• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.103-120
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• 2005

During the 1970s, concern arose that cured meats contained high levels of residual nitrite and preformed nitrosamines. Therefore, the search for alternatives and alternative approaches to the use of nitrite have been still continued, however no complete alternative for nitrite has yet been identified. Recently, it was publicized in Korea that nitrite-containing meat products would be detrimental to health, about which consumers have been seriously concerned. Therefore, this study was carried out to inform the consumer of the safety status of nitrite and thereby to lead proper consumption of meat products. For assessing the safety of nitrite, data regarding the regulation for use, metabolism in human body, and dietary intake amounts of nitrite were collected and analyzed. The mean intake level of nitrite for Korean per capita was recently reported to be not more than 1% of ADI set by JECFA. On the contrary, a calculation indicated that the daily nitrite intake per capita from saliva by ingestion of vegetables in Korea would be about 300-fold higher than that from cured meats. In consideration of the low consumption amount of meat products per capita of Korean, that is, at least one fifth, compared to European and American, there is no particular reason to concern about the impairment of health by nitrite intake from meat products for Korean. However, any effort for the reduction of residual nitrite content in cured meats should be given with an idea to minimize the intake of nitrite even from the minor source.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.60-67
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• 2021

In this study we investigated pesticide residues on herbs and spices disrtibuted in the Incheon Metropolitan area. A total of 112 samples were purchased from off-line and on-line markets from January to October 2020. In accordance with the implementation of the Positive List System (PLS), the proper usage of pesticides is now being enforced. It is assumed that unregistered pesticides are being used on herbs and spices due to the low number of registered pesticides in the agricultural industry. Pesticide residue levels were not detected in 99 samples but 11 kinds of pesticides in 6 samples (13 times) exceeded the MRLs. The pesticides that were used in accordance with the PLS were Diazinon, Diethofencarb and Pyridalyl. However, unregistered pesticides were on the herbs and spices. Therefore, it is necessary to educate producers of herbs and spices on the appropriate use of pesticides. It is also necessary to establish MRLs on herbs and spices.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.168-175
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• 2018

The use of microwave-assisted extraction and an acid-base clean-up process to determine the amount of methylmercury (MeHg) in marine products was suggested in order to improve the complicated sample preparation process. The optimal conditions for microwave-assisted extraction was developed by using a 10% NaCl solution as an extraction solution, setting the extraction temperature at $50^{\circ}C$, and holding for 15 minutes to extract the MeHg in marine products. A NaOH solution was selected as a clean-up substitute instead of L-cysteine solution. Overall, 670 samples of marine products were analyzed for total mercury (Hg). Detection levels were in the range of $0.0006{\sim}0.3801{\mu}g/kg$. MeHg was analyzed and compared using the current food code and the proposed method for 49 samples which contained above 0.1 mg/kg of Hg. Detection ranges of methylmercury followed by the Korea Food Code and the proposed method were $75.25(ND{\sim}516.93){\mu}g/kg$ and $142.07(100.14{\sim}244.55){\mu}g/kg$, respectively. The total analytical time of proposed method was reduced by more than 25% compared with the current food code method.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.30-39
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• 1999

Objectives. This study was carried out to evaluate hearing impairment judgement and to investigate the differences in various diagnostic criteria for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among workers who required for close observation (C). Methods. Out of 731,029 workers who had taken the specific periodic health examination in 1994, we used the audiometric data on 37,999 workers (C) eliminating the employees who had previous otologic problems. Many investigators have being using different criteria for the evaluation of hearing impairment. In this study, we used the criteria of early (1989-1994), current, compensation for NIHL in Korea, 2-, 3-, 4-divided classification and hearing loss at 4,000 Hz and compared the evaluation results. Results. The prevalences of C and workers who had occupational disease $(D_1)$ diagnosed for NIHL were 11.1 % and 0.44 %. There were significant difference in the prevalences of C and $D_1$, depending on different province of Korea. Pure tone averages (PTAs) were not appropriately applied in their evaluation 97% of workers whom we studied on were below the level of mild hearing loss judged by ISO standard. However, there were wide variations in the prevalence rate of mild hearing loss by diagnostic criteria. Thus, there were different judgements in determining the degree of NIHL depending on which diagnostic criteria were utilized. PTAs were found 20.54 (Rt) and 20.74 (Lt) when the method of 3-divided classification was applied for audiometric data. The degree of hearing impairment of the left ear was more severe than that of right ear. The prevalence of normal hearing threshold below 20 dB was 75.4% and the range of difference in both ear was below 10 dB. Right sided hearing threshold levels were 21.08 dB (500 Hz), 18.44 dB (1,000 Hz), 22.09 (2,000 Hz) and 52.36 dB (4,000 Hz). There was typical high frequency loss (C5-dip at 4,000 Hz) above 30 - 40 dB in normal hearing level. The increasing trend in hearing threshold level was gradually decreased by the increase of PTAs. The difference between PTAs and threshold at 4,000 Hz was about 10 dB. Conclusions. We could found that PTAs in the previous examination were not appropriately evaluated. This study revealed that they did not use unique criteria for managing the workers of NIHL. For the prevention of NIHL, it was found that the quality control on diagnosis and comprehensive management program were required, especially for those of hearing loss (C).

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.141-145
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• 2014

To assess the health risk for benzo(a)pyrene by the intake of edible oils, 288 cases of edible oils collected from food markets were analysed using the high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector. The levels of benzo(a)pyrene were from non-detection to $4.78{\mu}g/kg$, and the average was $0.11{\mu}g/kg$. The chronic daily exposures of benzo(a)pyrene for total population group and consumer-only group were estimated using the food consumption data in the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2011. The estimated daily intake of benzo(a)pyrene was $4.26{\times}10^{-3}ng/kg$ b.w./day for total population group and $7.64{\times}10^{-3}ng/kg$ b.w./day for consumer-only group. The MOE (margin of exposure) of benzo(a)pyrene for total population group and consumer-only group was $7.28{\times}10^7{\sim}1.74{\times}10^8$ and $3.95{\times}10^7{\sim}9.42{\times}10^7$, respectively. Accordingly, the health risk from benzo(a)pyrene caused by the intake of edible oils was considered as a very low level.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.30-38
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• 2022

Purpose: The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) in South Korea initiated a quality assessment (QA) program for blood transfusion healthcare services in 2020 to ensure patient safety and appropriate blood use. This study examines the quality of blood transfusion services since the first national QA program for blood transfusion services in Korea. Methods: We analyzed HIRA claims and QA investigation data based on inpatient medical records from all tertiary, general, and primary hospitals between October 2020 and March 2021. The target population was patients aged 18 years and older who received either total knee arthroplasty or red blood cell transfusion. The QA indicators for transfusion healthcare service consisted of four quality indicators and four monitoring indicators. Results: We analyzed the results of QA indicators for transfusion service from the medical records of 189,668 patients from 1,171hospitals and expressed indicators as proportions. The average results for evaluation indicators were as follows: transfusion checklist presence, 64.8%; irregular antibody tests, 61.8%; transfusions in which the hemoglobin levels before transfusion met the transfusion guidelines for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty, 20.6%, and transfusions in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty, 59.3%. The average results for monitoring indicators were as follows: transfusion management implementation in medical institutions, 56.9%; preoperative anemia management in anemia patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty, 43.9%; one-unit transfusions, 82.5%; and the transfusion index. Conclusion: The quality of blood transfusion healthcare varied and the assessment revealed that there is scope for improvement. Hospitals require more effective blood transfusion management and this can be facilitated by providing feedback on the QA results about blood transfusion healthcare services to medical institutions, and by disclosing the results to the public.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.20 no.4 s.51
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• pp.279-286
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• 2005

Earthworm (Eisenia fetida) acute toxicity test was carried out and ecological risk assessment in soil was performed with national monitoring data. 14 day - $LC_{50}$ of nonylphenol and bisphenol A were 288.1 mg/kg and 90.1 mg/kg, respectively. And NOECs of nonylphenol and bisphenol A were 250 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg, respectively. Significant weight decrement was appeared at 70 mg/kg of bisphenol A, however, nonylphenol at concentrations tested did not severe adverse effect on the weight decrement. The environmental monitoring has been carrying out by NIER since 1999. Exposure levels of nonylphenol in soil were ND$\sim$10.55 $\mu$g/kg and those of bisphenol A were ND$\sim$15.50$\mu$g/kg in National Monitoring data which had been performed from 2000 to 2004. The measured soil exposure level was applied to evaluate the environmental risk assessment. The values of PNEC for bisphenol A and nonylphenol were determined as 0.5 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively using the safety factors which were suggested in EU and OECD. The values of HQ (PEC/PNEC) were determined to be below I for bisphenol A and nonylphenol when the maximum exposure levels for bispheol A (15.50$\mu$g/kg) and nonylphenol (10.55$\mu$g/kg) were applied. Conclusively, the environmental risk assessment of bisphenol A and nonylphenol was not critical in soil.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1740-1748
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• 2012

A home-made meju sample contaminated naturally with aflatoxins was used for isolation of fungal strains. Overall, 230 fungal isolates were obtained on dichloran rosebengal chloramphenicol (DRBC) and dichloran 18% glycerol (DG18) agar plates. Morphological characteristics and molecular analysis of a partial ${\beta}$-tubulin gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of rDNA were used for the identification of the isolates. The fungal isolates were divided into 7 genera: Aspergillus, Eurotium, Penicillium, Eupenicillium, Mucor, Lichtheimia, and Curvularia. Three strains from 56 isolates of the A. oryzae/flavus group were found to be aflatoxigenic A. flavus, by the presence of the aflatoxin biosynthesis genes and confirmatory aflatoxin production by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The predominant isolate from DRBC plates was A. oryzae (42 strains, 36.2%), whereas that from DG18 was A. candidus (61 strains, 53.5%). Out of the 230 isolates, the most common species was A. candidus (34.3%) followed by A. oryzae (22.2%), Mucor circinelloides (13.0%), P. polonicum (10.0%), A. tubingensis (4.8%), and L. ramosa (3.5%). A. flavus and E. chevalieri presented occurrence levels of 2.2%, respectively. The remaining isolates of A. unguis, P. oxalicum, Eupenicillium cinnamopurpureum, A. acidus, E. rubrum, P. chrysogenum, M. racemosus, and C. inaequalis had lower occurrence levels of < 2.0%.

• Journal of the FoodService Safety
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2021

Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of the three different calorie types of HMR curry rice using fermented turmeric were analyzed in this study. The general tumeric added sample groups showed significantly higher carbohydrate content than the fermented turmeric sample group. In all sample groups, the ratio of protein, fat, and carbohydrate was found to be appropriate according to the nutritional composition ratio as one meal recommended by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The brightness L value of the general turmeric-added sample group was measured to be significantly brighter than the fermented turmeric-added sample group. The fermented turmeric sample group showed a slightly lower pH value than the general sample group due to organic acids generated during fermentation. As a result of analyzing the radical scavenging activity of ABTS, LFTC, MFTC, and HFTC of the fermented turmeric group were 40.20, 40.46, and 36.16%, respectively, compared to those 32.41, 37.75, and 36.16% of LNTC, MNTC and FNTC of the general sample groups, respectively, consistently indicating that more free radicals were generated in the fermented sample group (p<0.01). Relatively unstable to heat and acid, DPPH scavenged radicals showed similar results to those of ABTS radical scavenging activity in terms of activity. Similar results were also shown in the measurement of total flavonoid and phenol content, which are known to have antioxidant antiviral and anticancer effects. Thus we could conclude that pilot products of the high quality varied calorie levels of HMR Bibimbap set with tumeric, which is helpful for antioxidant action have been developed to meet various customer needs.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.92-98
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• 2017

Background: Nebulized colistimethate is increasingly used, because there are problems such as renal dysfunction and low distribution within the lungs when colistimethate is administered intravenously. This study was designed to compare and analyze the changes in renal function by of nebulized colistimethate treatment for its safe administration. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of adult patients above 19 years old, receiving only the nebulized colistimethate at least 4 days in Yonsei university health system from Nov 2014 to Aug 2015. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was determined by using the RIFLE criteria (Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss and End-stage renal disease) according to serum creatinine (SCr) levels before and after use of nebulized colistimethate. Results: 48 patients were included our study and their SCr increased significantly after nebulized colistimethate treatment ($SCr_0$ vs. $SCr_1$; $0.85{\pm}0.80$ vs. $1.00{\pm}0.82mg/dL$, n=48, p<0.001), but the changes were in normal range according to the standards at Yonsei university health $system^a$. Among 48 patients, 38 patients were in the non-AKI group (79.2%), and 10 patients developed AKI (20.8%). Within the AKI group, 2 patients were in the Injury group (20%) and the other 8 in the Risk group (80%). Conclusion: There was no significant difference in age, dosage and duration of treatment between AKI group and non-AKI group (p>0.05). The study has a significance in that it reviewed the safety of nebulized colistimethate only treatment to national patients, analyzing its nephrotoxicity. It has confirmed that nebulized colistimethate is a safer method than intravenous injection, and requires to establish a guideline for the use of nebulized colistimethate in further studies with broader patient groups. $^a$ : SCr Male 0.68-1.19 mg/dL, Female 0.49-0.91 mg/dL.