최근 식중독 원인균으로 많이 보고되고 있는 Bacillus cereus균의 분포상태와 그 생리적 특성을 조사하기 위하여 1980년 5월부터 11월사이에 밥 32개, 김밥 20개, 떡 23개, 쌀 13개, 보리 13개 등 5종 총 101개 시료를 대상으로 B. cereus균의 분포상태와 그 생리화학상태, 용혈성과 증식속도 그리고 포자의 내열성을 실험한 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 1. 미반류 75개 시료중에서 약 $35\%$에 상당하는 26개 시료와, 그 원료 26개 시료중 약 $54\%$에 상당하는 14개 시료에서 B. cereus균이 검출되었다. 또한 미반류에서는 B. cereus균의 검출율은 낮았으나 균주는 $10^{5-6}/g$으로 많았으며 쌀과 보리에서는 검출율은 높았으나 균주는 $10^3/g$ 정도로 적었다. 2. 총 40균주에 대한 생화학 실험결과 catalase, egg yolk reaction, gelatin hydrolysis, gucose fermentation 시험은 $100\%$ 양성반응을, 그리고 xylose, arabinose, mannitol oxidation 시험결과는 $100\%$ 음성반응을 나타내었다. 그밖에 Voges-Proskauer, citrate utilization, nitrate reduction, starch hydrolyis 시험결과는 균주에 따라 양성 또는 음성반응을 나타내었다. 3. 용혈성 양성균주는 40균주중 $70.0\%$에 상당하는 28균주였으며, 식중독 발생과 관계있는 용혈성 양성, 미분액화능 음성인 균주는 $38\%$에 상당하는 15균주이었다. 4. B. cereus균은 $10^{circ}C$와 $50^{circ}C$에서는 증식하지 않았으며 그 외 배양온도별 비증식속도와 평균 세대시간은 $20^{circ}C$에서는 각각 $0.34hr^{-1},;2.02hr$ 이었고, $30^{circ}C$에서는 $0.73hr^{-2},;0.95hr,;35^{circ}C$에서는 $0.79hr^{-1},;0.88hr$, 그리고 $40^{circ}C$에서는 $0.49hr^{01},;1.44hr$이었다. 5. 포자의 내열성은 $D_{90}=29min,;D_{95}=8.7min,;D_{98}=3.7min$ 그리고 $D_{101}=2.3min$ 이었으며, z-value는 약 $10.5^{circ}C$이었다.
Recently, Bacillus has been identified as one of food poisoning bacteria especially in products of cereal foods in foreign countries. Therefore, the quantitative distribution of Bacillus cereus in market foods, its physiological characteristics, growth rate by temperature and heat resistance of its spore were examined. Thirty two samples of cooked rice, 20 samples of kimbab(cooked rice rolled with laver), 23 samples of rice cake, 13 samples of rice ana 13 samples of barley were collected from restaurents and food stores in Busan, Korea during the period from May to November in 1980. Forty samples of 101 samples submitted to the test appeared positive for Bacillus cereus showing abut $40\%$ in detection ratio. Detection ratio of Bacillus cereus was higher than $50\%$ in barley and rice, and about $30\%$ in rice products. Average Bacillus cereus content of in the samples was $2.6 imes10^6/g$ in cooked rice, $2.3 imes10^6/g$in kimbab, $4.9 imes10^4/g$ in rice cake while that in rice and barley was about $10^3/g$. The result of biochemical tests of the bacterium was $100\%$ positive in catalase, egg yolk reaction, gelatin hydrolysis and glucose fermentation, $100\%$ negative in xylose, arabinose and mannitol oxidation, about $90\%$ positive in acetoin production, $80.0\%$ positive in nitrate reduction and citrate utilization and $55.0\%$ positive in starch hydrolysis test. Isolation ratio of Bacillus ceresus which showed haemolysis positive and starch hydrolysis negative results, was about $38\%$ in 40 strains examined. It is known that those strains has a close relation to food poisoning accident. Growth rate and generation time of Bacillus cereus isolated from the cooked rice were $0.34hr^{-1},;2.02hr;at;20^{circ}C,;0.73hr^{-1},;0.95hr;at;30^{circ}C;and;0.49hr^{-1},;1.44;hr;at;40^{circ}C$ respectively. Heat resistance value of Bacillus cereus spores suspended in phosphate buffer solution was $D_{90}=29.0min,;D_{95}=8.7min,;D_{98}=3.7;min;and;D_{101}=2.3;min(z=10.5)$.
