위해평가를 통한 치즈에서의 Listeria monocytogenes 식중독 발생 가능성 분석

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is a highly pathogenic gram-positive bacterium that is easily isolated fromcheese, meat, processed meat products, and smoked salmon. A zero-tolerance (n=5, c=0, m=0/25 g) criteria has beenapplied for L. monocytogenes in cheese meaning that L. monocytogenes must not be detected in any 25 g of samples. However, there was a lack of scientific information behind this criteria. Therefore, in this study, we conducted a riskassessment based on literature reviews to provide scientific information supporting the baseline and to raise publicawareness of L. monocytogenes foodborne illness. Quantitative risk assessment of L. monocytogenes for cheese wasconducted using the following steps: exposure assessment, hazard characterization, and risk characterization. As aresult, the initial contamination level of L. monocytogenes was -4.0 Log CFU/g in cheese. The consumption frequencyof cheese was 11.8%, and the appropriate probability distribution for amount of cheese consumed was a Lognormaldistribution with an average of 32.5 g. In conclusion, the mean of probabilities of foodborne illness caused by the consumptionof cheese was 5.09×10-7 in the healthy population and 4.32×10-6 in the susceptible population. Consumptionfrequency has the biggest effect on the probability of foodborne illness, but storage and transportation times have alsobeen found to affect the probability of foodborne illness; thus, management of the distribution environment should beconsidered important. Through this risk assessment, scientific data to support the criteria for L. monocytogenes incheese could be obtained. In addition, we recommend that further risk assessment studies of L. monocytogenes in variousfoods be conducted in the future.