining enrichment and PCR.

Propolis is a health food, known that high antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, fresh cut vegetables that rapidly increasing consumption has recently faced the problem storability fall down after washing. To improve storability of fresh cut vegetables are being carried out various studies. In this study, using the characteristics of propolis we were performed to improve the storability of fresh cut vegetables. There was prepared in 20% solution of propolis extracts, by using this solution, propolis solution prepared diluting 0.001 to 1%, were dipped in fresh vegetables (cabbage lettuce, sesame leaf, and lettuce). Vegetables were measured the sensory evaluation and hardness after each treatment by placing in a certain period of time at room temperature and refrigerator. When cabbage lettuce was stored for 3 days at refrigerater, sensory evaluation that the cleavage site is not generated browning in 0.1% propolis solution showed the best results, the hardness was the most excellent. During refrigerated storage after treatment in a 0.01% solution of propolis sesame leaves showed good sensory evaluation include freshness, morphological change of leaves, and high hardness. After treatment propolis of 1% solution at room temperature, Sesame leaves showed the most heavily defensive fragility phenomenon after three days. It was found that the appearance of the side effect, when the concentration of the propolis is rather high. If lettuce is chilled to handle after propolis treatment, after 10 days in the solution from 0.01 to 0.1% showed excellent sensory evaluation, and high hardness. These results confirmed that the storage stability is excellent compared to non-treated as if diluted to 0.1-0.01% propolis solution is to improve the shelf life of fresh vegetables using.

Ready-to-eats fresh cut-vegetables that may be consumed without further cooking or reheating can be grouped as potentially high risk foods. The foodborne disease outbreaks associated with consumption of the fresh cut-vegetables have been related with the contamination of Listeria monocytogenes. The food survey and consumption data sets for fresh cut-vegetables and also the published dose-response models for L. monocytogenes, was used to estimate the risk of L. monocytogenes for fresh cut-vegetables in Korea. Also, the simulation model and formulas with Microsoft@ Excel spreadsheet program using these data sets and chose dose-response model was developed. The mean case of listeriosis by consumption of the fresh cut-vegetables per 10 million per year was estimated as 3.23 × 10-6. Results suggest that additional studies were needed to allow for a more realistic and accurate microbial risk assessment (MRA) in the future.

본 연구는 면역저하 환자용 신선편의 채소류의 위생화를 위해 당근, 오이고추, 방울토마토, 파프리카를 모델식품으로 선정하여 다양한 흡수선량으로 엑스선 조사처리한 후 미생물학적, 이화학적, 관능적 품질 평가를 수행하였다. 당근과 오이고추의 경우 0.4 kGy, 방울토마토와 파프리카의 경우 0.2 kGy 이상의 흡수선량으로 엑스선 조사처리 시멸균이 확인되었으며, 총 호기성세균 및 대장균군을 제외한 병원균들은 1 log 수준의 검출한계 이하로 나타났다. 모델식품에 접종된 E. coli. L. monocytogenes, S. Typhimyrium에 대한 엑스선의 D10값은 0.11-0.32 kGy로 나타나, 0.4 kGy의 흡수선량을 신선편의 채소류의 멸균을 위한 잠정적인 최소 흡수선량으로 설정하였다. 최대 0.6 kGy의 흡수선량으로 엑스선 조사처리된 신선편의 채소류에 대한 전체 선호도의 경우 7점 척도에서 모두 5.0 점 이상으로 나타나 이들의 관능적 품질이 수용 가능한 수준인 것으로 판단하였다. 또한, 암환자를 대상으로 엑스선 멸균처리(0.4 kGy)된 신선편의 채소류에 대한 선호도 설문조사에서 오이고추와 방울토마토, 파프리카의 경우 모든 항목에 대한 평균 선호도 점수는 5점 척도에서 모두 4.0점 이상으로 나타났다. 따라서 엑스선으로 멸균처리된 오이고추, 방울토마토, 파프리카는 면역력이 저하된 환자들을 위한 위생학적으로 안전한 신선편의 채소로 제공이 가능할 것으로 판단된다.

Whole apples were cut with a sharp or dull knife, and whole cabbages and crisp lettuce heads were cut into salad or thin strips with a knife or by hand. The fresh-cut apples, cabbages, and lettuce were packed in low-density polyethylene bags and kept at 4°C, and their qualities were investigated. Browning and softening of the apples that were cut with a sharp knife were more delayed than those of the apples that were cut with a dull knife. The soluble solids and pH of the fresh-cut apples were not affected by the sharpness of the cutting blade. The browning indexes of the fresh-cut cabbages and lettuce were significantly lower in the samples that were cut with a knife than by hand and in the samples that were cut into large pieces. The results suggest that the cutting blade sharpness, cutting tools, and cut types affected the quality of the fresh-cut apples and leafy vegetables, and that the cutting methods which minimized the cutting damage should be used to retard the browning and softening of the produce

Microbial contamination levels in a fresh-cut leafy vegetable processing plant were evaluated. Total plate counts of samples collected from the walls, equipment, and raw materials ranged from CFU/100 , CFU/100 , and CFU/g, respectively. No coliforms were detected on walls; however, equipment and raw materials contained coliforms in concentrations ranging from ND (not detected)to CFU/100 and CFU/g, respectively. Additionally, total plate counts for falling and floating bacteria in the processing plant were CFU/plate and , respectively. Pathogenic microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp, Staphylococcus aureus, or Listeria monocytogenes were not detected on walls, equipment, or raw materials. Overall, the results of this study indicate that hygiene control in the fresh-cut processing plant should be improved.