• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.383-387
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• 2015

A duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection method was developed to authenticate the use of cat and rabbit in food and to prevent unlawful distribution of illegally butchered meat in both domestic and imported food market. Species-specific primers were designed targeting mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The sizes of PCR products were 191 bp for cat and 101 bp for rabbit, which were relatively small for better application of the detection method on processed foods. Specificities of primers were verified using 21 animal species including cat and rabbit. Limit of detection was examined by serial dilution of the sample DNA and confirmed as 0.005 ng for rabbit and 0.0005 ng for cat using Bioanalyzer. The developed duplex PCR method showed specificity and sensitivity in the identification of two target species.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2001

A survey was conducted to assess the food-purchase behavior of 197 Taejon full time housewives 30 to 49 years of age. Food purchase was assessed using a questionnaire and the resulting data were analyzed using SPSS programs. Demographic data revealed that most of the households have three to five family members and that the Engel Indices of the participating households were mostly between 10 and 30%. Noticeable results of the food purchase assessment are as follows. In the grain and grain products items, the low-education group purchased more rice and barley than the high-education group, whereas the high-education group purchased more glutinous rice, brown rice, bread, macaronis and spaghetti than the low-education group. In the vegetable items, the low-education group purchased more Chinese cabbage and radish than the high-education group, while the high-education group purchased more head lettuce, broccoli and sweet pepper than the low-education group. In the meat items, the beef purchase was higher in the high-education than in the low-education group, while the pork purchase was higher in the low-education than in the high-education group . In the processed meat items, ham was the most favorite purchase item regardless of the education level. In the fish and shellfish items, Pacific cod and Alaska pollack were purchased more in the low-education than in the high-education group, and salmon and dried icefish strip were purchased more in the high-education than in the low-education group. No items in fruit group showed significant differences in the purchase amount between the low-education and the high-education group although the latter purchased more imported-fruits such as melons, kiwis, grapefruits, and oranges. Dairy products such as milk, cheese and butter were purchased more in the high-education than in the low-education group. It was also found that both the number of food items and the consumption of foods coming from animals were higher in the high-education than in the low-education group.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.481-490
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• 2010

The shock of melamine-contained food has been known with the incident of hospitalization or death of infants at the age of 11-month old in China. The purpose of this study was to examine consumers' risk perception, attitude and purchase behavior of melamine-contained food which recently came to the fore as a social issue, focusing on the relationship between consumers' attitude and purchase behavior based on physical risk, social risk, psychological risk, financial risk, consumers' attitude and purchase behavior. Study findings are as follows. First, the four factors of risk perception of melamine-contained food were significantly different by consumers. Consumers regarded social risk as most significant and it was followed by financial risk and psychological risk. And they regarded physical risk as most insignificant. Second, as for the difference of risk perception by demographic features, such factors as gender, age, marital status and schooling had no statistically significant influence. Third, the potential risk of melamine-contained food had a negative influence upon consumers' attitude and purchase behavior. In addition, consumers' attitude and purchase behavior were decided by perceived risks. This finding implies that consumers' attitude can accompany with negative or positive behavior and consumers' behavior can be related to social, financial and physical risks. Because the risk perception of melamine-contained food can cause consumers' distrust about all kinds of food in general, domestic manufacturers of milk product-contained confectionery and food can be harmed. In order to overcome this problem and make consumers purchase all the milk products and milk-contained food without fear, governmental agencies must reestablish systems with which the safety of imported raw materials and its processing can be insured and manufactures must improve the quality of products in a diverse and discriminative manner. This study seems to be meaningful in that it examined consumers' risk perception of melamine-contained food, a current social issue, and then looked into the influence of risk perception upon consumers" attitude and behavior, thus presenting the strategy of reestablishing the system of relationship between consumers and business entities in a desirable manner.

• Journal of Service Research and Studies
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2012

Recently, the market size of hypermarkets in the domestic retail market accounts for a high percentage. The domestic retail market after the opening of the market for the past 1996 and grow to the spread of hypermarkets. However, events such as tasting events were increased due to intense competition among business condition as to attract more customers beyond price competition. Under these circumstances, it is important to examine the relationship of the factors associated with tasting events on consumer buying behavior. The impact on consumer buying behavior in order to verify factors tasting event by setting product standards study the relationship between variables was set up as a model. As result, only one came out significantly to pay the hypothesis of various products depending on the origin of the factors that increase the amount available. This is seen as a supermarket tasting event at the origin of products, and transparency, but also for recently imported foods for consumers who have negative thoughts, mainly domestic product tasting events Mart's sales continue to increase to attract more customers shall be deemed to be one way.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.117-125
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• 2009

The present study examined the import routes of distilled rice liquor soju and how soju developed among the royal family and the upper classes using celadon inscribed with poetry related to alcohol beverages in the 12th century, Maebyeong style vases inscribed with government office name in charge of alcohol beverages of the royal family in the 14th century during the Koryo Dynasty. Distilled rice liquor was imported from the southwestern region to Koryo by Arabian merchants through direct and indirect routes in the Yuen Dynasty during the age of King Chungsuk and King Chunghye in around the 14th century. As soju was added to existing takju and cheongju, the three major types of alcohol beverages were completed during the late Koryo Dynasty. Celadon pitcher inscribed with poetry shows the delicate sentimentalism, aristocratic prosperity, and poetic sentiment. In particular, it is valuable in that it reflects Koryo people's mind, view of nature, and attitude toward alcohol beverages, and their inner world was also described with celadon patterns. Maebyeong style vases Yangonseo, Saonseo, Deokcheongo, Euiseonggo and Saseonseo, which are real celadon antiques inscribed with government office name, were used for rice liquor preservation. In particular, Maebyeong style vase has the exact year of creation, so it is a historically important celadon in research not only on alcohol food culture but also on art history. This shows that alcohol beverages were important foods that there were controlled and stored in celadon by the government offices for the royal family's related alcohol ceremonies. Through celadon inscribed with poetry and government office name displaying Koryo people's unique imagination and cultural consciousness, we can read their mind and lifestyle based on historical and social alcohol food culture in the Koryo Dynasty.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.663-673
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA), a natural polymer found in fermented soybean products, has been reported to play a prebiotic role in the gut. This intervention study investigated the effects of γ-PGA-containing supplement consumption on urinary microbiota in healthy adults because of limited data on such investigation. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A 4-week parallel trial including 39 male and female Korean adults, who were free of chronic diseases and infection, was designed as a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. A total of 30 participants completed the study wherein the intervention group (n = 17) received a mixture supplement containing 600 mg/day of γ-PGA and 100 mg/day of vitamin B6, while the control group (n = 13) received a placebo. Paired datasets (baseline and endpoint data) of microbiota profiles, which were constructed via urinary assays of microbe-derived extracellular vesicles, were analyzed and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Only the intervention group yielded significant results for the Bray-Curtis and Jaccard dissimilarity indices between baseline and endpoint data (P < 0.05). In the phylum-level analysis of microbial composition, the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio (FB ratio) tended to decrease from baseline in the intervention group; however, it increased in the control group. Differences between the baseline and endpoint FB ratios were significant between the two groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study's findings suggest that γ-PGA-vitamin B6 supplementation potentially alters the microbial community composition of a host. Further investigation into the biological consequences of commensal microbiota alteration by γ-PGA-containing supplement consumption is warranted.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2013

In this study, we investigated the applicability of the photostimulated luminescence (PSL), thermoluminescence (TL), electron spin resonance (ESR) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) methods for 5 seeds which are not allowed to be irradiated in Korea. All 5 seeds including evening primrose seed, safflower seed, rape seed, sunflower seed and flax seed were analyzed. Samples were irradiated at 1~10 kGy using a $^{60}Co$ gamma-ray irradiator. In PSL study, the photon counts of all the unirradiated samples showed negative (lower than 700). The photon counts of irradiated (1, 5, 10 kGy) samples showed positive (higher than 5,000). In TL analysis, results showed that it is possible to apply TL method to all foods containing minerals. In ESR measurements, the ESR signal (single-line) intensity of irradiated foods was higher than non-irradiated foods. The hydrocarbons 1,7-hexadecadiene ($C_{16:2}$) and 8-heptadecene ($C_{17:1}$) from oleic acid were detected only in the irradiated samples before and after the treatment at doses ${\geq}$ 1 kGy, but they were not detected in non-irradiated samples before and after treatment. These two hydrocarbons could be used as markers to identify irradiated safflower seed, rape seed, Sunflower seed and flax seed. And then, the hydrocarbons 1,7,10-hexadecatriene ($C_{16:3}$) and 6,9-heptadecadiene ($C_{17:2}$) from linoleic acid were detected in the evening primrose seed, safflower seed and sunflower seed. According to the results, PSL, TL and GC/MS methods were successfully applied to detect the irradiated foods. It is concluded that PSL, TL and GC/MS methods are suitable for detection of irradiated samples and a combined method is recommendable for enhancing the reliability of detection results.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2015

The purpose of our paper was to investigate the migration level of 4,4'-MDA(4,4'-methylenedianiline), 2,4-TDA(2,4-toluenediamine), aniline, acrylonitrile and methylmeth acrylate from plastic cookwares into food simulants and to evaluate the safety of each monomers. The test articles for monomers were PA (polyamide) items for 4,4'-MDA, 2,4-TDA and aniline, PU (polyurethane) items for 4,4'-MDA, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene- styrene) items for acrylonitrile, and acrylic resin items for methylmethacrylate. All the article samples of 321 intended for contact with foods were purchased in domestic market. 4,4'-MDA, 2,4-TDA and aniline were analyzed by LC-MS/MS (liquid chromatography -tandem mass spectrometer), acrylonitrile by GC-NPD (gas chromatography-nitrogen phos phorus detector) and methyl methacrylate by GC-FID (gas chromatography-flame ionization detector). The migration level of monomers were within the migration limits of Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). As a result of safety evaluation, our results showed that the estimated daily intake (EDI, mg/kg bw/day)s were $2.39{\times}10^{-9}$ and $1.20{\times}10^{-9}$ for 4,4'-MDA and 2,4-TDA of PA, $4.32{\times}10^{-9}$ for acrylonitrile of ABS and $2.27{\times}10^{-7}$ for methylmethacrylate of acrylic resin. Reference Dose (RfD, mg/kg bw/day) of acrylonitrile and tolerable daily intake (TDI, mg/kg bw/day) of methacrylate were established respectively as 0.001 by EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) and as 1.2 by WHO (World Health Organization). When comparing with RfD and TDI, the EDIs of acrylonitrile and methylmethacrylate accounted for $4.32{\times}10^{-4}%$ and $1.89{\times}10^{-5}%$ respectively.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.334-339
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• 2014

The purpose of our study was to investigate the migration level of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), antimony (Sb), arsenic (As), hexavalent chromium ($Cr^{6+}$) and mercury (Hg) from cookwares into food simulants and to evaluate the safety of each heavy metals. The test articles for heavy metals were glassware, ceramics, enamel, earthenware, polypropylene and polyethylene cookwares for Pb and Cd, enamel for Sb, earthenware for As, polyethylene and polypropylene cookwares for $Cr^{6+}$ and Hg. All the article samples of 391 intended for contact with foods were purchased in domestic markets. Pb, Cd, Sb and As were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), $Cr^{6+}$ by UV visible spectrophotometer and Hg by mercury analyzer. The migration levels of heavy metals in all the samples were within the migration limits of Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). As a result of safety evaluation, our results showed that the estimated daily intakes (EDI, mg/kg bw/day) were $9.12{\times}10^{-6}$ and $8.83{\times}10^{-7}$ for Pb and Cd from ceramics and $1.19{\times}10^{-5}$, $1.23{\times}10^{-5}$ and $7.52{\times}10^{-6}$ for Pb, Cd and Sb from enamel. Tolerable daily intakes (TDI, mg/kg bw/day) were established respectively as 0.0036, 0.00081, 0.0021, and 0.0006 for Pb, Cd, As and Hg by JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives), as 0.0060 for Sb by WHO (World Health Organization). When comparing with TDIs, the EDIs accounted for 0.25% and 0.11% for Pb and Cd from ceramics and 0.33%, 1.52% and 0.13% for Pb, Cd and Sb from enamel.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.158-169
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• 2019

Ergot alkaloids are mycotoxin produced by fungi of the Claviceps genus, mainly by Claviceps purpurea in EU. Recently obtained informations indicates necessity for control the ergot in imported grains. Recent occurrence data of ergot alkaloids from EU countries indicate the necessities of management and control these toxins from the imported grains like rye, wheat, oat etc. The aim of this study is to optimize the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for determination of ergot alkaloids (ergometrine, ergosine, ergotamine, ergocornine, ergocryptine, ergocristine and their epimers (-inines) from grain and grain-based food. The test method was optimized by extracting the sample with acetonitrile containing 2 mM ammonium carbonate, purification with Mycosep cartridge, and instrumental analysis by LC-MS/MS using Syncronis C18 column. The standard calibration curves showed linearity with correlation coefficents; $R^2$ >0.99. Mean recoveries ranged from 72.0 to 111.3% at three different fortified levels (20, 50, and $100{\mu}g/kg$). The correlation coefficient expressed as precision was within the range of 1.9-12.9%. The limit or quantifications (LOQ) ranged from 0.012 to $0.058{\mu}g/kg$. The developed analytical method met the criteria of AOAC Int. and CAC validation parameters like accuracy and sensitivity. As a result, it was confirmed that the test method developed in this study is suitable for the simultaneous analysis of six species of ergot alkaloid from grains and grain products.