• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.261-272
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• 2020

Approvals for cultivation and import of genetically modified (GM) crops have dramatically increased around the world. Comparative compositional studies are an important aspect of safety assessments of products from GM crops and are based on substantial equivalence. Compositional analyses focus on determining similarities and differences between the compositions of the GM crops and their conventional counterparts, and thereby assessing the compositional equivalence of GM crops and their conventional comparators. The analytes, such as major constituents, key nutrients, and antinutrients, are generally determined on a crop-specific basis according to the OECD consensus document. The use of standard methods throughout the processes, such as selection of comparators, field trials, analytical methods, and statistical data analysis, is crucial. In this study, we showed the general framework of compositional studies. Literature for compositional studies of GM crops conducted abroad and in Korea was reviewed to obtain information about analytes, conventional counterparts, cultivation year, location, and statistical methods. The studies conducted abroad assessed for commercial release of GM crops such as soybean, maize, and cotton, while domestic studies were mainly performed for research in rice. In addition, we suggested a guidance for conventional comparators and field trials applicable to the domestic situation.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.106-111
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• 1998

This study has been focused on both estrogenic and proliferating activity of genistein (GEN) and bisphenol A (BPA). GEN and BPA enhance the proliferation of estrogen-dependent MCF-7 human breast cancer cells at concentrations as low as 100 nM of GEN and 8 ng/ml of BP A achieving similar effect to that of estradiol at 1 nM. Expression of the estrogen responsive gene, pS2 was also induced in MCF-7 cells by treatment with genistein at dose as low as 1 nM and BPA at dose as low as 4 ng/ml. Using 21 day-old ovariectomized nude mice, we examined end-bud formation and mammary gland development after treatment with bisphenol A or genistein. Compared with untreated control, mammary gland development and end-bud formation were significantly increased in mice fed genistein or bisphenol A (p<0.05). Taken together, it is concluded that GEN and BP A can act as an estrogen agonist resulting in cell proliferation and induction of the estrogen responsive pS2 gene in MCF-7 cells in vitro and in athymic mice in vivo, respectively. Therefore, it is suggested that GEN and BP A might modulate human endocrine system and these compounds might be considered as a endocrine modulator at the low levels of doses.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.91-101
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• 2023

Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides synthesized on ribosomes, produced by bacteria, that inhibit the growth of similar or closely related bacterial strains. Since the discovery of nisin, many bacteriocins with unique structures and various modes of antibacterial activity have been described, and genes encoding production, secretion, and immunity have been reported. Nisin is one of the bacteriocins applied in cheese, liquid eggs, sauces and canned foods. Many of the bacteriocins of the genus Bacillus belong to lantibiotics, which are modified peptides after translation. Other genus Bacillus also produce many non-lantibiotic bacteriocins. Bacteriocins of the genus Bacillus are sometimes becoming more important because of their broader antibacterial spectrum. Bacteriocins are considered attractive compounds in the food and pharmaceutical industries to prevent food spoilage and growth of pathogenic bacteria. Bacteriocins can be used as biological preservatives in a variety of ways in the food system. Biopreservation refers to extending shelf life and improving safety of foods using microorganisms and/or their metabolites. The demand for new antimicrobial compounds has generated great interest in new technologies that can improve food microbiological safety. Applications of bacteriocins are expanding from food to human health. Today, many researchers are shifting their interest in bacteriocins from food preservation to the treatment of bacteria that cause infections and antibiotic-resistant diseases. This exciting new era in bacteriocin research will undoubtedly lead to new inventions and new applications. In this review, we summarize the various properties and applications of bacteriocins produced by the genus Bacillus.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.41-59
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• 2023

This study aimed at analyzing the educational needs of home economics teachers for food literacy cultivation education in secondary school home economics. A total of 192 home economics teachers were surveyed about their perceptions of importance and performance of food literacy education content categories and elements, and their priorities were identified. Among the 38 content elements presented, home economics teachers recognized that the current performance level was significantly lower than that of the importance over 34 content elements. Based on the Borich educational needs assessment and the Locus for Focus Model, we identified five content elements with 'very high' educational needs ('food security/food sovereignty', 'reducing food-related waste', 'food waste management and recycling', 'food-related waste recycling', and 'country of origin information'), and four content elements with 'high' educational needs ('genetically modified food', 'ethical food consumption', 'food additives', and 'eco-friendly agricultural products'). These results indicate that dietary education in secondary school home economics should emphasize both the production and disposal of food. The findings of this study suggest implications for the needs for a new dietary education in secondary school home economics that allows students to learn all stages of food system. These results can also be used as a basis for dietary education for cultivating food literacy in secondary school home economics education.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.415-422
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• 2021

Cotton is an important fiber crop, and its seeds are used as feed for dairy cattle. Crop biotechnology has been used to improve agronomic traits and quality in the agricultural industry. The frequent unintentional release of LM cotton into the environment in South Korea is attributed to the increased application of living modified (LM) cotton in food, feed, and processing industries. To identify and monitor the LM cotton, a method for detecting the approved LM cotton in South Korea is required. In this study, we developed a method for the simultaneous detection of four LM cotton varieties, MON757, MON88702, COT67B, and GHB811. The genetic information of each LM event was obtained from the European Commission-Joint Research Centre and Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency. We designed event-specific primers to develop a multiplex PCR method for LM cotton and confirmed the specific amplification. Using specificity assay, random reference material(RM) mixture analysis and limit of detection(LOD), we verified the accuracy and specificity of the multiplex PCR method. Our results demonstrate that the method enabled the detection of each event and validation of the specificity using other LM RMs. The efficiency of multiplex PCR was further verified using a random RM mixture. Based on the LOD, the method identified 25 ng of template DNA in a single reaction. In summary, we developed a multiplex PCR method for simultaneous detection of four LM cotton varieties, for possible application in LM volunteer analysis.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.445-451
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• 2021

In this study, we described the production of an antibody to living modified organisms (LMOs) containing the gene encoding for 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain CP4 EPSPS provides resistance to the herbicide glyphosate (N- (phosphonomethyl) glycine). These LMOs were approved and have recently been used in the feed, food production, and processing industries in South Korea. Highly efficient monoclonal antibody (mAb) production is crucial for developing assays that enable the proper detection and quantification of the CP4 EPSPS protein in LMOs. This study describes the purification and characterization of recombinant CP4 EPSPS protein in E. coli BL21 (DE3) based on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The production of mAbs was undertaken based on the standard operating procedure of Abclon, Inc.(South Korea), and the purity of the mAbs was assessed using SDS-PAGE. The following five mAb clones were produced: 2F2, 4B9, 6C11, 10A9, and 10G9. To verify the efficiency and specificity of the five developed mAbs, we performed Western blotting analysis using the LM (living modified) cotton crude extracts. All mAbs could detect the CP4 EPSPS protein in the LM cotton traits MON1445 and MON88913 with high specificity, but not in any other LM cottons or non-LM cottons. These data indicate that these five mAbs to CP4 EPSPS could be successfully used for the further development of antibody-based detection methods to target CP4 EPSPS protein in LMOs.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.677-682
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• 2004

Debates on safety of genetically modified (GM) crops have led to mandatory-labeling legislation of GM foods in many countries including Korea. Effects of heat, pressure, and acid treatments on degradation of DNAs or proteins in GM soybean at levels below detection limits of qualitative PCR and lateral flow strip test (LFST) methods were examined. Results showed that genomic DNAs and proteins were degraded into fragment sizes no longer possible for detection of inserted gene depending on thermal, or thermal and pressure treatment period. Detectaability of LFST for toasted meal increased in weakly treated soybean. DNA and protein detection methods were barely effective for detection of GM ingredient after $121^{\circ}C$ and 1.5 atmospheric treatment for 20 min. These results will be useful in determining GM labeling requirements of processed foods.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.897-902
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different cooking methods on the carotenoid content in genetically modified(GM) provitamin A-biofortified rice. The proximate components (moisture, protein, lipid, and ash) of GM rice were similar to those of conventional non-GM rice. Provitamin A-biofortified rice was cooked in various ways, including boiling in water and steaming/roasting. Carotenoid composition was determined by HPLC. Total carotenoid contents of provitamin A-biofortified brown and milled rice were $122.79{\mu}g/100g$ and $125.44{\mu}g/100g$, respectively. Compared with raw unprocessed samples, boiling caused approximately 20% carotenoid loss. In contrast, seaming/roasting decreased carotenoid content by 78%.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.438-446
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate food safety awareness, knowledge, and behavior in college students, to provide basic data for the increase in food safety awareness. Data were collected from 252 college students in Gyeonggi region, using a self-administered questionnaire. In results of concern about food safety, subjects responded 3.48 of 5.00 and have knowledge about food safety education revealing significantly higher awareness and concern than subjects without knowledge about food safety education. Food safety awareness of distributed food was 2.55, considered unsafe. Among reasons in perceiving food as unsafe, 62.3% of subjects expressed distrust about safety relative food production. As for risk factors relative to food safety, subjects responded that the highest risk factor was food additives (2.35), followed by heavy metal (2.38) and endocrine disrupters (2.38). Correlation analysis resulting in risk factors for food had positive correlation with each other, heavy metal revealed highest correlation with pesticide residue (r = 0.674), than with endocrine disrupters (r = 0.672). Also, genetically modified food revealed high correlation with radiation irradiated food. Regression analysis demonstrated that concern about food safety significantly influenced pro-actively engaging in food safety education. Meanwhile, 63.5% of subjects correctly responded to food safety knowledge items. The item 'the heavy metals are contaminated the most, in the roots of vegetables' revealed the lowest correct answer rate (38.1%). In food safety behavior, the item 'always wash hands before handling food and meal's revealed 3.85, and subjects with awareness and concern about food safety education, responded in significantly higher numbers than subject without awareness and concern about food safety. The most neglected concern was relative to frozen food thawed at room temperature. Together, students recognize that distributed foods are unsafe, and students with awareness and concern about food safety education showed higher knowledge compared to without awareness and concern experience about food safety eduction. So, systematic education using accurate and objective data is required to reduce anxiety and raise the level of awareness and concern about food safety.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.714-720
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• 2008

Cordyceps militaris is a medicinal fungus which has been used for patient suffering from cancer in Oriental medicine. It was previously reported that C. militaris extracts are capable of inhibiting tumor growth and inducing apoptosis; however, the anti-poliferative effects of human cancer cells have been poorly understood. In this study, to elucidate the anti-cancer mechanisms of human cancer cells by treatment with aqueous extract of C. militaris (AECM), we investigated the anti-proliferative effects of AECM in human hepatocarcinoma Hep3B cells. AECM treatment inhibited the growth of Hep3B cells and induced the apoptotic cell death in a concentration-dependent manner such as formation of apoptotic bodies and increased populations of apoptotic-sub G1 phase. The induction of apoptosis by AECM was connected with a proteolytic activation of caspase-3 and caspase-8. and concomitant degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and ${\beta}$-catenin proteins. Furthermore, caspase-3 inhibitor, z-DEVD-fmk, significantly inhibited AECM-induced apoptosis demonstrating the important role of caspase-3 in the bserved cytotoxic effect. Taken together, these findings suggest that AECM-induced inhibition of human hepatocarcinoma cell proliferation is associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death via activation of caspase-3 and C. militaris may have therapeutic potential in human cancer.