• Title/Summary/Keyword: Dietary value

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Production Medium Optimization for Monascus Biomass Containing High Content of Monacolin-K by Using Soybean Flour Substrates (기능성 원료를 기질로 이용하는 Monacolin-K 고함유 모나스커스 균주의 생산배지 최적화)

  • Lee, Sun-Kyu;Chun, Gie-Taek;Jeong, Yong-Seob
    • KSBB Journal
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    • v.23 no.6
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    • pp.463-469
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    • 2008
  • During the last decade, monacolin-K biosynthesized by fermentation of red yeast rice (Monascus strains) was proved to have an efficient cholesterol lowering capability, leading to rapid increase in the market demand for the functional red yeast rice. In this study, the production medium composition and components were optimized on a shake flask scale for monacolin-K production by Monascus pilosus (KCCM 60160). The effect of three different soybean flours on the monacolin-K production were studied in order to replace the nitrogen sources of basic production medium (yeast extract, malt extract and beef extract). Among the several experiments, the production medium with dietary soybean flour to replace a half of yeast extract was very good for monacolin-K production. Plackett-Burman experimental design was used to determine the key factors which are critical to produce the biological products in the fermentation. According to the result of Plackett-Burman experimental design, a second order response surface design was applied using yeast extract, beef extract and $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ as factors. Applying this model, the optimum concentration of the three variables was obtained. The maximum monacolin-K production (369.6 mg/L) predicted by model agrees well with the experimental value (418 mg/L) obtained from the experimental verification at the optimal medium. The yield of monacolin-K was increased by 67% as compared to that obtained with basic production medium in shake flasks.

Evaluation of Diet Quality according to Self-Rated Health Status of Korean Middle-Aged Women -Based on 2008~2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey- (한국 중년 여성의 주관적 건강상태에 따른 식사의 질 평가 -2008~2009 국민건강영양조사 자료 활용-)

  • Lee, Hye-Jin;Lee, Kyung-Hea
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.42 no.9
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    • pp.1395-1404
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    • 2013
  • The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diet quality in Korean middle-aged women based on their self-rated health status (SRH) as well as to investigate the relationship between SRH and the diet quality. For the study, we obtained data for analysis from the combined 2008~2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The study subjects were divided into two groups-'Good' group (${\geq}3.06$, n=622) and 'Bad' group (<3.06, n=1,092)- on the basis of the average SRH value (3.06). The women in the 'Good' group had achieved a higher education level and had a significantly high monthly average income (P<0.05), whereas women in the 'Bad' group had a larger waist circumference (P<0.05). In addition, women in the 'Good' group engaged in more physical activities (P<0.01). In comparison with the women in 'Bad' group, women in the 'Good' group were found to have a superior nutritional status, with a nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) of protein (P<0.05), calcium (P<0.05), iron (P<0.05), vitamin A (P<0.05), vitamin $B_2$ (P<0.05), and niacin (P<0.01). The mean adequacy ratio (MAR) of women in the 'Good' group was also significantly higher than that of the women in the 'Bad' group. The index of nutritional quality (INQ) of protein (P<0.05), iron (P<0.05), vitamin $B_1$ (P<0.05), and niacin (P<0.05) in women belonging to the 'Good' group were also significantly higher than that in the women assigned the 'Bad' group. The results of regression analysis on the relevance between the diet quality and SRH, MAR, and INQ showed a significantly positive relevance (P<0.001), even after adjusting for disturbance factors. The results of this study show that diet quality seems to be the important factor for improving SRH of women. Therefore, we suggest that developing dietary guidelines and educating women about the guidelines would improve health of middle-aged women in Korea.

Survey on the Content and Intake Pattern of Sugar from Elementary and Middle School Foodservices in Daejeon and Chungcheong Province (대전.충청지역 초.중학교 급식의 당 함량 및 급식을 통한 당류의 섭취실태 연구)

  • Park, You-Gyoung;Lee, Eun-Mi;Kim, Chang-Soo;Eom, Joon-Ho;Byun, Jung-A;Sun, Nam-Kyu;Lee, Jin-Ha;Heo, Ok-Soon
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.39 no.10
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    • pp.1545-1554
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    • 2010
  • Korean government will set up the nationwide food safety system with strict control of hazardous nutrients like sugar, fatty acids and sodium as well as advanced nutrition education system. In addition, almost one hundred percent of school food service rate forced the government to consider more effective ways to upgrade the nutritional status of school meals. The object of our study was to provide the data on content and consumption of sugar in school meal for the nationwide project. For this purpose, we surveyed the sugar content of 842 school meal menus and their intake level for 154 days in 8 schools in Daejeon and Chungcheong Province. Sugar contents, the sum of the quantity of 5 sugars commonly detected in food, were analysed with HPLC-RID (Refractive Index Detector). Sugar intakes were calculated by multiplying the intake of each menu to the sugar content of that menu. The sugar content was highest in the desserts, which include fruit juices, dairy products and fruits. Sugar content of side dish was high in sauces and braised foods. Sugar intake from one dish is high in beverage and dairy product, and one dish meals contribute greatly to sugar intake because of their large amount of meal intake. The average lunch meal intakes of second grade and fifth grade elementary school students were 244 g/meal and 304 g/meal, respectively. The meal intake of middle school student was 401 g/meal. The average sugar intake from one day school lunch was 4.22 g (4.03 g on elementary and 5.31 g on middle school student), which is less than 10% of daily sugar reference value for Koreans. The result of this study provides exact data of sugar intake pattern based on the content of sugar which is matched directly to the meals consumed by the students.

Isotopic Evidence of Marine Yeast to Artificial Culture of Moina macrocopa (물벼룩(Moina macrocopa)배양을 위한 해양효모의 유효성에 대한 안전 동위원소의 증거)

  • Kim Mu-Chan;Kang Chang-Keun;Park Hye-Young;Lee Dae-Seong;Kim Yun-Sook;Lee Won-Jae
    • Korean Journal of Microbiology
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    • v.42 no.2
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    • pp.111-115
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    • 2006
  • A feeding trial was conducted to test the use of marine yeasts isolated from seawaters and sediments as a dietary source in cultivating a Cladocera, Moina macrocopa which is available as an alternative live food for fish larvae. The marine yeast-fed M. macrocopa had similar essential amino acid profiles to the documented values for Rotifers and Artemia enriched in microalgae and commercial diets. Erythrobacter sp. $S{\pi}-1$ lacked ${\omega}-3$ high unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs), $20:5{\omega}-3$ (EPA) and $22:6{\omega}-3$ (DHA), which were also poor but detected in both the marine yeasts. An increase in the $20:5{\omega}-3$ and $22:6{\omega}-3$ levels, compared with the levels in marine yeast strains themselves, was more pronounced in the $22:6{\omega}-3$ level of Moina fed the Candida sp. Y-16, resulting in a high DHA:EPA ratio. When the Moina diets were switched, their ${\delta}^{13}C$ values shifted gradually toward the values of the switched diets. Diet switch from Erythrobacter sp. $S{\pi}-1$to Candide sp. Y.16 resulted in a more rapid turnover of Moina tissue carbon than that in the inverse case. When fed a mixed diet, the ${\delta}^{13}C$ values of Moina tissue approached the value of marine yeasts immediately. These temporal changes in the ${\delta}^{13}C$ values of Moina tissue indicate the preferential ingestion of marine yeasts and a selective assimilation of the carbon originated from marine yeasts. These findings suggest that marine yeasts, particularly Candida sp. Y-16, are highly available to mass cultures of M. macrocopa, providing better nutritional and dietaty values than the commercial diet (Erythrobacter sp. $S{\pi}-1$).

Effects of Soil pH on Nutritional and Functional Components of Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. campestris) (토양 pH가 배추(Brassica rapa ssp. campestris)의 영양성분과 기능성분에 미치는 영향)

  • Lee, Jo-Eun;Wang, Pingjuan;Kim, Gyung-Yun;Kim, Sung-Han;Park, Su-Hyoung;Hwang, Yong-Soo;Lim, Yong-Pyo;Lee, Eun-Mo;Ham, In-Ki;Jo, Man-Hyun;An, Gil-Hwan
    • Horticultural Science & Technology
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    • v.28 no.3
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    • pp.353-362
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    • 2010
  • The contents of functional and nutritional components of 13 cultivars of Chinese cabbage (CC, $Brassica$ $rapa$ subspecies $campestris$) were analyzed to compare the effects of soil pH of the greenhouse (pH 6.2) and outdoor (pH 7.6). The CC cultivated on pH 6.2 (CC-6.2) soil contained significantly increased amounts (2-9 fold) of pectin, crude protein, vitamin C and vitamin E compared to the counterpart (CC-7.6). The contents of ash and the minerals (Ca, Fe, Na, and Mn) were also significantly increased in CC-6.2. However, CC-6.2 contained 40-50% lower contents of reducing sugars, cellulose and crude fat than CC-7.6. CC-7.6 contained more glucosinolates, gluconasturtiin (18.33 vs. $1.16nmol{\cdot}g^{-1}$ wet weight) and gluconapin (145 vs. $2nmol{\cdot}g^{-1}$ wet wt), than CC-6.2. In conclusion, CC-6.2 had an improved texture (high pectin and low cellulose) and nutritional value (high in protein, Ca, Fe, vitamin C, and E), whereas the CC-7.6 had better taste (high in reducing sugars) and anticancer functionality (high in glucosinolates).

Comparison of Agricultural Traits and Physicochemical Properties of Lentil (Lens culinaris Med.), Chickpea (Cicer aretinum L.), and Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.) Germplasms Collected from Tropical and Subtropical Regions (열대, 아열대 지역 수집 렌즈콩, 병아리콩, 송이콩 유전자원의 농업형질과 이화학적 특성 비교)

  • Choi, Yu-Mi;Lee, Sukyeung;Lee, Myung-Chul;Oh, Sejong;Hur, Onsook;Cho, Gyu Taek;Yoon, Munsup;Hyun, Do Yoon
    • Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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    • v.50 no.4
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    • pp.453-462
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    • 2018
  • This study was carried out to investigate the utilization value of legume crops collected in tropical and subtropical areas. We examined agronomic traits to assess domestic adaptability and evaluated useful components of foreign legumes. We used a total of 201 genetic resources of three legumes, consisting of 68 lentils, 72 chickpeas and 61 guars. The average number of days to flowering of the three legumes ranged from 56.7 to 60.8 days; the shortest in guar and longest in chickpea. The average number of days to growth of the three legumes ranged from the shortest 86.8 days in lentil, to the longest 163.9 days in guar. The maturation period of the three legumes lasted from the end of May until mid-September, based on sowing in March. However, the average yield of lentil was very low, ranging from 0.5 g to 30.6 g, with an average 16.4 g based on 10 plants per accession. The average 100 seed weight of the three legumes was 2.2 g for lentil, 22.9 g for chickpea, and 3.8 g for guar. The crude protein content ranged from 14.1% to 32.4% with an average of 20.4%, the highest for guar and the lowest for chickpea. The average crude oil content in the three legume crops was generally low, ranging from 0.8% in lentil, to 4.3% in chickpea. The average dietary fiber content in the three legume crops varied from 15.7% to 50.7%. Guar was the highest source of fiber, followed by chickpea (19.3%) and lentil (15.7%). From the agricultural traits analysis, chickpea and guar could grow domestically. However, lentil was difficult to flower and fruit normally during the warmer season after May. Therefore, lentil should be considered for late summer cropping during the cool season. The physicochemical properties of the three legumes seem to be useful as they are similar to, or better than, those of the control common bean.

Revision of Nutrition Quotient for Korean adults: NQ-2021 (한국 성인을 위한 영양지수 개정: NQ-2021)

  • Yook, Sung-Min;Lim, Young-Suk;Lee, Jung-Sug;Kim, Ki-Nam;Hwang, Hyo-Jeong;Kwon, Sehyug;Hwang, Ji-Yun;Kim, Hye-Young
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.55 no.2
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    • pp.278-295
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    • 2022
  • Purpose: This study was undertaken to revise and update the Nutrition Quotient (NQ) for Korean adults, a tool used to evaluate dietary quality and behavior. Methods: The first 31 items of the measurable food behavior checklist were adopted based on considerations of the previous NQ checklist, recent literature reviews, national nutrition policies, and recommendations. A pilot survey was conducted on 100 adults aged 19 to 64 residing in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province from March to April 2021 using a provisional 26- item checklist. Pilot survey data were analyzed using factor analysis and frequency analysis to determine whether checklist items were well organized and responses to questions were well distributed, respectively. As a result, the number of items on the food behavior checklist was reduced to 23 for the nationwide survey, which was administered to 1,000 adults (470 men and 530 women) aged 19 to 64 from May to August 2021. The construct validity of the developed NQ (NQ-2021) was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis, linear structural relations. Results: Eighteen items in 3 categories, that is, balance (8 items), moderation (6 items), and practice (4 items), were finally included in NQ-2021 food behavior checklist. 'Balance' items addressed the intake frequencies of essential foods, 'moderation' items the frequencies of unhealthy food intakes or behaviors, and 'practice' items addressed eating behaviors. Items and categories were weighted using standardized path coefficients to calculate NQ-2021 scores. Conclusion: The updated NQ-2021 appears to be suitable for easily and quickly assessing the diet qualities and behaviors of Korean adults.

A Study of Nutritional Intake, Eating Habit, Iron Status of Urban and Rural Middle School Girls (도시와 농촌 여중생의 영양섭취상태, 식습관 및 철영양상태 연구)

  • Hong, Soon-Myung;Seo, Yeong-Eun;Hwang, Hye-Jin
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.33 no.10
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    • pp.1634-1640
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    • 2004
  • This study was designed to compare the nutritional intake and iron nutritional status between urban and rural middle school girls. Along with a questionnaire, blood samples were obtained from 311 middle school girls (urban 129 girls, rural 182 girls). Nutrient intakes were measured with a convenient method, and clinical symptoms relating anemia was investigated by 4-point Likert scale. For the nutrient intake, the total energy intake was 1722.2 kcal (82.0% of RDA) for the urban group and 1649.5 kcal (78.6% of RDA) for rural group. The rural group showed significantly lower level than the urban group in all nutrients except fat, carbohydrate and total energy intake. Regarding the food frequency, students from the rural group marked significantly lower intake of milk (p<0.00l), kimchi (p<0.05), fruit (p<0.05), tofu, bean (p<0.00l) than the urban group. For every clinical finding regarding anemia, the rural group marked higher value than the urban group but the difference was not significant. The hemoglobin concentration of urban group was 13.28 g/dL, and rural group showed 12.51 g/dL which was significantly lower than urban group (p<0.00l). The hematocrit rate was 37.82% for the urban group and 38.13% for the rural group and there was no significant difference between two groups. The red blood cell (RBC) count of the rural group was significantly lower than the urban group (p<0.00l). Evaluating with the iron deficiency standard which is less than 12 g/dL, the urban group was 6.2% and the rural group was 34.6% thus the deficiency rate was significantly higher in the rural group. This study showed that nutrient and iron status of the girls of rural group is not as good as the urban group. As middle school girls require high level of iron absorption due to blood loss which occurs during abrupt physical growth and menstruation, dietary counselling is required to enhance the iron status. When iron deficiency is serious, they need to take more positive action such as iron supplement in addition to food-iron fortification.

A Survey of Nutritional Status on Pre-School Children in Korea (학영기전아동(學齡期前兒童)의 영양실태조사(營養實態調査))

  • Ju, Jin-Soon;Oh, Seoung-Ho
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.9 no.2
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    • pp.68-86
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    • 1976
  • The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the correct nutritional status on pre-school children in Korea. Furthermore, it made an attempt to find and define nutrional problems, and assist in establishment on their nutritional improvement plan. For this, food intake and health condition (physical, clinical, biochemical and parasitological) survey on 109 Pre-school children in both sexes, randomly selected from Yang-Gu area in Gang-Won province and Rea-ju area in Kyong-gy Province, were conducted by means of three-day records, during the two periods of Spring and Fall season in 1975. The results obtained are summerized as follows: 1. The food intake; Average food intake of the subjects per day were $508{\sim}647g$ ($83{\sim}91%$ in vegetable foods and $5.5{\sim}11.7%$ in animal foods) in Yang-gu area, and $587{\sim}698g$ ($88{\sim}89%$ in vegetable foods and $6.3{\sim}7.6%$ in animal foods) in Rea-ju area. 2. The intake of energy and nutrients; a) Calory intake. Average energy intake of subjects per day in Yang-gu area$(1120{\sim}1415kcal)$ were all lower than the Korean Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) in either Spring and Fall survey, whereas the subjects in Rea-ju area were lower intake $(1213{\sim}1418kcal)$ than the RDA in the Spring but higher intake$(1516{\sim}1755kcal)$ than the RDA in the Fall, and the average intake were similar level with that of RDA. b) Protein intake. Average protein intake of the subjects per day in Yang-gu area $(33{\sim}43g)$ girl subjects in Rea-ju area $(35{\sim}39g)$ were lower than the RDA in either Spring and Fall survey, whereas the boy subjects in Rea-ju area$(36{\sim}38g)$ were lower in Spring and higher $(49{\sim}57g)$ in the Fall than that of the RDA, but the average $(43{\sim}47g)$ were similar level with the RDA. The protein intake from animal sources in all subjects were much lower $(5.5{\sim}11.7\;of\;total\;protein)$ than the RDA. c) Fat intake. Average fat intake were very lower in all subjects of both area $(14{\sim}24g\;in\;Yang-gu,\;10{\sim}12g\;in\;Rea-ju)$ than that of RDA which is recommended $12{\sim}14%$ of total energy to be supplied from fat. d) Calcium intake. Average calcium intake were very low in all subjects of both area $(264{\sim}355mg\;in\;Yang-gu\;and\;283{\sim}429mg\;in\;Rea-ju)$, especially, these in Spring were about a half level of the RDA, and it was much increased in the Fall due to increased intake of milk, but it was still not enough than the RDA. e) Vitamin A intake. Average intake of V.A ($703{\sim}1465\;IU$ in Ynag-gu and $750{\sim}1521\;IU$ in Rea-ju) were also lower than the RDA, moreover their V-A sources were mainly vegetable, so that the V-A supply might be critical one for the subjected. f) Riboflavin intake. Average riboflavin intake on all subjects in both area except boys in Rea-ju area in Fall, were very lower than the RDA. 3. The physical status; a) Average weight and height of boys aged 4 and 5 in Yang-gu area and girls of aged 5 in Rea-ju area were lower than those of Korean Standard of 1967 report, but those by age of girls in Yang-gu area and boys in Rea-ju area were a little heigher than the Korean Standard. It is, hower, present Korean standard of physical status might be somehow heigher than the 1967, since the socio-economical situation has been much improved during past a decade. So that, if one considered on this sense, the physical status of the subjects on this survey might be somehow lower than those of present Korean standard. b) Average upper arm circumference in both area were no difference each other, and their mean values of age 4, 5 and 6 in boy and girl were 15.6, 16.5, 16.4 and 15.5, 16.5, 16.4cm respectively. c) Average chest girth of boys were similar to those of Korean standard whereas the girls were smaller than the Korea standard. The average head circumference also showed similar tendency with the chest girth. 4. The clinical findings; The most popular clinical signs were angular stomatitis and dental caries, and boys had more heigher incidence then the girls. 5. The biochemical findings; a) Hemoglobin and anemia Average Hb value of boys and girls were 11.4 and 10.9g per 100 ml of blood respectively. The incidence of anemia (Hb value below 11 g/100 ml, by WHO) was increased by age, and girls had more heigher incidence than the boy (34% : 48%). The incidence of anemia in age of 4,5, and 6 in boys and girls were 28%, 41% 34%, and 33%, 50%, 49% respectively. The degree of the anemia was not severe, and the anemia of there subjects may be caused mainly low intake of better quality protein and low iron intake as well. b) Hematocrit. Average Ht value of whole subject were $39.9{\sim}41.6%$. c) Blood plasma protein. Average blood plasma protein contents of whole subjects were $6.6{\sim}7.4gm$ per 100 ml. The incidence of deficient range (<6.0g%, by ICNND) was only one girl of age 4 in yang Gu area. 6. Parasitological findgs; The most popular parasitism were asicris lumbicoides and trichocephalus trichiura, and about 2/3 of the whole subjects were suffering one or more of these parasitism.

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A study on the improvement of distribution system by overseas agricultural investment (해외농업투자에 따른 유통체계 개선방안에 관한 연구)

  • Sun, Il-Suck;Lee, Dong-Ok
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.8 no.3
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    • pp.17-26
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    • 2010
  • Recently concerns have been raised due to the unbalanced supply of crops: the price of crops has been unstable and at one point the price went up so high that the word Agflation(agriculture+ inflation) was coined. Korea, in particular, is a small-sized country and needs to secure the stable supply of crops by investing in the produce importation at a national level. Investment in foreign produce importation is becoming more important as a measure for sufficient supply of crops, limited supply of domestic crops, weakened farming conditions worldwide, as well as recent changes in the use of crops due to the development of bio-fuels, influence of carbon emission on crops, the price increase in crops, and influx of foreign hot money. However, there are many problems with investing in foreign produce importation: lack of support from the government; lack of farming information and technology; difficulty in securing the capital; no immediate pay-off from the investment and insufficient management. Although foreign produce is originally more price-competitive than domestic produce, it loses its competiveness in the process of importation (due to high tariffs) and poor distribution system, which makes it difficult to sell in Korea. Therefore, investment in foreign produce importation is being questioned for feasibility; to make it possible, foreign produce must maintain the price-competitiveness. Especially, harvest of agricultural products depends on natural and geographical conditions of each country and those products have indigenous properties, so distribution system according to import and export of agricultural products should be treated more carefully than that of other industries. Distribution costs are differentiated into each item and include cost of sorting and wrapping, cost of wrapping materials, cost of domestic transport, cost of international transport and cost of clearing customs for import and export. So transporting and storing agricultural products generates considerable costs compared with other products. Also, due to upgrade of dietary life, needs for stability, taste and visible quality toward food including agricultural products are being raised and wrong way of storage causes decomposition of food and loss of freshness, making the storage more difficult than that in room temperature, so storage and transport in distribution of agricultural products needs specialty. In addition, because lack of specialty in distribution and circulation such as storage and wrapping does not solve limit factors in distance, the distribution and circulation has been limited to a form of import and export within short-distant region. Therefore, need for distribution out-sourcing which can satisfy specialty in managing distribution and circulation and it is needed to establish more effective distribution system. However, existing distribution system of agricultural products is exposed to various problems including problems in distribution channel, making distribution and strategy for distribution and those problems are as follows. First, in case of investment in overseas agricultural industry, stable supply of the products is difficult because areas of production are dispersed widely and influenced by outer factors due to including overseas distribution channels. Also, at the aspect of quality, standardization of products is difficult, distribution system is quite complicated and unreasonable due to long distribution channels according to international trade and financial and institutional support is not enough. Especially, there are quite a lot of ineffective factors including multi level distribution process, dramatic gap between production cost and customer's cost, lack of physical distribution facilities and difficulties in storage and transport due to lack of wrapping containers. Besides, because import and export of agricultural products has been manages under the company's own distribution according to transaction contract between manufacturers and exporting company, efficiency is low due to excessive investment in fixed costs and lack of specialty in dealing with agricultural products causes fall of value of products, showing the limit to lose price-competitiveness. Especially, because lack of specialty in distribution and circulation such as storage and wrapping does not solve limit factors in distance, the distribution and circulation has been limited to a form of import and export within short-distant region. Therefore, need for distribution out-sourcing which can satisfy specialty in managing distribution and circulation and it is needed to establish more effective distribution system. Second, among tangible and intangible services which promote the efficiency of the whole distribution, a function building distribution environment which includes distribution information, system for standard and inspection, distribution finance, system for diversification of risks, education and training, distribution administration and tax system is wanted. In general, such a function building distribution environment is difficult to be changed and supplement innovatively because its effect compared with investment does not appear immediately despite of its necessity. Especially, in case of distribution of agricultural products, as a function of collecting and distributing is performed individually through various channels, the importance of distribution information and standardization is getting more focus due to the problem of repetition of work and lack of specialty. Also, efficient management of distribution is quite difficult due to lack of professionals in distribution, so support to professional education is needed. Third, though effort to keep self-sufficiency ratio of staple food, rice is regarded as important at the government level, level of dependency on overseas of others crops is high. Therefore, plan for stable securing food resources aside from staple food is also necessary. Especially, governmental organizations of agricultural products distribution in Korea are production-centered and have unreasonable structure whose function at the aspect of distribution and consumption is quite insufficient. And development of new distribution channels which can deal with changes in distribution environment and they do not achieve actual results of strategy for distribution due to non-positive strategy for price distribution. That is, it implies the possibility that base for supply will become vulnerable because it does not mediate appropriate interests on total distribution channels such as manufacturers, wholesale dealers and vendors by emphasizing consumer protection excessively in the distribution of agricultural products. Therefore, this study examined fundamental concept and actual situation for our investment to overseas agriculture, drew necessities, considerations, problems, etc. of overseas agricultural investment and suggested improvements at the level of distribution for price competitiveness of agricultural products cultivated in overseas under five aspects; government's indirect support, distribution's modernization and distribution information function's strengthening, government's political support for distribution facility, transportation route, load and unloading works' improvement, price competitiveness' securing, professional manpower's cultivation by education and training, etc. Here are some suggestions for foreign produce importation. First, the government should conduct a survey on the current distribution channels and analyze the situation to establish a measure for long-term development plans. By providing each agricultural area with a guideline for planning appropriate production of crops, the government can help farmers be ready for importation, and prevent them from producing same crops all at the same time. Government can sign an MOU with the foreign government and promote the importation so that the development of agricultural resources can be stable and steady. Second, the government can establish a strategy for an effective distribution system by providing farmers and agriculture-related workers with the distribution information such as price, production, demand, market structure and location, feature of each crop, and etc. In order for such distribution system to become feasible, the government needs to reconstruct the current distribution system, designate a public organization for providing distribution information and set the criteria for level of produce quality, trade units, and package units. Third, the government should provide financial support and a policy to seek an efficient distribution channel for foreign produce to be delivered fresh: the government should expand distribution facilities (for selecting, packaging, storing, and processing) and transportation vehicles while modernizing old facilities. There should be another policy to improve the efficiency of unloading, and to lower the cost of distribution. Fourth, it is necessary to enact a new law covering exceptional cases for importing produce in order to maintain the price competitiveness; currently the high tariffs is keeping the imported produce from being distributed domestically. However, the new adjustment should be made carefully within the WTO regulations since it can create a problem from giving preferential tariffs. The government can also simplify the distribution channels in order to reduce the cost in the distribution process. Fifth, the government should educate distributors to raise the efficiency and to modernize the distribution system. It is necessary to develop human resources by educating people regarding the foreign agricultural environment, the produce quality, management skills, and by introducing some successful cases in advanced countries.

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