• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 2023

This investigation delves into the adverse repercussions stemming from the impact of arsenic on steel pipes concealed within soil designated for rice cultivation. Simultaneously, the study aims to ascertain effective techniques for detecting arsenic in the soil and to provide strategies for mitigating the corrosion of steel pipes. The realm of nanotechnology presents promising avenues for addressing the intricate intersection of renewable energy, oil, and environmental pollution from a novel perspective. Nanostructured materials, characterized by distinct chemical and physical attributes, unveil novel pathways for pioneering materials that exert a substantial impact across diverse realms of food production, storage, packaging, and quality control. Within the scope of the food industry, the scope of nanotechnology encompasses processes, storage methodologies, packaging paradigms, and safeguards to ensure the safety of consumables. Of particular note, silver nanoparticles, in addition to their commendable antibacterial efficacy, boast anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory prowess, environmental compatibility, minimal irritability and allergenicity, resilience to microbial antagonism, thermal stability, and robustness. Confronting the pressing issue of arsenic contamination within both environmental settings and the food supply is of paramount importance to preserve public health and ecological equilibrium. In response, this study introduces detection kits predicated upon silver nanoparticles, providing an expeditious and economically feasible avenue for identifying arsenic concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 3 ppm within rice. Subsequent quantification employs Hydride Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (HG-AAS), which features a detection threshold of 0.05 ㎍/l. A salient advantage inherent in the HG-AAS methodology lies in its capacity to segregate analytes from the sample matrix, thereby significantly reducing instances of spectral interference. Importantly, the presence of arsenic in the soil beneath rice cultivation establishes a causative link to steel pipe corrosion, with potential consequences extending to food contamination-an intricate facet embedded within the broader tapestry of renewable energy, oil, and environmental pollution.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.196-207
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• 2020

This study was undertaken to provide basic data for revitalizing the school meal support centers and improving school meals, by analyzing the purchase conditions and satisfaction of food according to an adoption of a school meal service support center. Comparing the purchasing efficiency, convenience to purchase, and higher overall satisfaction was achieved when a school meal service support center was adopted by the local government, as compared to non-adopted school meal service support centers. Therefore, it is considered that the adaption of a school meal service support center is urgently required by non-adoption local governments. Moreover, the stability of food material supplies was also higher in the adopted rather than the non-adopted centers. Satisfaction with the quality of food ingredients was also found to be significantly higher in the adopted centers. These results indicate that if the local government adopts and introduces the school meal support center, inconsistencies observed in the return and exchange processes experienced by the non-adopted centers can be resolved, and food quality satisfaction can be improved. We, therefore, propose the necessity to implement a system for determining reasonable pricing by establishing systematic cooperation among schools, manufacturing entities (suppliers), and the School Meal Service Support Center.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.68-78
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• 2000

In Korea, food balance sheet and national nutrition survey have been conducted in parallel by Central Government for several decades. However, the gap between the two statistics became larger to reach an intolerable level in recent years, likely due to the limitation of dietary survey method in spite of the drastic change in dietary habits after industrialization and urbanization during last three decades. The currently available data from national nutrition survey was optimized by taking in to account of the food balance sheet. Adjusted consumption data for individual food items during the period of 1991-95 were given in tabular forms for groups of cereals potatoes sugars & sweets, legumes, nuts & seeds, fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, dairy products oils & fats and fishery foods. Conversion factors of processed foods including wheat products, soybean products, Kimchi and dairy products into their raw materials were tentatively proposed. Great differences between supply data and intake data of food commodities were pointed out to be likely due to the seasonal variation and ignorance of processed foods and dining-out in the national nutrition survey. It is recommended to utilize these optimized food intake data as the nationally-representative one until new data from the national health and nutrition survey undertaken after modified procedures since 1998 are obtained and verified in future.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2019

The health benefits associated with consumption of fresh produce have been clearly demonstrated and encouraged by international nutrition and health authorities. However, since fresh produce is usually minimally processed, increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has also led to a simultaneous escalation of foodborne illness cases. According to the report by the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 10 people suffer from foodborne diseases and 420,000 die every year globally. In comparison to other processed foods, fresh produce can be easily contaminated by various routes at different points in the supply chain from farm to fork. This review is focused on the identification and characterization of possible sources of foodborne illnesses from chemical, biological, and physical hazards and the applicable methodologies to detect potential contaminants. Agro-chemicals (pesticides, fungicides and herbicides), natural toxins (mycotoxins and plant toxins), and heavy metals (mercury and cadmium) are the main sources of chemical hazards, which can be detected by several methods including chromatography and nano-techniques based on nanostructured materials such as noble metal nanoparticles (NMPs), quantum dots (QDs) and magnetic nanoparticles or nanotube. However, the diversity of chemical structures complicates the establishment of one standard method to differentiate the variety of chemical compounds. In addition, fresh fruits and vegetables contain high nutrient contents and moisture, which promote the growth of unwanted microorganisms including bacterial pathogens (Salmonella, E. coli O157: H7, Shigella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus cereus) and non-bacterial pathogens (norovirus and parasites). In order to detect specific pathogens in fresh produce, methods based on molecular biology such as PCR and immunology are commonly used. Finally, physical hazards including contamination by glass, metal, and gravel in food can cause serious injuries to customers. In order to decrease physical hazards, vision systems such as X-ray inspection have been adopted to detect physical contaminants in food, while exceptional handling skills by food production employees are required to prevent additional contamination.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.339-353
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• 2003

The rapid increase in food borne illness outbreaks in Korea has been one of the major threats to the Nation's Health. Foodservice establishments have been identified as the major place for these outbreaks, mainly due to the lack of sanitary management and sanitary facility management practices. The purposes of the study were to develop hospital foodservice facility evaluation tools, based on the general HACCP-based standards and guidelines, for hospital food service establishments, to ensure the safety of these foodservices and to reduce the risk of food home illness. The scope of this study included: 1) an assessment of the current foodservice sanitation practices and managements for 6 general hospitals, with more than 400 beds, and 3 general hospitals, with less than 400 beds; 2) the development of foodservice establishments sanitation evaluation tools and sanitation standards, based on the HACCP system. The survey data showed varied results between the hospitals surveyed. Most of the hospital foodservice operations had many problems with ventilation and the plumbing. The total dimensional mean scores for the hospitals with more than 400 beds and less than 400 beds were 31.5 and 27.0, respectively. The highest dimension scores were for the water supply facility and lighting, with the lowest for insect and rodent control and toxic materials management. The levels of the mean scores were very low, especially for the general hospitals with less than 400 beds. These low mean scores may have arisen from critical problems within the hospital foodservice operations. The most needed facility management items for improvement were: storage shelf should be spaced 6 inches from the floor and walls, the use of three compartment sinks, utility sinks and cleaning facilities, with a floor drain for cleaning mops or liquid wastes, a ventilation hood designed to prevent dripping onto food, cooking facilities should be disassembled for washing and sanitizing, a separated hand washing sink and a sanitized food board for each area should be provided, all toxic material must have warning labels attached, and be stored in an area away from food preparation under padlock. The evaluation tool consisted of 14 dimensions, with 65 check-off items. The results of this study will provide basic facilities' guidelines to regulators, or foodservice industry personnel, wishing to build, or expend, and establish an efficient flow of food. As a result, food borne illnesses will be effectively prevented, and the Nation's health will be promoted for the development of their own sanitation standards, with a checklist for the safe production of foods.