Purpose: The microbial evaluations were carried out at restaurants on five first grade hotels in Busan, Korea.
Methods: Total four hundred and eight swabbed samples using sterilized sponge were collected from the surface of restaurant facilities and utensils at hotels and total, psychrotroph, and coliform counts were assessed. Fifty swabbed surface samples were also collected for the detection of presence of Listeria spp., Salmonella spp. and E. coli O157:H7. One hundred and sixty air samples were collected at interior spaces at four hotels for measuring counts of total, coliform, Staphylococcus as well as mold and yeast. All collected samples kept in an ice-packed box were moved to the laboratory and analyzed.
Results: The results gave an account that many samples were highly contaminated by general microorganisms, psychrotrophs and coliforms. The levels of contamination showed a broad distinction among sampling sites at each hotel. Total counts of samples were ranged from not detectable to 9.8×106/100 cm2, while those of psychrotrophs and coliforms from not detectable to 7.9×106/100 cm2 and 1.1×106/100 cm2, respectively. Salmonella spp. and E. coli O157:H7 were detected at drains of one hotel. Microbes also detected from agar strips of air samples for total, coliform, Staphylococcus as well as mold and yeast counts. Heavily contaminated sites were floor, trench, rubber glove, side dish, rice cooker, dumbwaiter, cart wheel, and sink.
Significance: Therefore, these results demonstrated that those highly suspected sites should be focused and controlled according to control points of sanitation standard operating procedures.