Microbiological analysis of cooked bean sprout salad consumed in Korea

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality of cooked bean sprout salad produced at a university cafeteria in Seoul, Korea. The microbiological analysis data indicated total pate counts ranging from 3.20 × 10³colony forming units (cfu)/g to 1.15 × 10⁸cfu/g, and total coliforms counts ranging from 1.13 cfu/g to 2.24 × 10³ cfu/g. However, foodborne pathogenic bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, were not detected in the cooked soybean sprout salad samples at any period of production. The obtained results indicate that the consumption of cooked bean sprout salad may not be safe if defective handling practices occur during various phases of production. These results can be used to establish risk management strategies for the prevention of foodborne diseases and to develop food safety and sanitation policies within the catering industry.