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This study provides a review of methods used in the determination of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in ginseng and compares the effectiveness of three extraction methods (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS), a modified QuEChERS and a Fast Pesticide Extraction (FaPEx)) in the analyses of 20 OCPs in ginseng root samples. For each method, sample mass, solvent volume and sorbent mass were varied to identify the optimum combination to effectively isolate analytes of interest from the complex sample matrix. Extracts were analyzed using the gas chromatography-μ-electron capture detector (GC-μ-ECD), and confirmatory analyses performed by gas chromatography-tandem-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Eighteen out of 20 OCPs spiked onto in-house prepared ginseng samples produced acceptable recoveries (51–156%) when extracted using QuEChERS and FaPEx. All 20 analytes, including dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (p, p’- DDD) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (o, p’-DDT), produced acceptable recoveries (51–129%) with the use of a modified QuEChERS method. The applicability of the modified QuEChERS method was demonstrated through the analysis of ginseng samples grown in endosulfan-treated soil. The samples were analyzed by both GC-μ-ECD and GC-MS/MS with no significant difference identified in the results of each analytical method. This study highlights the applicability of the modified QuEChERS method, in combination with GC- μ-ECD, to determine organochlorine pesticides in ginseng. This may be especially useful for laboratories in developing countries and less advanced institutions without access to MS/MS instrumentation.

(1) Background: Plants act as the natural sink for a variety of toxins in the environment, including veterinary antibiotics (VAs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the uptake and fate of sulfadimethoxine (SDZ), oxytetracycline (OTC), and streptomycin (STR) in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), carrot (Daucus carota), and pepper (Capsicum annum) grown in VAs amended soil. (2) Methods: 0, 50, and 100 mg kg−1 VA laced manure was applied in a sandy clay loam soil. (3) Results: 30-d (lettuce) and 60-d (carrot and pepper) greenhouse experiment showed that SDZ and OTC were taken up by all three plants, with concentrations in plant tissue ranging from 0.1 to 1.2 mg kg−1 dry weight. The concentration of VAs in plant tissues increased with a corresponding increase of antibiotics in manure. The highest plant tissue concentrations were found in carrot and lettuce, followed by pepper. An increase in NADPH P450 reductase and glutathione-s-transferase enzyme activity with increasing SDZ and OTC concentration was evident, signifying the induction of the detoxification process. The activity of plant detoxification enzymes under STR treatment was found not to be significantly different from control. (4) Conclusions: These results raise potential human health concerns of consuming low levels of antibiotics from produce grown on manure-amended soils. The result indicates that SDZ, OTC, and STR antibiotics posed high, medium, and low acute ecological risks in lettuce, carrot, and pepper plants when grown in sandy clay loam soil.

Endosulfan은 스톡홀름협약을 통해 잔류성유기오염물질(POPs)로 지정되어 생산 및 사용이 금지되었으나, 여전히 국내 농업환경에서 검출되고 있고, 이로 인한 작물잔류는 사회적으로 큰 문제가 되고 있다. 따라서, 경작지 잔류 endosulfan으로부터 안전한 농산물을 생산하기 위한 작물흡수이행능 평가는 매우 중요하다. 본 연구에서는 문헌조사를 통해 지금까지 보고된 endosulfan의 생물농축계수(BCF)를 조사하였고, 당근과 시금치의 BCF를 시험을 통해 검증하였다. 문헌조사결과 endosulfan의 BCF는 0.002-4.460으로 작물별, 재배지역별 차이가 크게 나타났으며, 실험을 통해 검증한 당근과 시금치의 BCF는 0.285와 0.040-0.047로 각각 나타났다. Endosulfan 중 작물에 주로 잔류하는 이성체는 endosulfan sulfate로 확인되었다.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) immobilization in farm land is an important issue to solve the residue in crop, and char has been considered for the remediation. In here, three commercially available chars like powdered oak char (POC), granulated oak char (GOC), and rice husk char (RHC) including powdered activated carbon (PAC) were investigated for their potential to adsorb and immobilize endosulfan in the soil. The maximum adsorption capacities (mg g−1) of the applied chars as POC, GOC, and RHC were 714.8, 322.6, and 181.8, respectively, and the capacity of POC was similar with PAC (713.8). In addition, the pore volume (0.138 cm3 g−1) and the surface area (270.3 m2 g−1) of POC were over 3-fold higher than GOC and RHC. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) reducing effect of α-, β-endosulfan, and endosulfan sulfate in oriental radish (Raphanus sativus var. sativus) was investigated by amendment of three commercially available chars to the contaminated soils. The BCF of total endosulfan was 0.025 in the radish root. POC treatments effectively suppressed the endosulfan uptake (BCF 0.002). However, GOC and RHC showed little BCF reducing effect of endosulfan in radish.

The purposes of this study were to develop a small scale post-harvest facility, and consequently to evaluate the effects of applying the facility along with hygiene education on the level of microbial safety in Korean leeks production. A total of 135 samples were collected at three Korean leeks farms in Yangju, Gyeonggi province. Food safety indicators (Aerobic plate count (APC), coliform count, and Escherichia coli) and foodborne pathogens (E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus cereus) on/in the samples were assessed. The microbial load measured as APC with harvesting tools such as comb, chopping board, and knife, at the farms where the small scale post-harvest facility had been operated (Farms A and B) was lower than that at another farm having no post-harvest facility (Farm C) by 1.44~2.33 log CFU / 100 cm. Moreover, the chopping board from Farm C was observed being contaminated with B. cereus at 6.03 log CFU / 100 cm. The coliform counts from the samples increased by 0.57~1.89 log CFU/g after leeks was submerged in ground water for washing. E. coli was recovered from leeks, soil, and the ground water used in the washing process, while no E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and L. monocytogenes was detected. Our results indicated that the small scale post-harvest facility developed in this study as well as the hygiene education played an important role in enhancing the level of microbial food safety in the leeks production environment. However, a disinfection technique could be needed during the washing step in order to prevent a potential contamination.

Foodborne illness due to the consumption of contaminated raw strawberries is a continuing food safety concern. This study investigated and evaluated contamination levels of bacteria on strawberries at farms stage to evaluate potential hazards associated with fresh strawberries. A total of 315 samples, 105 samples from 5 sampling sites (A to E) of 21 farms and 210 samples from 1 sampling site of 6 farms, was collected every month for four months and analyzed to enumerate aerobic bacterial counts, Coliforms/E. coli, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, the prevalence study of five pathogens (S. aureus, E. coli, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes) was performed on each sample. Aerobic bacterial counts ranged from 0.48 to 6.36 Log CFU/g, with the highest bacterial cell counts recorded for D and E sites. Coliforms were detected in 71 samples (22.5%) with a minimum of 0.48 cfu/g and a maximum of more than 4 Log CFU/g. B. cereus was detected in 98 samples (31.1%) among total samples analyzed. S. aureus was detected in 2 samples with a minimum of 0.48 Log CFU/g and a maximum of 1.38 Log CFU/g. E. coli, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes were not isolated from any of the samples. The microbial contamination levels of strawberries determined in this study may be used as the fundamental data for microbiological risk assessment.

This study assessed microbiological hazards at postharvest stage of dropwort farms (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I) located in 4 different areas in Korea. The samples were assessed for sanitary indication bacteria (total aerobic bacteria, coliform, and Escherichia coli) and pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus). Total aerobic bacteria and coliform in 9 dropwort farms were detected at the levels of 0~7.00 and 0~4.25 log CFU/g, mL, of 100 cm. In particular, microbial contamination in worker’s hand showed higher than cultivation environment factors. Escherichia coli was detected in several farms of soil, irrigation water, washing water and worker’s hand and also, dropwort in these farms was contaminated with E. coli (positive reaction). In case of pathogenic bacteria, B. cereus was detected at the highest levels in soil. S. aureus was detected qualitatively from only one sample of dropwort washed by water. E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes were not detected. Although dropwort pass through 2 process (trimming and washing), the microbial contamination was not differ significantly before and after which indicates that current washing system was not effect on reduction of microorganism. From these results, the postharvest environment and workers have been considered as cross-contamination factors. Thus, processing equipments and personal hygiene should be managed to reduce the microbial contamination of dropwort. Accordingly management system such as good agricultural practices (GAP) criteria is needed for the safety of dropwort

The objective of this study was to analyze the microbiological hazards of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge on the post-harvest processing. Samples from processing equipments (cleaner, water, cart, table, tray and pack- aging machine), personal hygiene (hand) and harvested crops (before washing, after washing, after sorting, and after drying) were collected from four farms (A, B, C, and D) located in Chungchengbuk-do, Korea. The samples were analyzed for sanitary indication bacteria and pathogenic bacteria. First, total aerobic bacteria and coliform in process- ing facilities were detected at the levels of 0.93~4.86 and 0.33~2.28 log CFU/100 cm 2 and /mL respectively. In partic- ular, microbial contamination in hand (5.43~6.11 and 2.52~4.12 log CFU/Hand) showed higher than processing equipments. Among the pathogenic bacteria, Bacillus cereus was detected at the levels of 0.33~2.41 log CFU/100 cm 2 , 1.48~3.27 log CFU/Hand and 0.67~3.65 log CFU/g in equipments, hands, and plants and Staphylococcus aureus were detected in cleaner, table, hand and harvested crops (before washing and after sorting) by qualitative test. Escher- ichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. were not detected. These results indicated that per- sonal hygiene and processing equipments should be managed to reduce the microbial contamination of A. membranaceus Bunge. Therefore, management system such as good agricultural practices (GAP) criteria is needed for hygienic agricultural products.