Quantitative microbial risk assessment of fermented bean pastes contaminated with clostridium perfringens

This study evaluated Clostridium perfringens risk in fermented bean pastes. The prevalence in fermented bean pastes, development of the predictive model, temperature, time, and consumption data were investigated. A simulation model was prepared in @RISK with the obtained data to calculate the probability of foodborne C. perfringens foodborne illness from fermented bean paste consumption. Only 74 of the 1,097 samples were positive for C. perfringens. The initial contamination level was estimated to be 0.7 log CFU/g. It showed the probability of foodborne C. perfringens infection per person per day upon consumption of fermented bean pastes was 8.0x10(-12), which is considered low risk.