• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.243-248
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• 2017

Intracellular and extracellular oxidative stress initiated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) causes skin aging, which is characterized by wrinkles and atypical pigmentation. Use of antioxidant is an effective approach to prevent symptoms related to ROS-induced aging of the skin. Therefore, the antioxidant and anti-aging effect of Castanea crenata Siebold & Zucc. extracts (LCE) was investigated in this study. The LCE markedly reduced the hydrogen peroxide-induced cell damage, intracellular ROS, and oxidative stress-induced senescence in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). These results indicate that LCE might have beneficial effects on oxidative stress-induced damage and thus reduce skin aging.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.360-367
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• 2024

Background: In the food manufacturing industry, exposure to inhalable aerosols contributes to respiratory illnesses such as occupational asthma and rhinitis. However, there is a lack of comprehensive exposure assessment studies. This study evaluated occupational exposure to inhalable aerosols in an instant powdered food manufacturing plant during work operations involving dried food and powders. Methods: In total, 50 workers from an instant powdered food manufacturing plant were recruited. Personal inhalable aerosol exposure measurements were taken for both full-shift and task-based activities. The concentrations of inhalable aerosols were analyzed to identify any variation within and across departments, as well as between seasons, handedness, and sex. Results: In total, 134 personal air samples were collected, and the particulate mass was determined gravimetrically. The concentrations of inhalable aerosols ranged from 0.1 to 27 mg/m³ for full-shift exposure measurements and 3.1 to 73 mg/m³ for task-based measurements. Statistically significant differences in mean aerosol concentrations were found across departments (A:B p < 0.001, A:C p < 0.05, B:C p < 0.001) and between seasons (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study revealed high exposure to inhalable aerosols among workers, particularly those involved in manual weighing, mixing, and adding powders. The significant differences between departments highlight the specific activities contributing to increased inhalable aerosol concentrations. Seasonal variations were also evident, with autumn showing higher concentrations of inhalable aerosols in all departments compared with summer. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding the distribution of aerosol concentrations across different work tasks and departments, particularly during different seasons.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2010

Recently, reproductive and neurobehavioral effects of bisphenol A (BPA) have been documented, and thus a review was requested for BPA management direction by the government. Therefore, this study was performed to establish a Korean tolerable daily intake (TDI) for BPA. An expert committee, consisting of specialists in fields such as toxicology, medicine, pharmacology, and statistics, was asked to evaluate BPA health based guidance values (HbGVs). Although many toxicological studies were reviewed to select a point of departure (POD) for TDI, rat and mouse reproductive studies by Tyl et al. (2002, 2006), which were performed according to GLP standards and OECD guidelines, were selected. This POD was the lowest value determined from the most sensitive toxicological test. The POD, a NOAEL of 5 mg/kg bw/day, was selected based on its systemic toxicity as critical effects. An uncertainty factor of 100 including interspecies and intraspecies differences was applied to calculate the TDI. According to the evaluation results, a TDI of BPA for Korean was suggested at 0.05 mg/kg bw/day. In addition, the BPA exposure level based on food consumption by the Korean population was estimated as 1.509 ${\mu}g/kg$ bw/day, and the HI was evaluated at 0.03 when the TDI of 0.05 mg/kg bw/day was applied. This HI value of 0.03 indicated that hazardous effects would not be expected from BPA oral exposures. Although highly uncertain, further studies on low dose neurobehavioral effects of BPA should be performed. In addition, it is recommended that the 'as low as reasonably achievable' (ALARA) principle be applied for BPA exposure from food packaging materials in newborn infants and children.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1625-1634
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• 2023

Leuconostoc lactis strain DMLL10 was isolated from kimchi, a fermented vegetable, as a starter candidate through safety and technological assessments. Strain DMLL10 was susceptible to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, erythromycin, gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, and tetracycline. It did not show any hemolytic activity. Regarding its phenotypic results related to its safety properties, genomic analysis revealed that strain DMLL10 did not encode for any toxin genes such as hemolysin found in the same genus. It did not acquire antibiotic resistance genes either. Strain DMLL10 showed protease activity on agar containing NaCl up to 3%. The genome of DMLL10 encoded for protease genes and possessed genes associated with hetero- and homo-lactic fermentative pathways for lactate production. Finally, strain DMLL10 showed antibacterial activity against seven common foodborne pathogens, although bacteriocin genes were not identified from its genome. These results indicates that strain DMLL10 is a novel starter candidate with safety, enzyme activity, and bacteriocin activity. The complete genomic sequence of DMLL10 will contribute to our understanding of the genetic basis of probiotic properties and allow for assessment of the effectiveness of this strain as a starter or probiotic for use in the food industry.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.836-843
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• 2022

In the present study, exposure to heavy metals by consumption of edible seaweeds (green laver, laver, hijiki, sea tangle, and sea mustard) was assessed based on their concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg). The mean of heavy metal concentrations were 0.006-0.023 mg/kg for Pb, 0.037-0.156 mg/kg for Cd, 1.117-15.928 mg/kg for As, and 0.008-0.021 mg/kg for Hg. In multivariate analysis, the correlations were high between Pb levels in sea mustard, Cb levels in laver, and As and Hg level in Hijiki. However, the estimated daily intake and target hazard quotient (THQ) of the heavy metals in edible seaweeds were below their approved limits suggesting no health risks associated with seaweed consumption by Koreans.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.180-184
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• 2010

This study surveyed the change of housewives' purchase behaviors by food safety incidents; the outbreak of 2008 Melamine incident in Korea as for example. 565 housewives in Gunsan were interviewed in March 2009. 52.3% of respondents were regarded as unsatisfactory for food safety management in Korea. Despite the result of scientific assessment for melamine, 74.6% of respondents were yet regarded as health-threatening substance. By the point of before, during and after Melamine-related food safety incident, we were surveyed the level of purchase for melamine-related food items as five scales, the results were $2.47{\pm}0.97$, $1.80{\pm}0.92$ and $1.62{\pm}0.92$, respectively (p < 0.001). After the incident happened, the purchase level was even more reduced. This study also found that there were significance difference (p < 0.05) among the respondents' knowledge for melamine toxicity and food safety management in Korea concerning housewives' purchase behaviors, i.e. the more accurately for melamine toxicity and higher satisfactory of consciousness of food safety, there were less change of purchase behaviors. In conclusion, the consciousness of food safety and accurate knowledge of hazards were significantly affected for the change of housewives' purchase behaviors by food safety incidents. Therefore, it can be suggested that the need for more scientific risk communication strategies with consumer.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.666-672
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• 2012

The present study was carried out in order to assess the dietary exposure as well as the risk for lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) exposure through mushrooms among the Korean population. Various samples (n=536) covering 17 kinds of mushrooms were collected from retail outlets and markets in Korea. The contents of Pb were 0.005 (King oyster)-0.026 (Matsutake) mg/kg in raw mushrooms and 0.014 (Oyster)-16.411 (Manna lichen) mg/kg in dry mushrooms, respectively. The contents of Cd were 0.002 (Enoki)-0.205 (Hericium erinaciium) mg/kg in raw mushrooms and 0.021 (Vegetable worms)-2.650 (Agaricus blazei Muill) mg/kg in dry mushrooms, respectively. The mean dietary exposure of Pb for the general population was $0.053{\mu}g/day$, taking 0.03% of provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). The mean dietary exposure of Cd for the general population was $0.168{\mu}g/day$, corresponding to 0.37% of provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI). Therefore, the level of the overall dietary exposure to heavy metals through mushroom for the Korean population was far below the recommended JECFA levels, indicating little possibility of concern.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2011

This survey was conducted to develop an appropriate management for safety of children snacks. In this study, monitorings of food additives such as nine kinds of tar colors (tartrazine, sunset yellow FCF, brilliant blue FCF, indigo carmine, new coccine, amaranth, erythrosine, allura red and fast green FCF) which are sold at stationary store around the school, were performed. Eighty two samples (3 snacks, 71 candies, 4 chocolates and 4 beverages) were analyzed for tar colors. Results of risk assessment for tar colors were expressed as EDI (Estimated Daily Intake) comparing with ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake). The ratio of high risk group for tar color intake (95th) were 0-3.56%. The consumptions of tar colors from domestic and imported products for nine kinds of tar colors in candies were not significantly different. The results of this study indicated that each ED! of nine kinds of tar colors sold at stationary store around the school is much lower than each ADI in general. Consequently, the children snacks are thought to be safe for consumption.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.448-453
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• 2011

This study was conducted to develop an appropriate management for safety of children snacks. In this study, monitorings of food additives such as four kinds of sweeteners (sodium saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose) which are sold in children snacks at stationary store around the school were performed. 92 samples (34 ice cakes, 52 beverages and 6 candies) were analyzed for sweeteners. Contents of 4 kinds of sweeteners in ice cakes, beverages and candies were 0.41, 0.47, 0.00 mg/kg for sodium saccharin, 0.00, 20.54, 197.09 mg/kg for aspartame, 0.00, 28.10, 0.00 mg/kg for acesulfame potassium, 9.99, 1.40, 0.00 mg/kg for sucralose. Results of risk assessment for sweeteners were expressed as EDI (Estimated Daily Intake) comparing with ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake). The ratio of high risk group for sweeteners intake (95th) were 0~2.66%. The results of this study indicated that each EDI of four kinds of sweeteners sold at stationary stores around the school is much lower than each ADI in general. Consequently, the children snacks are thought to be safe for consumption.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.59-68
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• 2011

In Korea, there are a couple of risk assessment organizations: The Animal Plant and Fisheries Quarantine and Inspection Agency(QIA) and the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). The major food laws include the Food Sanitation Act (FSA), the Livestock Product Processing Act (LPPA), and the Agricultural Products Quality Control Act (APQCA). Milk and dairy products are mostly controlled by the Food Sanitation Act and the Livestock Product Processing Act. This study was carried out to estimate the current standard methods of foodborne pathogens for dairy products, comparing the Livestock Products Processing Act with the Food Sanitation Act. The standard methods of foodborne pathogens for dairy products are composed by growth culture, isolation culture, and identification, however, standard methods of QIA and KFDA are different at the using of medium and inspection stage. Therefore, consolidation of risk management and risk assessment methods are regarded important to provide safe dairy products to consumer.