This study was carried out in order to estimate the residual amount of mercury in soy-bean sprouts in each steps of cooking. Samples were taken at markets and also cultured at home without applying the mercury containing pesticides as control. Mercury was determined by dithizone method. It was disclosed that soy-bean sprouts purchased at markets contained 1.32+/-0.274 ppm, 13 times as high as the maximal allowable concentration of mercury in food recommended by Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. Mercury contents, however, dropped off steadily by steps of cooking: rinsed with distilled water and boiled in distilled water showing concentrations of 0.11+/-0.025 ppm in boiled sprouts and 0.03+/-0.022 ppm in sprout-soup. These values were not statistically different from those in control samples, and not exceeded the maximal allowabled levels of mercury in food. It can be concluded that the use of mercury containing pesticides in the cultivation of soy-bean sprouts is not so serious problem as it has been suspected in respect of food contamination, but careful attention must be paid to indiscriminate use of mercury containing pesticides as they may contaminate air, water and soil and secondarily bring harm to human health through food chains.
Cooking* ; Dithizone ; Food Chain ; Food Contamination ; Humans ; Pesticides ; Soil ; Water

Mushroom and fish bile toxins are the most representative toxins of food origin. According to the clinical manifestations, renal injury caused by mushroom toxins can be divided into early-, late-, and delayed-onset. Fish bile toxins mainly cause acute renal tubular necrosis and food contamination related to renal injury includes chemical and biological contamination. Urinary calculus and renal failure caused by "poisonous milk powder" is a typical, food-related chemical contamination event. E.coli contaminated cucumber caused hemolytic uremic syndrome in 3 493 people. Contamination of the food chain is spreading from land to sea and to sky. It requires the efforts of the whole society to prevent human food chain contamination.
Animals ; Bile ; Child ; Fishes ; Food Chain ; Food Contamination ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; etiology ; Mushroom Poisoning ; complications

For the previous century, the humans have created an unintended and unwanted problem of endocrine disruptors as a potential threat to our public health. By the name of industrialization, endocrine disruptors are smuggling in the everyday life of people today. Although there are much debate on the reality of their emerging health threat, it is no doubt that there are certain classes of compounds that have the potential to affect hormonal status adversely, leading to abnormal development, reproductive dysfunction, and some cancers. The classes of endocrine disruptors are extensively diverse and even more increasing, such as, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, dieldrin, bisphenol A and toxaphene. Although these endocrine disruptors have been prohibited or tightly regulated, many of them are still unrecognized and still used without knowing their potential threat to the biological world. Once they are released into the environment, they usually persist without degradation and even undergo bioaccumulation and bioconcentration in food chain. Comparing with the great concern over the public health, we do not have enough information for these issues. It is now clear that we need further extensive studies for the risk assessment and the protection of human and ecological health from the potential hazards of endocrine disruptors. This article introduces a breif overview of the current status of our knowledge and research on endocrine disruptors.
Dieldrin ; Dioxins ; Endocrine Disruptors* ; Food Chain ; Humans ; Polychlorinated Biphenyls ; Public Health ; Risk Assessment ; Toxaphene

We analyzed the occurrence of enteric viruses and bacteria at 22 places of drinkable groundwater (civil defense emergency water-supply facility), 8 places of the groundwater used for drinking water in group food services, and 10 places of spring-water. When the 40 concentrated samples were analyzed using nested RT-PCR and real-time RT PCR methods, norovirus and other enteric viruses were not detected in all samples tested. The detection percentages for total coliforms, Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica of fecal indicator were 57.5%, 22.5% and 7.5%, respectively. Colipages were not detected. These results suggest that high levels of fecal indicator bacteria in groundwater and spring-water are not directly related to occurrence of enteric viruses.
Bacteria ; Drinking Water ; Emergencies ; Escherichia coli ; Food Services ; Groundwater ; Norovirus ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Yersinia enterocolitica

This study was conducted to investigate the vibrio flora in sand shrimp, Crangon affinis, which were collected in the estuarine area, Dadaepo near Nakdong River in Korea from in June 1996 to in May 1997. Crangon affinis is very important role in food chain in nature because of food for many seabirds and fishes. Six species of vibrios (Vibrio alginolyticus, V. parahaemolyticus, Listonella damsela (V. damsela), V. harveyi, V. splendidus biotype I, V. splendidus biotype II, and V. natriegens, an unrecorded species in Korea) were isolated from the intestine of shrimps and characterized by the biochemical tests.
Crangonidae* ; Estuaries* ; Fishes ; Food Chain ; Intestines ; Korea* ; Listonella ; Rivers* ; Silicon Dioxide ; Vibrio*

OBJECTIVETo develop a RT-PCR method for a rapid and sensitive detection of Salmonella in poultry samples.

METHODSThe RT-PCR method was established and its specificity was testified on the basis of invA gene. Serial 10-fold diluted pure suspension culture of CMCC 50041 was detected by RT-PCR, the standard curve was constructed and the amplification efficiency was calculated. Artificially contaminated experiment was done, six artificially-inoculated samples containing final concentration of Salmonella CMCC 50041 (1, 10, 10(2), 10(3), 10(4), 10(5) and 10(6) CFU per 25 g poultry samples) were prepared respectively. All the samples were incubated for 0, 4, 8, 12 and 18 h and the DNA was extracted for RT-PCR detection, meanwhile by PCR detection and the traditional method. The sensitiveness and specificity were compared among the three methods. At the same time, 16 samples of retail whole poultry were collected from markets and detected by the above three methods as well, and thereby to further compare the positive detection among the three methods.

RESULTSThe established RT-PCR method was specific for the detection of Salmonella. The sensitivity was 5.2×10(3) CFU/ml for pure Salmonella culture without enrichment. Correlation coefficients of standard curves constructed using the Ct versus log value of concentration of Salmonella showed good linearity over a 8-log dynamic range (5.2×10(3)-5.2×10(10) CFU/ml), with the R(2) at 0.999. RT-PCR detection limit for artificially contaminated samples after enriching for 12 h was 1 CFU/25 g sample, which was the same with the limit of PCR and 10 times more sensitive than the limit of traditional method. Standard curve of sample after enrichment for 12 h was established. Seven of 16 samples were detected positive by RT-PCR, which were also tested positive by PCR, while only five samples were positive by traditional method. The positive ones were quantitatively analyzed using standard curve of sample and determined the initial Salmonella numbers of CFU/25 g.

CONCLUSIONThe established RT-PCR technology was simple, rapid, sensitive and specific, which was suitable to quickly detect Salmonella in poultry samples.

Animals ; Bacterial Proteins ; Food Microbiology ; Poultry ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Salmonella ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo establish a method for detecting 3 common toxigenic molds (Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium) based on non-modified magnetic beads coupled with multiple real-time PCR (NMB-multiple qPCR).

METHODSThe primers and genus-specific probes were designed based on the rDNA sequences to develop a multiple real-time PCR using non-modified magnetic bead to enrichment of fungal spores. The sensitivity, specificity and repeatability of this assay were evaluated.

RESULTSThe detection limit of this assay for spiked samples was 10(4) CFU/g, demonstrating a 10-fold greater detection sensitivity of this assay than that of real-time PCR. The NMB-multiple qPCR assay also showed good specificity and reproducibility and yielded comparable results with those by traditional colony counting method for spiked samples (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONNMB-multiple qPCR assay we established allows rapid and sensitive detection of common mycotoxigenic fungi in paprika.

Aspergillus ; Capsicum ; microbiology ; DNA Primers ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; Food Microbiology ; Fungi ; isolation & purification ; Fusarium ; Magnetic Phenomena ; Penicillium ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Mercury is atoxic, persistent pollutant that bioaccumulates and biomagnifies through food webs. People are exposed to methylmercury mainly through their diet, especially through the consumption of freshwater and marine fish and of other animals that consumefish (e.g., marinemammals). All humans are exposed to low levels of mercury. Dietary patterns can increase exposure toafish-eating population wherethefish and seafood arecontaminated with mercury. The primary toxicity targets of mercury and mercury compounds are the nervous system, kidneys, and cardiovascular system. It is generally accepted that developing organ systems are most sensitive to the toxic effects of mercury. The fetal-brain mercury levels appear to be significantly higherthan the maternal-blood mercury levels,and the developingcentralnervoussystem of the fetus is currently regarded as the main system of concern as it demonstrates the greatest sensitivity. The subpopulation that may be at greater risk for mercury toxicity are those exposed to higher levels of methylmercury due to carnivorous fish, including sharks.
Animals ; Cardiovascular System ; Diet ; Fetus ; Food Chain ; Fresh Water ; Humans ; Kidney ; Mercury Compounds ; Nervous System ; Seafood ; Sharks

The fact that hazardous metals do not bio-degrade or bio-deteriorate translates to long-lasting environmental effects. In the context of evidently rapid global industrialization, this ought to warrant serious caution, particularly in developing countries. In the Republic of Fiji, a developing country in the South Pacific, several different environmental studies over the past 20 years have shown levels of lead, copper, zinc and iron in sediments of the Suva Harbor to be 6.2, 3.9, 3.3 and 2.1 times more than the accepted background reference levels, respectively. High levels of mercury have also been reported in lagoon shellfish. These data inevitably warrant thorough assessment of the waste practices of industries located upstream from the estuaries, but in addition, an exposure and health impact assessment has never been conducted. Relevant government departments are duty-bound, at least to the general public that reside in and consume seafood from the vicinities of the Suva Harbor, to investigate possible human effects of the elevated hazardous metal concentrations found consistently in 20 years of surface sediment analysis. Furthermore, pollution of the intermediate food web with hazardous metals should be investigated, regardless of whether human effects are eventually confirmed present or not.
Copper ; Developing Countries ; Estuaries ; Fiji* ; Food Chain ; Health Impact Assessment ; Humans* ; Iron ; Metals ; Seafood ; Shellfish ; Zinc ; Industrial Development

BACKGROUND: Rotavirus is the leading cause of acute viral gastroenteritis, particularly in children, and is transmitted through the fecal-to-oral route by contaminated food or the environment. This study examined the contamination of the inner surfaces of domestic refrigerators with pathogens causing gastroenteritis. METHODS: Swab specimens from shelf surfaces of freezers and refrigerators were collected from 10 domestic refrigerators. Multiplex PCR for bacterial and viral pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis was performed. The VP7 and VP4 genes of rotavirus were amplified and then analyzed by DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Rotavirus was detected in five domestic refrigerators in the same apartment complex. All rotavirus samples showed the G1 genotype and the same DNA sequences. No pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis were identified in the other five domestic refrigerators. CONCLUSIONS: The inner surfaces of domestic refrigerators can be contaminated with pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis, such as rotavirus. Attention should be given to the hygiene of refrigerators. To estimate the contamination or hygienic status for food storage, testing for viral pathogens combined with ordinary bacterial cultures may be necessary.
Base Sequence ; Child ; Food Storage ; Foodborne Diseases ; Gastroenteritis ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rotavirus* ; Sequence Analysis, DNA