• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.66-74
• /
• 2005

This survey was conducted to assess the consumer perceptions of food-related hazard in 500 housewives from all over Korea. The subjects were selected by stratified random sampling method. The survey was performed using structured questionnaire through telephone interview by skilled interviewers. The results showed that 34.6% of the respondents felt secure and were not concerned about food safety, and 65.4% were concerned about food safety. Logistic regression analysis showed that the increasing concern on food brands, food additives (such as food preservatives and artificial color), and imported foodstuffs indicated the current increasing concern on food safety. Other related factors indicating the increasing concern on food safety were education level and care for children's health. The respondents who cared about food safety expressed a high degree of concern on processed foodstuffs such as commercial boxed lunch (93.3%), imported foods (92.7%), fastfoods (89.9%), processed meat products (88.7%), dining out (85.6%), cannery and frozen foods (83.5%), and instant foods (82.0%). The lowest degree of concern was on rice. All the respondents perceived that residues of chemical substances such as pesticides and food additives, and endocrine disrupters were the most potential food risk factors, followed by food-borne pathogens, and GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). However, these results were not consistent with scientific judgment. Therefore, more education and information were needed for consumers' awareness of facts and myths about food safety. In addition, the results showed that consumers put lower trust in food products information such as food labels, cultivation methods (organic or not), quality labels, and the place of origin. Nevertheless, the respondents expressed their desire to overcome alienation, and recognized the importance of knowing of the origin or the producers of food. They identified that people who need to take extreme precautions on food contamination were the producers, government officials, food companies, consumers, the consumer's association, and marketers, arranged in the order of highest to lowest. They also believed that the production stage of agriculture was the most important step for improving the level of food safety Therefore, the results indicated that there is a need to introduce safety systems in the production of agricultural products, as follows: Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), and Traceability System (75).

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.414-421
• /
• 1997

HACCP procedures are regarded as essential components of modern safety assurance programs for all forms of food processing and preservation, including irradiation. Control of hazards and classification of hazardous microorganisms and indicator organisms (and related tests) are helpful to establish preventive and practice regulations at each facility. A carefully conceived and well implemented system assure the safety of all products. The HACCP is designed to prevent defects, rather than to detect them as in traditional end-point testing and inspection, as controlling requirements into food formulations, processing parameters and operating practices. This article commentes on some equipments and materials for HACCP system.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.63-75
• /
• 2004

This study was conducted to establish the hygiene standards for chicken entrees (deep-fried breast chicken, chicken and potato in red pepper paste and smothered chicken) served with in 3 different elementary school lunch programs during 2002. The study evaluated the layout characteristics of the food facilities, and determined the physical and microbiological hazards for the production of chicken entrees based on the HACCP(Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) system. The kitchen layouts needed to be remodeled for the separation of soiled and clean work areas. The pH values for all items were over 6.0, which require careful attention. The microbial assessments of 3 chicken items revealed that the TPC, coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus were within normal ranges, but Salmonella was found at several stages in the production of all products, with the exception of smothered chicken. The bacterial counts of the kitchen utensils and cooks' hands exceeded acceptable limits, and workers' sanitary practices were poor in terms of sanitary handling and holding of foods and utensils. The CCPs determined related to the steps of receiving, cooking and breaking of egg shells. From our findings, it is recommended that chicken entrees should be prepared and served very carefully, as salmonella was detected at several stages during meal production, and the aim of the HACCP system is to secure against food-borne illnesses due to reckless school food service operations.

• Journal of The Korean Digital Architecture Interior Association
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.5-13
• /
• 2011

This research proposed the space planing methode and diagrams of restaurant kitchens to improve hygiene by analyzing the related contents collected from books and researches in interior design and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point). HACCP is an effective and scientific hygiene system for food safety in order to prevent cross-contamination from food hazards. Based on the analyses, improvement of food production environments like restaurant kitchens is necessary for food hygiene. The space planing methode of restaurant kitchens to improve hygiene are followings: The circulation planing is that the direction of movement of the food, workers, waste, and dishes should be fractionated and managed for cross-contamination prevention. The space separation planing is that the spaces in the kitchen should be classified and divided into contaminated area and non-contaminated and clean area depending on the degree of cleanliness. The zoning is space arrangement with feed-back process to check the possible points of cross-contamination and correct space arrangement until the possibility of cross-contamination disappear in kitchen. However, if cross-contamination is unavoidable in some points in restaurant kitchens, hygiene facilities such as washing rooms, pass rooms, and double doors with air-shower should be located in order to remove contamination.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.376-386
• /
• 2011

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial hazards posed by food utensils and fixtures in food service operations at selected middle and high schools located in Seoul, Korea. Methods: We collected 200 samples of utensils and fixtures including cups, spoons/chopsticks, food trays and tables from five different schools in Seoul. Target microorganisms of this study were divided into two groups: total bacterial count and total coliform as indicators of microbial contamination and Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus as pathogens of food poisoning. We used selective media to quantify microbial concentration and 16S rRNA PCR assay for qualitative analysis. In addition, intensive interviews with nutritionists were conducted and observations were made to identify factors that may affect microbial contamination. Logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the relationship between the microbial concentration and operation characteristics of each operation. Results: The level of microbial concentration in school B and C were significantly lower than in school A, D and E (p<0.05). Some samples from school A, D and E showed over 3.4 log CFU/100 $cm^2$ (total bacterial count) and 1.0 log CFU/100 $cm^2$ (total coliform), which requires immediate hygienic action. The number of customers per staff member, periodicity of hygiene education for staff and daily operation time of sterilizers were also found to be important factors related with the microbial contamination of food service operations. Conclusions: These results suggested that not only a HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) approach, but also efforts to assess internal risk factors within operations be needed to reduce the microbial contamination of food utensils and fixtures. This study is expected to provide preliminary data for assessing microbial hazards in food service operations.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.38 no.5
• /
• pp.287-296
• /
• 2023

Mushroom consumption is gradually growing annually worldwide for many centuries. Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus), and enokitake (Flammulina filiformis) are mainly consumed in Korea. However, mushrooms can be contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms, such as Listeria monocytogenes, because antibacterial treatment during mushroom cultivation and processing is insufficient. Therefore, many cases of mushroom contamination-related foodborne illnesses and food recalls have been reported. Three representative treatments are used to prevent microbial contamination in mushrooms: chemical, physical, and combination treatments. Among the chemical treatments, chlorine compounds, peroxyacetic acid, and quaternary ammonium compounds are commercially used and ozone and electrolyzed water has recently been used. Additionally, physical treatments, including ultrasound, irradiation, and cold plasma, are being developed. Combination techniques include ultraviolet/chlorine compounds, ozone/organic acid, and ultrasound/organic acid. This review describes the domestically consumed mushroom types and their characteristics, and investigates the mushroom contamination levels. Additionally, effective antibacterial technologies for reducing microbial contamination in mushrooms are also discussed.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.133-145
• /
• 2015

Objectives: Food safety has become one of the major public-concerning issues in Korea. In order to set guidelines to create manuals for the response to a food safety crisis by food industry, this paper classified food safety crises and suggested techniques to determine crisis level. Methods: This study clarified common terminologies and definitions including in food safety crises. It reviewed various food safety crises and described characteristics, types, and states of crises. Results: The results of this study suggested that a food safety crisis implied a situation in which hazards/risk spreading in the food supply chain was widely described, causing strong public concern followed by a socioeconomic impact, and therefore, requiring the implementation of a prompt and full response regarding the situation. In terms of seeking response plans, food safety crises might be classified according to the penalties resulting from violations of laws and regulations, causative substances, stages of the food supply chain, and first contact point for incidents. The crisis level for a food safety crisis could be classified according to its severity parameters. The guideline matrix was divided into four major stages: Blue/guarded, Yellow/elevated, Orange/high, and Red/severe. This study also suggested several methods for determining the crisis level, such as the simple judgement method, scoring methods using a check-list and a weighted check-list. Conclusion: The severity of related parameters might be of great importance in understanding a crisis and determining response options/challenges for crisis levels.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
• /
• v.2 no.4
• /
• pp.297-307
• /
• 2011

This study investigates relation of food safety incidents with climate. Therefore food safety incidents and climate data during 1999 to 2009 have been analyzed. In situ observations of monthly mean temperature, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity in 60 observation stations of Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) have been used in this study. Food safety incidents data have been constructed by searching media reports following Park's method (2009) during the same period. According to the Park's method, 729 events were collected. To analyze its relations, food safety incidents data have been classified into chemical, biological, and physical hazards. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients have been applied to analyze the relations. The correlation of food safety incidents has negative one with precipitation (-0.48), and positive one with minimum temperature(0.45). Precipitation has been correlated with biological and physical hazards more than chemical hazard. Temperatures (mean temperature, maximum temperature, and minimum temperature) have been correlated closely with chemical hazard than others. Food safety incidents data has been interblended with human behavior factor through decision-making processes in food manufacturing, processing, and consumption phases of "farm-totable" food processing. Act in the preventing damage will be obvious if the hazard were apparent. Therefore abnormal condition could be more dangerous than that of apparent extreme events because apparent events or extreme events become one of alarm over hazards. Therefore, human behavior should be considered as one of the important factors for analysis of food safety incidents. The result of this study can be used as a better case study for food safety researches related to climate change.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.508-515
• /
• 2020

This study examined the research trends of "Microplastic in food" with a scholar databaseusing the centrality analysis method. The data was based on research papers published from 2011 to 2020, sorted by "microplastic" and "food". The centrality analysis methodology(Degree centrality, Closeness centrality, Betweenness centrality) was applied, followed by a keyword-based frequency occurrence analysis. The results suggested that more than 30% of the total keywords were related to "marine" and "pollution". Therefore, research on the effects of microplastic pollution on the ecosystem had mainly been conducted. On the other hand, only 6% of the keywords were related to "toxicity" and "ingestion". Hence,the number of studies on microplastic exposure caused by bioaccumulation or food are still insufficient. These results can be used to provide directions for future research, as well as provide basic data for political decision-making on the environmental hazards of microplastic.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.180-184
• /
• 2010

This study surveyed the change of housewives' purchase behaviors by food safety incidents; the outbreak of 2008 Melamine incident in Korea as for example. 565 housewives in Gunsan were interviewed in March 2009. 52.3% of respondents were regarded as unsatisfactory for food safety management in Korea. Despite the result of scientific assessment for melamine, 74.6% of respondents were yet regarded as health-threatening substance. By the point of before, during and after Melamine-related food safety incident, we were surveyed the level of purchase for melamine-related food items as five scales, the results were $2.47{\pm}0.97$, $1.80{\pm}0.92$ and $1.62{\pm}0.92$, respectively (p < 0.001). After the incident happened, the purchase level was even more reduced. This study also found that there were significance difference (p < 0.05) among the respondents' knowledge for melamine toxicity and food safety management in Korea concerning housewives' purchase behaviors, i.e. the more accurately for melamine toxicity and higher satisfactory of consciousness of food safety, there were less change of purchase behaviors. In conclusion, the consciousness of food safety and accurate knowledge of hazards were significantly affected for the change of housewives' purchase behaviors by food safety incidents. Therefore, it can be suggested that the need for more scientific risk communication strategies with consumer.