• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.581-586
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• 2020

In this study, we investigated the illegal hazardous compounds in dietary supplements. We analyzed the contents of anti-obesity drugs, their analogues (orlistat, sibutramine, desmethylsibutramine, didesmethylsibutramine, chlorosibutramine, chlorosipentramine) and three heavy metals (lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As)) in 62 other processed products (n=32), candies (n=7), weight control foods (n=10) and teas (n=13). Anti-obesity drugs or their analogues were not detected in any of the 62 samples. Three heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As) were detected in the range of ND-0.177 mg/kg, 0.002-0.233 mg/kg and 0.001-0.188 mg/kg in teas, ND-0.370 mg/kg, 0.003-0.057 mg/kg and 0.007-0.120 mg/kg in candies, ND-0.055 mg/kg, 0.012-0.045 mg/kg and 0.010-0.163 mg/kg in weight control foods, respectively. Heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As) were detected in the range of ND-2.324 mg/kg, 0.004-0.936 mg/kg and 0.003-21.247 mg/kg in other processed products that are not regulated by specification standards according to food types. These results show that regulations of heavy metals is required in other processed products for genuine food safety.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2015

This study was performed for both evaluating the safety of other processed products and providing basic information for making the general standard for contaminants in the category of other processed products. We analyzed the contents of three heavy metals, thirty six anti-impotence drugs and their analogues, three anti-obesity drugs and their analogues, twenty eight steroid drugs and their analogues, collecting in Incheon Metropolitan City. Any illegal compound was not detected in those products. However the contents of lead, cadmium and mercury of those products were at the range of 0.001-13.390 mg/kg, 0.03-1.231 mg/kg and 0.001-0.650 mg/kg respectively. Because there are no standards of heavy metals against other processed products, we compared the analytical results with relevant standards of both S. Korea and foreign countries. As a result, two products exceeded the relevant standards of lead, and other two products exceeded the relevant standards of mercury. The relative hazards compared to PTWI of FAO/WHO (Codex), Seafoods-pajeonmix, Perilla seed powder exceeded PTWI standards 0.214. The compulsory standards of each food product are determined by the category of the products. Because there is no standard of heavy metals in the category of other processed products in S. Korea, any food products registered as other processed product by manufacturer are free with those standards. Abusing similar problems on the categorization of food products could cause consumers' health problem. To prevent these problems, detail regulations on the categorization of food products have to be introduced.