• Title/Summary/Keyword: consumer safety

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Food Safety Behavior of Low-Income Parents and Guardians of Infants in the U.S.

  • Kwon, Junehee
    • Journal of Community Nutrition
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.71-77
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    • 2002
  • The U.S. government have concerned about food safety over the last two decades. The concept of the continuum, “from farm to table” was created to explore ways to prevent foodborne illnesses in all stages of food systems. On the continuum, consumers were recognized as the last line of defense to prevent foodborne illnesses, and much efforts were made to educate them safe food handling. This research was conducted to investigate infant formula handling and hand-washing behaviors of low-income families, especially parents and guardians of infants. The subject was selected from participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children(WIC), a federal program for low-income families in the U.S. Stratified 200 local WIC offices were randomly selected based on the number of WIC participants in each state, and 20 randomly selected WIC participants from each selected office were asked to complete questionnaires. SPSS for Windows was used for statistical analyses including frequency, cross- tabulation, and chi-square analyses. A total of 87 WIC offices returned completed question-naires (N = 1,598), and 492 were parents/guardians of infants. Most respondents were white (51.3%), high school graduates (41.5%) , and participated in WIC>1 yew. Most respondents (80.9%) teamed about food safety from WIC, and only limited number of respondents (10.2%) used the Internet for food safety information. Most respondents stored prepared formula safely (94.6%) and discarded formula left in the bottle after feeding (84.5%) , but fewer used brushes to wash formula bottles (71.3%) and boiled water(15.2%) Chi-square analyses showed respondents in different race/ethnicity had different food handling behaviors. Respondents showed generally good hand-washing behaviors as 94.2% always washing hands after using restroom, 93.2% after touching meat items, and 87.l% before preparing foods. Fewer respondents, however, washed hands after changing baby diapers (77.0%) and touching pets (67.2%). Researchers concluded that WIC education on food safety was effective, as limited food safety education covered during WIC education were followed well (e.g., storing prepared formula and discarding leftover). However, results also indicated that there were many behaviors needed to be reinforced especially to overcome family tradition and culture on food handling behaviors. The WIC may serve as good food safety resources and education agents utilizing mandatory education sessions because the vast amount of food safety information on the Internet was not readily accessible for this low-Income Population.

Study on Status of Safety Accidents and Related Factors of the Cooks for School Foodservice in Daegu (대구 지역 학교 급식 조리사의 안전사고 실태 및 영향 요인에 관한 연구)

  • Shin, Sun-Jung;Kim, Hyochung;Kim, Meera
    • The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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    • v.30 no.6
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    • pp.1299-1309
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    • 2017
  • The aim of this study was to investigate status of safety accidents of school foodservice cooks in Daegu and to analyze the factors affecting the occurrence of the accidents in order to seek effective ways for preventing safety accidents in school foodservice. The survey showed that the most frequent safety accidents were 'bruises', followed by 'burns', 'contact with harmful substances such as disinfectants', 'fall-off ' and 'sprains'. The mental fatigue perception of the respondents was generally lower than the physical fatigue perception. The means of the perception levels of work intensity, cooking environment of the foodservice place, and safety-related behaviors, and consciousness were 3.15, 2.99, and 4.06 out of 5 points, respectively. In addition, the annual average of the number of participating in the accident prevention training per person was 17.34 times, that is, the respondents received the training at least once a month on average. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to investigate the variables affecting the occurrence of safety accidents that happened to foodservice cooks. It revealed that the work intensity perception and the cooking environment perception influenced the frequency of safety accidents.

A Case Study on the Safety Management and its Education in an Infant Institution of Learning (유아교육 기관에서의 안전관리와 안전교육 실태에 관한 실증적 연구 - 인천지역의 유아교육 기관을 중심으로 -)

  • Han, Doo-Heui;Jung, Soo-Il
    • Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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    • v.11 no.1
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    • pp.7-14
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    • 2009
  • Protecting an infant from a risk of accident was an absolute responsibility and duty of parents in the past. As increase in the ratio of entering kindergartens, the demand of all day program also increases. In infancy, safety concerns are higher than other periods since infants are curious about objects and environments and that have stronger impulse of the spirit of inquiry. Since baby's functioning is poor, an ability of balance maintenance and an exercise function are not sufficiently developed. Further more, they lack a cognitive power about self-control or situation. According to Korea Consumer Agency, safety accidents in infant institution have increased in 115% as 294 cases compared with 137 cases in 2004. Major causes of infant deaths are street accidents, drowning, and deaths from a fall in order. Considering this situation, we need to prevent and deal with accidents. Therefore this thesis grasp the situation and analyze an actual condition of an safety education about teachers who work in such institutions and infants who are educated in institutions to prevent from accidents and make up pleasant environments. Then, it will suggest all efficient safety education plans for infants to them.

Organization of Crisis Response Teams and Operating Procedures for Crisis Response Activities in the Food Industry (식품산업체의 위기관리 조직 및 위기대응 절차)

  • Kim, Jong-Gyu;Kim, Joong-Soon
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.41 no.3
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    • pp.191-202
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    • 2015
  • Objectives: Promotion of food safety/eradicating adulterated food has been listed as one of the four major issues recently identified for action by the Korean government. Due to the related seriousness, the food industry has been encouraged to take steps to restore consumer confidence. In order to set guidelines for the creation of manuals for the response to a food safety crisis by the food industry, this study provided a suggested organization for a crisis response team and operating procedures for crisis response activities. Methods: The prototypes of an organizational structure and a set of standard procedures for a crisis response system were provided. Results: The results of the study suggested that a crisis response team should be comprised of four divisions of responsibility: information analysis, site response, communication and operational support. The organization chart and the role and functions for each division of the crisis response team should be indicated. Response activities will be more effective when the team features multi-disciplined staffing, such as public relations, food safety/technology/quality, sales/marketing, purchasing, production, distribution/logistics, regulatory affairs/legal, and consumer service specialists. This study created a flow chart for the total crisis response system, which included crisis and normal situations. A crisis response team should be continuously operated for both crisis and normal conditions. This study also suggested a scenario to explain the procedures for crisis response activities. Conclusion: In order to cope more effectively with a food safety crisis, the organizational structure and its functions should be defined clearly, and a detailed set of standard procedures for response activities should be offered.

Comparison of Specific Exemption Regulations for Consumer Products Containing Radioactive Isotopes

  • Jimin Shin;Yeijin Bang;Hee Seo;Byeonghyeon Park;Jiyoung Lee;Minkyung Kim;Sangmin Lee
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.49 no.3
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    • pp.121-140
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    • 2024
  • Background: Practices involving radionuclides at levels below the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) generic exemptions are exempt from regulation without further consideration. Practices involving radionuclides at levels above those generic exemptions may also be exempt from regulation if they meet certain conditions. These are known as specific exemptions, and each country has established its own specific exemption criteria based on the conditions set out in the IAEA General Safety Requirements (GSR) Part 3. Those conditions relate to the physical or chemical form of the radioactive material as well as to its use or the means of its disposal. Materials and Methods: The specific exemption criteria of eight countries (i.e., the United States of America [US], Japan, France, China, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [UK], and Germany) were analyzed. Their similarities and differences as compared with the specific exemption criteria of the Republic of Korea (ROK) were analyzed, and suggestions for revision of the Korean regulations were formulated. Results and Discussion: Each country's specific exemption criteria are defined based mostly on the IAEA criteria but tailored to its domestic circumstances. The nine countries with their specific exemption criteria can be broadly categorized into three groups: nuclide-specific exemptions for specific products (the ROK and the US), common criteria for all nuclides without specification of particular products (Japan, France, and China), and both specific and common criteria (Australia, Canada, the UK, and Germany). Conclusion: The specific exemption criteria of the different countries examined in this study could be helpful in reviewing the ROK's specific exemption criteria. Development of common criteria alongside specific criteria for products requiring special attention may be a good way to determine whether new consumer products containing radioisotopes should be regulated.

농식품안전 정책방향

  • Jo, Jang-Yong
    • 한국환경농학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2009.07a
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    • pp.3-18
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    • 2009
  • It is difficult for consumers to satisfy high safety request with post-management method such as inspection and surveillance, as various changes in-and-out of the country associated with food safety. In terms of food safety problems related to foods, it is crucial to recognize public health and consumer protection and construct pre-preventive Food Control System. A joint committee, FAO/WHO made the following consultations to the National Food Safety System. ${\circ}$ Approach entirely from farm to table ${\circ}$ Get ready for Risk Analysis System ${\circ}$ Secure transparency ${\circ}$ Establish the optimal policy by evaluating the effect of regulation When it comes to summarizing the consultation, it would be accumulated as two key words; "Efficiency" and "Credibility". Whereas the problem of efficiency focuses on precaution rather than post-management, it requires policy option to maximize consumer's benefit by evaluating the cost for the Food Safety Management and its benefit. Also, analyzing risk's character and amount, demanding an optimal means, and introducing scientific analysis system put much value on the stakeholder's communications are procedure's security which can satisfy both "Efficiency" and "Credibility" simultaneously. Especially, it is emphasized here that Risk Assessment need to be separated from Risk Management. This action is a valid means of credibility security throughout improving transparency. A number of nations and organizations have reformed the method of food management passing through reflection and examination of the prior National Food Safety Management since BSE occurred in Britain, 1996. FSA; Food Standard Agency, AFFSA, EFSA, BfR, and FSC are Risk Assessment Organization functionally separated from Risk Management Organization, JECFA, JMCFA, JMPR, JEMRA in Codex charge Risk Assessment internationally. In case of advanced countries excluding several those such as The U.S. and so forth, though these Risk Assessment Organizations are either separated functionally within Risk Management Organization or operated as apart organ, common factors are in which it has independence as Science Base. While securing independence of Risk Assessment Function, it is a tendency Risk Management should be functionally unified into efficiency as well. Though Germany constructs integral Risk Management System of diverse ways according to social and political conditions of each country such as GFOCP, DVFA, SNFA, CFIS and AQIS, there is a key word in the center, "Securing efficiency of Food Safety Management". However our nation has a representative plural;diversified system with The U.S., we took a step forward for unification as empowering policy's generalization;adjustment and Risk Assessment Function by means of enacting the "Food Safety Fundamental Law" in 2008 and establishing the "Food Safety Policy Commission" with private and governmental sectors in the Prime Minister's office. Even though the unification of Risk Management hereby increased, there is the lack of strengthening function of Risk Assessment and securing independence. It needs to be required for the professional committee in Food Safety Policy Commission to develop as a exclusive office of Risk Assessment by separating from a policy decision. Administrative Branches should reinforce feeble functions such as fundamental investigation;research for carrying out Risk Assessment with securing efficiency throughout reassessment of prior Risk Management Means.

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The Willingness-to-pay for City-gas Safety Improvements (도시가스 안전성 제고(提高)에 대한 소비자 지불의사액 추정)

  • Cho, Yongsung
    • Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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    • v.9 no.5
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    • pp.829-851
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    • 2000
  • This study used the contingent valuation method to determine how much consumers would be willing to pay to improve their city-gas safety and what factors influence consumers' willingness-to-pay (WTP). To elicit this information a mail questionnaire was sent to a randomly selected sample of 2,400 residents who use the city-gas. The survey results showed that individuals were willing to pay $4,750{\pm}342.8$ won per month for the city-gas safety improvement. The aggregate annual WTP was estimated at 121.5~318.0 billion won. To better understand how individual's socio/demographic characteristics affect the WTP, Censored Tobit analysis was used. The results show that higher income, more gas use (cooking and heating), willingness to install a safety instrument significantly increase consumer's WTP.

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Consumers' Awareness of the Risk Elements Associated with Foods and Information Search Behavior Regarding Food Safety (소비자의 식품 위해요인에 대한 인식도 및 식품 안전에 대한 정보탐색 행동)

  • Kim, Hyo-Chung;Kim, Mee-Ra
    • Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.116-129
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    • 2009
  • The study was conducted to evaluate consumer awareness of the risk elements associated with foods and their information search behavior regarding food safety. The data were collected from 504 adult consumers living in Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Daejeon, and Gwangju through a self-administered questionnaire on August, 2006. Frequency analyses, t tests, one-way analysis of variance, and Duncan's multiple range comparison tests were conducted to analyze the responses using SPSS v. 14.0. The levels of recognition of consumers regarding each risk element were generally low. Many respondents answered that they obtained information regarding food safety from TV/radio/newspapers and family/relatives/friends/neighbors. The respondents also indicated that they had strong confidence in the information from family/relatives/friends/neighbors. Additionally, most respondents required information regarding heavy metal contamination, endoctrine disruptors, and avian influenza.

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A Study on Optimal Performance Evaluation Analysis of Work Manager (안전 재고 감소를 위한 RFID-VMI 시스템 적용에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Boo-Kyong;Nam, Seong-Don;Yang, Kwang-Mo;Kang, Kyung-Sik
    • Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.107-118
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    • 2007
  • It calls for positive consideration of RFID technologies applying to the operation of the optimum VMI system for decreasing safety inventory. Based on the above-said considerations, the present author judges that the introduction of RFID into the consumer goods distribution industry is one of the important issues to be settled in the future. Conclusively, this study proposes that, for the sake of the operation of VMI system, the aforesaid problems should be positively examined and efficient methods promptly developed, so as to reinforce the competitiveness of enterprises.

A Study on Consumers' Information Demand of Genetically Modified Organisms(GMO) (유전자재조합식품(GMO)에 대한 소비자 정보요구도 연구)

  • Park, Hye-Young;Kim, Si-Wuel
    • Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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    • v.43 no.2
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    • pp.175-189
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    • 2005
  • This study analyzed the degree of demand for genetically modified organisms(GMOs) to provide the basic information for consumers' reasonable purchase decision making and their right to know about GMOs. Based on the (Ed-there are no study results above) study results, the following suggestion were made. First, throughout the survey, it was found that those consumers who participated had a high level of perception on the harm of GMOs. Therefore, reliable organizations such as government agencies are required to present the results of safety tests and formulate plans related to the safety of GMOs. Second, the average score on consumers' level of consumer knowledge on GMOs was very low, being 1.68 out of a possible 8 points. Third, since women and housewives engaged in dietary habits and food had high demand for information on GMOs, it is necessary to provide women with information on GMOs. Fourth, since it is difficult to confirm the presence or absence of GMOs. in rapidly increasing demand for fast-food, it is necessary that consumers be provided with relevant information and make a reasonable judgement in purchasing food. Fifth, it is necessary to provide detailed regulations and measures for concrete contents and directions of information on GMOs. Sixth, it is necessary to provid information on GMOs from the commercial sources of information that are most preferred by consumers.