Purpose: This study validated microbiological hazards of ginseng farms at the cultivation stage and suggested recommendations to develop a good agricultural practices (GAP) model.
Methods: A total of 96 samples were collected from cultivation environments (soil, irrigation water, and atmosphere), plants (ginseng and its leaf), personnel hygiene (gloves, clothes, and hands) of 3 ginseng farms (A, B, and C) located in Chungnam, Korea, and were tested to analyze sanitary indicator bacteria (aerobic plate count, coliforms and Escherichia coli), major foodborne pathogens (E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus), and fungi.
Results: Total bacteria, coliform, and fungi in the 3 ginseng farms were detected at the level of 1.3-6.0, 0.1-5.1, and 0.5-4.9 log CFU/(g, leaf, mL, hand, 100cm2), respectively. Only irrigation water collected from one ginseng farm was confirmed to be E. coli positive. In case of pathogenic bacteria, B. cereus was detected at levels of 0.7 - 5.0 log CFU/g (or ml, hand, and 100 cm2) in all samples, but other pathogens including S. aureus, E. coli O157, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. were not detected in any samples from all farms. Although E. coli were detected in irrigation water, populations for the three farms were lower than the regulation limit.
Significance: According to the results, ginseng produced from the 3 farms were comparatively safe with respect to microbial contamination. However, cross-contamination of bacteria from environments and workers to ginseng has been considered as potential risks. Therefore, to minimize microbial contamination in ginseng, GAP model should be applied for ensuring the safety of ginseng.