• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2001

A survey was conducted to assess the food-purchase behavior of 197 Taejon full time housewives 30 to 49 years of age. Food purchase was assessed using a questionnaire and the resulting data were analyzed using SPSS programs. Demographic data revealed that most of the households have three to five family members and that the Engel Indices of the participating households were mostly between 10 and 30%. Noticeable results of the food purchase assessment are as follows. In the grain and grain products items, the low-education group purchased more rice and barley than the high-education group, whereas the high-education group purchased more glutinous rice, brown rice, bread, macaronis and spaghetti than the low-education group. In the vegetable items, the low-education group purchased more Chinese cabbage and radish than the high-education group, while the high-education group purchased more head lettuce, broccoli and sweet pepper than the low-education group. In the meat items, the beef purchase was higher in the high-education than in the low-education group, while the pork purchase was higher in the low-education than in the high-education group . In the processed meat items, ham was the most favorite purchase item regardless of the education level. In the fish and shellfish items, Pacific cod and Alaska pollack were purchased more in the low-education than in the high-education group, and salmon and dried icefish strip were purchased more in the high-education than in the low-education group. No items in fruit group showed significant differences in the purchase amount between the low-education and the high-education group although the latter purchased more imported-fruits such as melons, kiwis, grapefruits, and oranges. Dairy products such as milk, cheese and butter were purchased more in the high-education than in the low-education group. It was also found that both the number of food items and the consumption of foods coming from animals were higher in the high-education than in the low-education group.