• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.661-669
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• 2020

Samgak-Kimbap is a popular ready-to-eat (RTE) food at convenience stores, in Korea. Although Samgak-Kimbap is distributed through the cold chain supply system, inappropriate temperature storage conditions prior to consumption are a cause of concern. The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk of Staphylococcus aureus growth in Samgak-Kimbap in the retail market. The prevalence and contamination levels of S. aureus in Samgak-Kimbap (n=170) were monitored, and the predictive growth model of a five-strain cocktail of enterotoxin-producing S. aureus (SEA, SEB, SEC, SED, and SEE) was developed in Samgak-Kimbap as a function of temperature (4, 10, 11, 20, 25, and 37℃). We could not observe the growth of S. aureus and enterotoxin-producing S. aureus in Samgak-Kimbap at temperatures below 10℃. The probability of illness with S. aureus per serving of Samgak-Kimbap was 1.44×10-10 per day. The most influential factor in increasing the risk of foodborne illnesses was the contamination level of S. aureus in Samgak-Kimbap.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.129-142
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• 2023

As the demand for ready-to-eat foods continues to grow, concerns about the sodium in processed foods are also growing. In this study, a survey was conducted on the perception of low-sodium products and diffusion plans according to the type of employee (manufacturer, retailer, distributor). Of the 191 responses collected, 189 valid responses (98.9%) were analyzed. The results showed that the employees were aware of the health contribution of a low-sodium diet, labeling for low-sodium, and the promotion of low-sodium food to increase its consumption. Furthermore, retailers recognized the positive contribution of low-sodium products in terms of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) management. The use of sodium substitutes was preferred as the best way to reduce sodium in ready-to-eat foods. With regard to sodium reduction in ready-to-eat foods, we found that the technical factors involved were clustered by the type of business. Specifically, distributors showed a similar performance but had a lower perception of importance than retailers. Manufacturers had a lower perception of both importance and performance. In this study, we collected perceptions from employees who were working at food companies, which differed from previous research. We sought to examine the differences in the perception of sodium reduction and consumption of ready-to-eat foods across various types of employment. Furthermore, we provided specific approaches to reduce perception gaps and enhance understanding among employees.