• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral Health
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.199-203
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• 2018

Objectives: The market for bottled water is increasing steadily in South Korea. Bottled water contains several naturally occuring minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, and fluoride. Fluoride is proven to be effective in preventing dental caries. In South Korea, the maximum permissible concentration of fluoride is 2 ppm for bottled water and 1.5 ppm for tap water. The aim of this study was to investigate the fluoride content of different commercially available brands of bottled water in South Korea, and compare the measured fluoride concentration to the concentration written on the label of each brand of bottled water. Methods: Twenty-seven of the 59 different brands of bottled water produced in South Korea were investigated in this study. Three bottles of each brand were purchased from supermarkets, marts, and convenience stores in each region of Korea in August 2016. For each bottled water brand, the fluoride content was measured three times using a fluoride-ion selective electrode (Orion ionplus Fluoride Electrode 9609, Orion Research, USA). The calibration curve was generated using 0.2 and 2 ppm standard solutions, and confirmed using a 1 ppm standard solution. Results: The mean fluoride content of the 27 brands of bottled water was $0.374{\pm}0.332mg/L$ (range=0.040 to 1.172 mg/L). The fluoride content was labeled by the manufacturer, on each of the tested brands of bottled water. In eight brands, the labeled fluoride content differed from the experimental data. The minimum to maximum fluoride content measured from 10 brands showed a variation of 0.3 mg/L or more when compared to the labeled fluoride content. Conclusions: This study investigated the fluoride content of various brands of bottled water produced in South Korea and compared the measured fluoride levels with fluoride information on the bottle labels. To ensure that consumers are suitably informed regarding their exposure to fluoride, correct labelling of fluoride content in bottled water is important.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.205-211
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• 2019

This study surveyed mycotoxin contamination in grains and grain products, which were purchased from supermarkets and traditional markets from October 2017 to September 2018 in Gwangju (Metropolitan City). A total of 127 samples including adlay, sorghum, millet, rice, oats, barley, buckwheat, corn as grains, and rice flour, buckwheat flour, roasted barley and corn, as grain products were surveyed. The tested mycotoxins were aflatoxin ($AFB_1$, $AFB_2$, $AFG_1$, $AFG_2$), fumonisin ($FUB_1$, $FUB_2$), ochratoxin A (OTA), and zearalenone (ZON). Mycotoxins were analyzed simultaneously with a UPLC-tandem mass spectrometry method. Fumonisin ($B_1+B_2$) was detected at the range of $4.8{\sim}738.5{\mu}g/kg$ in 35 samples and zearalenone at $8.4{\sim}507.6{\mu}g/kg$ in 20 samples, respectively. No other mycotoxins were detected. Risk assessment was evaluated by using estimated daily intake (EDI) and provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) in accordance with the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). When the hazard index (HI) was expressed as $(EDI/PMTDI){\times}100$, the HI (%) showed in the range of 0.0019~1.9526%. Based on these results, mycotoxin concentrations in the grains and grain products were within safe levels.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.904-911
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• 2021

For the safety assessment of microbiological and chemical hazards in dried sea mustard, fifteen samples of dried sea mustards Undaria pinnatifida were purchased from the supermarkets distributed throughout Korea. The contamination levels of total viable bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and nine pathogenic bacteria [Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio spp., Clostridium perfringens, Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), Yersinia enterocolitica and Campylobacter jejuni/coli] were quantitatively or qualitatively assessed. Also, the heavy metals (lead, cadmium, total mercury, and inorganic arsenic), and radioactivity (¹³¹I, ¹³⁴CS+¹³⁷CS) were quantitatively assessed. This microbial and chemical analysis was performed using standard methods in Korean food code. The total viable bacteria ranged from 4.3×10² (5.0×10-1.5×10³) CFU/g. Coliforms and E. coli were not detected in all samples (ND, <1 log₁₀ CFU/g). All nine pathogenic bacteria were qualitatively detected as negative. The contamination levels of lead, cadmium, total mercury, and inorganic arsenic were 0.036 (0.015-0.051), 0.117 (0.088-0.156), 0.030 (0.017-0.048), and 0.058 (0.056-0.064) mg/kg, respectively. Radioactivity was also not detected in any sample. The microbial contamination levels determined in the current study may be potentially used as basis for performing microbial risk assessments of dried sea mustards.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.155-164
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• 2022

This study was conducted for safety evaluation on 130 pet food products, which are distributed in Gwangju, South Korea. The microbial contamination part and the usage of food additives part were mainly investigated. The five microorganisms that we tested were total viable cell counts (TVC), Coliforms, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., pathogenic Escherichia coli and there were 15 products that exceed the microbial criteria or detected food poisoning bacteria. Specifically, Coliforms (13 products, 10%), TVC (9 products, 6.9%), Salmonella spp. (2 products, 1.5%), and E. coli (2 products, 1.5%) were followed. On the other hand, food additives such as preservatives, antioxidants and sodium nitrite were detected in 61 products. Among the preservatives, sorbic acid and benzoic acid were detected in 58 (44.6%) products. In antioxidants, Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was detected in 3 (2.3%) products. In addition, preservatives and antioxidants were detected in 8 of 20 products labeled as 'additive-free'. Microbial contamination tended to occur mainly in small-scale individual homemade feed stores, while food additives were all detected in pet shops and supermarkets. Currently, the criteria for microorganisms and food additives for pet foods are insufficient in Korea. So, it is necessary to establish detailed feed standards and specifications for companion animals.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.287-304
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• 2022

Purpose: The size of the salad consumption market has expanded since Covid-19, and continuous growth is predicted. Therefore, by extracting influential core purchasers in the salad consumption market and analyzing their purchasing behaviors and consumer types, this study intended to provide basic data for establishing a marketing strategy. Methods: The analysis data is the purchasing data of 576 people who have purchased salads between 2016 and 2020 (panel data of the Rural Development Administration), and in the social network analysis, the centrality structure was analyzed. Results: First, in the results of analyzing the causes of the rapid increase in salad consumption in 2020, it was found that the increase in consumption of new purchasers (n=102) had little effect. The existing consumer type (n = 474), which has been the majority of the salad consumption market so far, were consumers with stable income. However, the results of study indicated that the type of consumers has expanded since low-income class as well as high-income class increased consumption of purchasing salad. Second, in the results of analyzing the types of key purchasers with great influence in the salad consumption market, there was a difference from the results of frequency analysis in age, number of family members, existence/absence of children, and income decile. This suggests that there should be a difference between the type of customers according to the apparent quantitative figure and the actual influential purchasers. Third, in the results of analyzing the salad purchasing behaviors of core purchasers, the purchasing site for existing purchasers was large-scale marts and for new purchasers it was corporate-type supermarkets. Purchases were concentrated on Saturdays for both existing and new purchasers. As for the purchased products, existing purchasers had a high preference for products made of chicken, and new purchasers had a high preference for vegetable/fruit salad. In particular, in the results of purchased products by age group, in the case of 50s and 60s, it was an interesting result that there was a difference between the products purchased by the existing and new purchasers even though they were the same age. Conclusion: When establishing a marketing strategy in the salad consumption market, it is necessary to pay attention to the purchasing behavior of key buyers.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.107-128
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• 2013

When Korea's retail industry was liberalized, new store formats such as large discount stores and Super Supermarket(SSMs) have grown. New types of business have borne significant influence on traditional market. Traditional markets have been in gradual decline since they fail to meet to consumer's purchasing behavior. The South Korean government has been making sustained efforts to revitalize the modernization of traditional markets since 2004. This research is conducted to analyze how changes in the distribution of different types of distributors influence the consumer's purchasing behaviors depending on the changes in the market environment. The purpose of this research is to present a policy to invigorate consumer-oriented traditional markets by analyzing the consumption behavior among major retail channels at a point when competition among retail channels is becoming intensified. In order to examine the effect of the spatial competitive landscape among major retail channels on consumption behavior, an empirical analysis was conducted with 613 consumers in 6 cities nationwide, using the multiple regression model. This research identified three main areas of factors. The analysis result indicates that the physical factor (time required to go to the traditional market), socioeconomic factors (the number of vehicles owned and average monthly income), and competitive factors (intensity of competition in spatial locations and average monthly spending in supermarkets) have significant influence on consumption patterns of consumers. The findings present that the Korean government should go ahead with policies aimed to revitalize traditional markets, keeping in mind the factors that influence the consumption patterns of customers based on these results. We propose that the policy supporting traditional markets need to be a customized-strategy, considering traditional market's characteristic.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.289-294
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• 2023

Background: Artificial sweeteners are chemically synthesized substances used to add sweetness to foods. Representative substances include aspartame and acesulfame-K, which are 200 times sweeter than sugar. Recently, the IARC classified aspartame as class 2B, but Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of South Korea announced that it would maintain the current usage standards. Acesulfame-K, which has the potential to cause cancer, was excluded from the list of possible carcinogens, raising questions about its safety. According to a survey by the Consumers Union of Korea, 85% of makgeolli includes artificial sweeteners, but the content labelling is not indicated. It is necessary to accurately determine the intake of artificial sweeteners through makgeolli. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the safety of makgeolli consumption by identifying the content of artificial sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfam-K) and preservatives (sorbic acid). Methods: Twenty makgeolli samples were purchased from large supermarkets and convenience stores by referring to the sales ranking of makgeolli products distributed in South Korea and the purchase ranking from online sites. The sample was sonicated to remove alcohol and carbon dioxide. Nine mL of acetonitrile was mixed with 1 mL of the prepared sample, centrifuged, and the supernatant was filtered and analyzed using HPLC. Results: As a result of the analysis, aspartame was detected in 17 products and acesulfame-K was detected in ten. The ADI of aspartame (40 mg/kg·bw/day) is higher than the EDI based on the maximum concentration 126.5 ㎍/mL. The ADI of acesulfame-K (15 mg/kg·bw/day) is higher than the EDI based on the highest concentration of 82.96 ㎍/mL. Although the health risk is low, IARC has raised the possibility of aspartame causing carcinogenesis, so there is a need to reevaluate the standards and regulations for artificial sweeteners. Conclusions: Through this study, we aimed to determine the content of aspartame and acesulfame-K contained in makgeolli currently distributed in South Korea and the safety of exposure to the human body when consumed.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.46-53
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• 2024

The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), which is native to North America, started to be imported into South Korea as pets in the 1990s. The turtle was sold in supermarkets and pet shops nationwide at low prices such as 20 USD. These non-native turtles, with their large size and strong predatory nature, have been consistently discovered in the wild in South Korea beginning in 2014, and they were designated as an ecosystem-disturbing species (EDS) in October 2022. Until June 30, 2023, a collection system was implemented to reduce the abandonment problem of C. serpentina due to their designation as an EDS. In this study, we analyzed the impacts of the legal designation as an ecologically disturbing species and the collection system of C. serpentina on their abandonment and surrender. Our findings showed that designation as EDS did not affect the abandonment of C. serpentina. Meanwhile, the collection system led to cases of immediate surrender. Within 3 years of post-purchase, 41.8% of the turtles were surrendered, and 67.5% were surrendered when they reached 3kg. Determining the impact of the legal designation as an EDS may be currently limited due to the difficulty of detecting C. serpentina in the wild. On the other hand, cases of surrender through the collection system are considered to be effective as they have been shown to reduce the abandonment of this newly designated ecosystem-disturbing species.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.465-479
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• 2018

Purpose: This study examined the frequency of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in Korean adolescents and the major factors influencing the excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, such as sociodemographic characteristics, health-related behaviors, psychological characteristics, and dietary habits. Methods: The analysis was performed using the data from the 2017 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. The subjects included in the analysis were 30,885 middle school students and 31,391 high school students, totaling 62,276. The frequency of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was calculated by summing the consumption frequencies of soda, high caffeine or energy drinks, and sweet beverages over the last 7 days. The Rao-Scott chi-square test, reflecting information on the sampling design, was used to test the differences in the rate of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption according to each factor. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the factors influencing the excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Results: The rate of sweetened beverage consumption was higher in boys than in girls, in high school students than in middle school students, in students whose father's education level was lower, in those whose subjective academic performance was lower, and in those who smoked or consumed alcohol. In addition, the rate of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was higher in those who experienced severe stress, suicidal ideation, sadness, or a sense of despair. The rate of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was also high in those who skipped breakfast; who frequently consumed fast foods, ramen, or snacks; and who frequently ate meals at convenience stores, supermarkets, or school stores. Conclusion: The rate of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in Korean adolescents is related to various factors, such as sociodemographic characteristics, health-related behaviors, psychological characteristics, and dietary habits.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.267-274
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• 1998

The consumption patterns of the minimally processed fruits and vegetables were surveyed in this present study. Eighty four women who were resident in either Seoul and Kyongki-do in Korea were participants in this study as respondents to our various questionnaire. The result are summarized as follows; The respondents had a preference for a supermarket (46.4%) as the place of purchase (or fruits and vegetables and the frequency of purchase was two or three times per week. The residents of apartment preferred department stores and supermarkets to stalls in the immediate residential area (p<.05). Fifty percents of the unmarried women respondents indicated that they only purchased once a week. Approximately 70% of the respondents rated quality considerations over the price and quantity when they choose their fruits and vegetables. This behavioral tendency was stronger for the residents of the apartment and amongst the more highly educated women. The type of fruits and vegetables purchased were mainly unprocessed. However, minimally processed products appeared to be popular especially among unmarried or married who did not have children, were highly educated and aged between 20 and 30. These observations are supported by data in which 82% of respondents whose ages were ranged between 20 and 30, with high educational backgrounds and who had experienced in the purchase of minimally processed fruits and vegetables. The motivation for purchasing minimally processed fruits and vegetables generally resulted from a consideration of the saving in cooking time, the ease of handling and the desire to serve appropriate portions. On the other hand, the reasons for not purchasing minimally processed fruits and vegetables were the comparatively high price, a perception of unsanitary handling and pack size that were considered too small. Ninety-three percent of the respondents exhibited a positive response to the need for minimally processed fruits and vegetables. Freshness was considered to be the most important factor when purchasing these products. The preferred price for the minimally processed fruits and vegetables was approximately $110{\sim}120%$ of that for the unprocessed products.