• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.523-528
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• 2013

This study investigates the effects of three branched-chain amino acids (BCAA; valine, leucine, and isoleucine) on the in vitro ruminal fermentation of wheat straw using batch cultures of mixed ruminal microorganisms. BCAA were added to the buffered ruminal fluid at a concentration of 0, 2, 4, 7, or 10 mmol/L. After 72 h of anaerobic incubation, pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA), and ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) in the ruminal fluid were determined. Dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradability were calculated after determining the DM and NDF in the original material and in the residue after incubation. The addition of valine, leucine, or isoleucine increased the total VFA yields ($p{\leq}0.001$). However, the total VFA yields did not increase with the increase of BCAA supplement level. Total branched-chain VFA yields linearly increased as the supplemental amount of BCAA increased (p<0.001). The molar proportions of acetate and propionate decreased, whereas that of butyrate increased with the addition of valine and isoleucine (p<0.05). Moreover, the proportions of propionate and butyrate decreased (p<0.01) with the addition of leucine. Meanwhile, the molar proportions of isobutyrate were increased and linearly decreased (p<0.001) by valine and leucine, respectively. The addition of leucine or isoleucine resulted in a linear (p<0.001) increase in the molar proportions of isovalerate. The degradability of NDF achieved the maximum when valine or isoleucine was added at 2 mmol/L. The results suggest that low concentrations of BCAA (2 mmol/L) allow more efficient regulation of ruminal fermentation in vitro, as indicated by higher VFA yield and NDF degradability. Therefore, the optimum initial dose of BCAA for in vitro ruminal fermentation is 2 mmol/L.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.309-314
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• 2010

Bale is an operation of collecting livestock feed materials from field crop residue, and mechanization demand on the operation has been increased. Bailers imported from foreign countries such as Japan and European countries have been used, but those models showed improper performance in Korean situations. In recent years, a steel-roller type round baler attachable to medium size tractors(40 to 60 HP) for effective bale operation in Korea was developed. This study was conducted to evaluate field performance of the baler. For proper baling operation, engine speed was greater than 1,800rpm, average traction force and PTO torque were about 4kN and in a range of 380-671Nm, and maximum values were about 7kN and 3,000Nm, respectively. Performance evaluation tests for sudan grass, rice straw, and blue barley showed that field capacity was 0.59ha/h for blue barley and 0.99ha/h for sudan grass and rice straw. Bale weight, diameter, width, and bulk density were in ranges of 176.1~418.4kg, 1.07~1.12m, 1.02~1.04m, and 175.3~454.1kg/$m^3$. Noise sound level during the baling operation was 4dB greater than idle operation condition, which was considered to be ignorant.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.581-590
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• 2011

Organic farming is rapidly expanding worldwide. Crop growth in organic systems greatly depends on the functions performed by soil microbes, and nutrient supply weed suppression by green manure crops input. Four red-pepper production systems were compared: 1) bare ground (conventional system); 2) hairy vetch monoculture; 3) rye monoculture; and 4) hairy vetch-rye mixture. Soil inorganic N reached the peak at 30 DAI and hairy vetch monoculture was the highest ($192mg\;kg^{-1}$) and soil total carbon was fluctuated sporadically during the experiment. Carbohydrate and phenolic compounds in soil kept significantly higher in green manure crops systems from 10 DBI to 30 DAI, however the level was the maximum at 10 DBI (carbohydrate) and 30 DAI (phenolic comounds). Incorporation of green manure crops residue enhanced soil microbial biomass C and N throughout the growing season except that MBN in rye was reduced after incorporation. Green manure crops systems suppressed weed occurrence and, in particular, it was prominent in rye monoculture. Mineral elements composition and production in red-pepper fruits were markedly decreased in green manure crops systems although hairy vetch monoculture has come close to bare ground (NPK-applied). Therefore, it was suggested that higher biomass production should be performed not only to improve soil quality and suppress weeds but to yield suitable red-pepper fruits in green manure crops-based organic farming.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.3.1-3.11
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• 2023

Background: Studies on the risk of mercury (Hg) in Korean fishery products focus primarily on total Hg levels as opposed to methylmercury (MeHg) levels. None of the few studies on MeHg in tuna investigated tuna from Japanese restaurants. Few have evaluated lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in tuna. Thus, this study aimed to conduct a risk assessment by evaluating heavy metal concentrations in tuna from Japanese restaurants. Methods: Thirty-one tuna samples were collected from Japanese restaurants in the Republic of Korea. They were classified according to region and species. The concentration of heavy metals in the samples was analyzed using the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Food Code method. The rate of exceedance of maximum residue levels (MRLs) and the risk compared to the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) set by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (%PTWI) were evaluated for risk assessment. Results: The mean of MeHg, Pb, Cd and As concentrations were 0.56 ± 1.47 mg/kg, 33.95 ± 3.74 ㎍/kg, 14.25 ± 2.19 ㎍/kg and 1.46 ± 1.89 mg/kg, respectively. No sample exceeded the MRLs of Pb and Cd, but 9.7% of the samples exceeded the MRL of MeHg. The %PTWIs of MeHg, Pb, Cd and As were 4.2037, 0.0162, 0.0244 and 1.1627, respectively. The %PTWI of MeHg by age group and sex was highest among men aged 19-29 years (10.6494), followed by men aged 30-49 years (7.2458) and women aged 19-29 years (4.8307). Conclusions: We found that 3 out of 31 samples exceeded the MRL of MeHg. The %PTWI of MeHg showed significant differences based on age and sex, and the value was likely to exceed a safe level depending on individuals' eating behaviors. Therefore, improved risk management for MeHg is required.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.6-14
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• 2008

Objective of this study was to investigate the residual levels of mercury (Hg) in soil for "Top-rice" area and its uptake into rice plant for making sure food safety as compared to "Top-rice" & common rice produced from 2005 to 2006. Hg was analyzed with the direct mercury analyzer (DMA 80, Milestone, Italy), which implements the US/EPA method 7473. The average concentration of Hg in paddy soil was 0.031 mg/kg, which was below at 1/25-1/65 fold of the threshold levels (concern level 4 mg/kg, action level 10 mg/kg) for soil contamination designated by "The Soil Environment Conservation Law" in Korea. The maximum residue level (MRLs) for Hg residue in the polished rice is not designated in Korea. Therefore, Hg contents in the polished rice of "Top-rice" brand and common rice were compared to other country's criteria. Hg contents in the polished rice of "Top-rice" brand was 0.0018 mg/kg, which was lower at 1/10-1/30 fold than the MRLs, 0.02 mg/kg of China criteria and 0.05 mg/kg of Taiwan criteria, respectively. Hg were 0.02788, 0.00896, 0.00182, 0.00189, 0.00166, 0.00452 and 0.00145 mg/kg in soil, rice straw, unhulled rice, rice hulls, brown rice, rice bran, and polished rice produced in 2006 "Top-rice" area, respectively. For the ratio of Hg as compared to Hg contents in soil, there were 0.321 of rice straw ${\gg}$ 0.162 of rice bran ${\gg}$ 0.068 of rice hulls > 0.065 of unhulled rice > 0.060 of brown rice> 0.052 of polished rice. And, the slope of Hg uptakes was steeped as following order; rice straw ${\gg}$ rice bran ${\gg}$ rice hulls > unhulled rice > brown rice > polished rice. It means that the more slope steeped was the more uptakes. For the distribution of Hg uptaken, there was 83.8% into rice straw, and 16.2% into unhulled rice, 2.8% into rice hulls, 12.4% into brown rice, 3.5% into rice bran and 9.7% into polished rice. Consequently, it was appeared that the Hg contamination in the polished rice should not be worried in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.240-248
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• 1997

References on the cooking and processing losses of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides in foods were collected and analyzed to indicate that the average removal of whole pesticides being 45% in water washing, 56% in detergent washing, 91% in peeling of fruits, 5l% in blanching-boiling of vegetables, 90% in milling and processing of grains. The theoretical maximum daily intake (TMDI) calculated from the food intake and Korea maximum residue limits showed that 4 among 11 pesticides exceeded the acceptable daily intake (ADI). The estimated daily intake (EDI) calculated from the food intake and monitoring data reached 17.2% of ADI on the assumption that the toxicity of OP pesticides appears as an additive effect. The % ratio of ADI for individual pesticides was 6.1% in diazinon, 5.8% in fenthion, 3.3% in fenitrothion and very low in other pesticides. By applying reduction factors to the EDI, the removal ratio of OP pesticides in cooking and processing appears to be over 50%. In summary, the exposure level of Korean population toward whole OP pesticides was estimated to reach 23% of ADI, which would not cause any health rick as yet, but calls for a systematic risk assessment.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2004

The present study was conducted to test and evaluate estrogenic effect of 17 pesticides including benomy1 and carbaryl, being suspected as endocrine disrupting chemicals. For estrogenic effect examination, luciferase assay were achieved with human ovarian cancer cell, BG1Luc4E2. Estrogenic effects of cypermethrin, dicofol, endosulfan, esfenvalerate, and fenvalerate were observed at the concentration of $10^{-5}$ M by estrogen receptor binding assay. Relative luciferase potency and relative luciferase effects compared with $10^{-10}$ M 17 $\beta$-estradiol were $10^{-5}$, 56% for dicofol, and $10^{-5}$, 72% for endosulfan, respectively. Estimated maximum daily intake for pesticides was calculated from maximum residue limit of agricultural commodity and food consumption was 1.2298 mg/person. Theoretically calculated blood estrogen level from dietary intake for pesticides based on MRL in Korea, 3.075 ng/L was equivalent to 15% of estrogen concentration in normal blood, but practical monitoring data, 0.01938 ng/L was equal to 0.09693% of estrogen concentration in normal blood.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.106-116
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• 2007

Pesticide, chlorfluazuron was subjected to determine the safety of terminal residues at the harvesting date of perilla leaves cultivated in plastic house. After the pesticide applied on a foliar spray in 2005 and 2006, leaf persistence of its residue was analysed for 10 days before leaf harvest. The degradation rate of chlorfluazuron in the leaf was 32.3 %(standard application), 43.6 %(double application) and 78.0 %(standard), 80.4 %(double) at second and tenth day, respectively, under analysis of GC/ECD in 2005. The degradation rate of chlorfluazuron in the leaf was 33.1 %(GC/ECD analyze), 34.0 %(HPLC/UVD analyze) and 77.9 %(GC/ECD), 78.4 %(HPLC/UVD) at second and tenth day, respectively, under the standard level of pesticide in 2006. The biological half-life of the chlorfluazuron residue was estimated by the regression equation calculated from daily dissipation of pesticide in the perilla leaves. The longest half-life of the chlorfluazuron residue in perilla leaves was 5.5 days. The maximum residual limit(MRL) for chlorfluazuron based on the longest half-life was estimated 2.0ppm at harvesting day, 2.5ppm at second day and 7.1ppm at tenth day before leaf harvesting of perilla.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.154-163
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• 2013

The maximum residue limits of pyrimisulfan is set as 0.05 mg/kg in rice in 2011, so very reliable and sensitive analytical method for pyrimisulfan residues is required for ensuring the food safety of pyrimisulfan residues in agricultural products. In this study, a rapid and sensitive analytical method was developed and validated using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the determination of herbicide pyrimisulfan residues in agricultural products. Average recoveries of pyrimisulfan ranged from 88.7 to 99.3% at the spiked level of 0.005 mg/kg and from 90.1 to 94.2% at the spiked level of 0.05 mg/kg, while the relative standard deviation was less than 10%. Linear range of pyrimisulfan was between 0.01~1.0 ${\mu}g/mL$ with the correlation coefficient ($r^2$) 0.999 and limit of quantification was 0.005 mg/kg. The results of method validation were satisfied Codex guideline. The results revealed that the developed and validated analytical method is possible for pyrimisulfan determination in agricultural product samples and will be used as an official analytical method.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.158-167
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• 2013

This study was carried out to assess the safety of cereals and their products (20 species, 205 samples) distributed in Gyeonggi province by analyzing contamination levels such as exposure frequency of Aflatoxins and Deoxynivalenol (DON). Aflatoxins were detected in 16 (8%) samples in total with a range of 0.01~27.88 ${\mu}g/kg$, including 3 of 9 bake flour (33%), 2 of 6 dried corn (33%), 3 of 12 frying flour (25%) and 2 of 11 sorghum (18%). DON was found in 56 (27%) samples including 11 of 13 adlay (85%), 6 of 8 wheat (75%), 6 of 10 processed corn for popcorn (60%), 6 of 11 sorghum (55%) and 7 of 16 barley (44%) with a range of 2.2~754.4 ${\mu}g/kg$. In particular, both Aflatoxins and DON were detected in 8 samples (2 millet, 2 wheat, 1 sorghum, 1 adlay, 1 dried corn, 1 bake flour) simultaneously. As a result of this study, we found that an adult is exposed to Aflatoxins of $0.80({\times})10^{-3}{\mu}g/kg$ b.w./day and DON of 0.18 ${\mu}g/kg$ b.w./day. The quantity of exposure to DON amounted to 18.5 percentage level compared with PMTDI 1 ${\mu}g/kg$ b.w./day suggested on JECFA, therefore we can assess that the possibility of health risks by intake cereals distributed in Gyeonggi province is low. However the concentration of Aflatoxins in one dried corn was 27.88 ${\mu}g/kg$ which was over the maximum residue limits (MRL) suggested on internal and external level, the monitoring about mycotoxin should be conducted on continuously.