본 연구에서는 분말 식품에서 real-time PCR과 배지배양법을 사용하여 Cronobacter spp.를 검출하는 방법이 비교검증 되었다. 조제분유, 이유식, 미숫가루에 Cronobacter를 인위적으로 접종시킨 후, 식품공전의 방법에 따라 멸균증류수와 Enterobacteriaceae enrichment (EE) broth에서 각각 1, 2차 증균배양 하였으며, Druggan-Forsythe-Iversen에 선택배양하여 Cronobacter를 검출하였다. Real-time PCR은 멸균증류수 및 EE broth에서 1 ml을 채취한 후 DNA를 추출하여 시행하였다. 실험결과 모든 식품에서 배지배양법과 real-time PCR간에는 통계학적 유의차가 존재하지 않았다(p>0.05). 한편 모든 실험회차에서 real-time PCR 수행 시, 1차 증균액인 멸균증류수에서의 양성검출율이 2차 증균액인 EE broth에서보다 높았는데, 이는 2차 증균액 내의 구성성분 중 일부분이 real-time PCR의 반응을 저해했기 때문으로 사료된다. 연구결과를 종합해 볼 때, 1차 증균 후, real-time PCR을 통해 Cronobacter를 검출하는 방법은 정확한 민감도를 보이면서도 시간과 노동력을 절감할 수 있는 효과적인 방법으로 사료된다.
The aim of this study was to compare the performance of conventional culture and real-time PCR for detection of Cronobacter spp. in powdered foods. Infant formula, baby food and Misugaru inoculated with Cronobacter were enriched in distilled water as first enrichment step, followed by incubating in Enterobacteriaceae enrichment (EE) broth as second enrichment step. A loopful of enriched sample was streaked onto Druggan-Forsythe-Iversen agar, followed by incubating at $37^{circ}C$ for 24 h. One milliliter of the enriched distilled water and EE broth were used in real-time PCR assay. No statistical differences were observed in the number of positive samples between culture method and real-time PCR (p>0.05) in all types of food samples. The number of positives of real-time PCR was higher in the first enrichment media (distilled water) than the second enrichment media (EE broth), though there was no significant difference (p>0.05). It appears that some components of the second enrichment broth, EE broth, inhibit the reaction of real-time PCR. These results show that real-time PCR using a single enrichment with distilled water could be useful as an effective screening method for detection of Cronobacter while saving much time and labor compared to conventional culture method.
