• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.221-226
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• 2015

With the diversification and internationalization of the food industry and the increased focus on health from a majority of consumers, food safety policies are being implemented based on scientific evidence. Risk analysis represents the most useful scientific approach for making food safety decisions. Total diet study (TDS) is often used as a risk assessment tool to evaluate exposure to hazardous elements. Many countries perform TDSs to screen for chemicals in foods and analyze exposure trends to hazardous elements. TDSs differ from traditional food monitoring in two major aspects: chemicals are analyzed in food in the form in which it will be consumed and it is cost-effective in analyzing composite samples after processing multiple ingredients together. In Korea, TDSs have been conducted to estimate dietary intakes of heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins, persistent organic pollutants, and processing contaminants. TDSs need to be carried out periodically to ensure food safety.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.302-307
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• 2011

One of the most important objectives of post-marketing monitoring of dietary supplements is the early detection of unknown and unexpected adverse events (AEs). Several causality algorithms, such as the Naranjo scale, the RUCAM scale, and the M & V scale are available for the estimation of the likelihood of causation between a product and an AE. Based on the existing algorithms, the Korea Food & Drug Administration has developed a new algorithm tool to reflect the characteristics of dietary supplements in the causality analysis. However, additional work will be required to confirm if the newly developed algorithm tool has reasonable sensitivity and not to generate an unacceptable number of false positives signals.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.307-313
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• 2017

Objectives: Chemicals derived from various environment media contaminates food across the food supply chain. In Korea, levels of contaminants in food have been sporadically measured by monitoring programs of different government agencies. There is difficulty with data compilation and integrated analysis across media. Therefore, the aim of this study was to propose an overall integrated database and analytical platform design for the 'ECO-FOOD NET (Environmental COntaminant reduction platform for FOOD through an interagency collaboration NETwork)', a tool to support the reduction of environmental contaminants in food. Methods: We developed a new data structure and standardized protocols for the compilation of integrated data. In addition, we conducted subject-oriented logical and physical relational database modeling and created the architecture design of the platform. Results: We established a standardized code system related to exposure media and route, analysis method and food matrix. In addition, we designed the seven software modules of 'About the System', 'Introduction to Interagency Work', 'Media-Chemicals Profiles', 'Method Bank', 'Monitoring Data Base', 'Integrated Media Analysis', and 'Risk-Benefit Analysis'. Conclusions: This study will contribute to decision-making as a tool for executing risk management, such as sustainable reduction policies of contaminants in food.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.162-169
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• 2010

The compulsory beef labelling system has launched from January 1st 2007 by the amended Food Hygiene Law, we were checked the actual conditions of beef origin with a nationwide scale by the Hanwoo differentiation specific test method which was developed by Korea FDA using 90 SNP biomarkers. The test method is useful tool to differentiate the beef origin carrying out the mission of KFDA's annual food safety management guidance. Also we have technically transferred the Hanwoo differentiation specific test method to other institutes as well regional KFDA and established the training program as a regular course in Korea Human Resource Development Institute for Health and Welfare. The beef used in this study were collected according to the 2009 Food safety guidance in roast beef restaurants where business site area greater than 100 $m^2$. Total 216 samples were consisted of 48 samples of the Seoul area and 168 of the region. The monitoring result from restaurants in all the region of Korea showed that 3 of 216 Hanwoo-labelled beefs were found out as a non-Hanwoo (1.3%). This results are gradually deceasing trend compared with 34.0% in 2005, 30.1% in 2006, 3.2% in 2007 and 5.14% in 2008. From these data, the Hanwoo differentiation specific test method on the settlement of the compulsory beef labelling system has an important role. As a outcome of this project, we might be considered the early settlement of the compulsory beef labelling system, technically transferred to other institutes and the establishment of regular training program of the test method.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.542-557
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study is to develop an evaluation tool for operation of food safety and nutrition education projects for middle class elderly using the concept of the balanced score card. Methods: After the draft of the evaluation tool for the elderly training projects was completed, it was revised into the questionnaire and the validity of the indicators was tested by the Delphi group. The validity of the indicators was rated using a 5-point scale. The Delphi group consisted of 26 experts in the education sector, 16 government officials, and 24 professionals of the related area in communities. The first round test was conducted from July 9 to July 17, 2012, and 45 persons responded. The second round test was conducted from July 18 to July 25 and 32 persons responded. Results: The indicators, which were answered by more than 75 percent of the experts as 'agree' (4 points), 'strongly agree' (5 point) were included as the final indicators for the evaluation tool: 28 items out of 36 in outcome perspectives, 9 items out of 12 in process perspectives, and 17 out of 20 items in structure perspectives. The score was allocated as 50 points for outcome indicators, 20 points for process indicators, and 30 points for structure indicators. Conclusion: Completion of the evaluation tool is a prerequisite to determine whether the program is effectively implemented. The monitoring tool developed in the study could be applied for identification of the most optimal delivery path for the food safety and nutrition education program, for the spread of the food safety and nutrition education program for middle class elderly.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.74-83
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• 2006

The purposes of this study were to (1) identify the evaluation categories, areas, attributes, and criteria of the school food service program using both a qualitative and a quantitative analyses, (2) define the relative importance of the evaluation categories, areas, attributes, and criteria of the school food service program using analytic hierarchy process, (3) organize the evaluation system to improve quality of the school food service in Korea. A survey was conducted from August to October 2004 to collect data from 172 dietitians, 15 school food service officials at the educational board, 10 professionals of school food service. Statistical analyses were performed on the data utilizing the SPSS 12.0 for Windows and Excel, such as Descriptive statistics and analytic hierarchy process was performed. The result of the analytic hierarchy process indicated that relative importance of evaluation category was 0.4319 (food service manage ment), 0.2369 (nutrition education), 0.1455 (satisfaction) and 0.0912 (parent involvement program). 'Sanitation, safety and facility (0.1739)' was the most important area among the subcategories of food service management, followed by nutrition management (0.1581), procurement (0.1375), production (0.1345), organization and personnel management (0.0662), planning (0.0644), food service evaluation (0.0585), financial accountability (0.0555), and information management (0.0554). There existed a relative importance on the three areas of the nutrition program and satisfaction evaluation category: students (0.5281, 0.6221), parents (0.1812, 0.1491), and teachers (0.1838, 0.1618). In the parent involvement program evaluation category, relative importance of committee and monitoring management was 0.4658 and information communication was 0.3724. The quality of food and service to school children can be improved by the appropriate application of the developed evaluation tool for the school food service program.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2021

Along with the rapid growth of the food service industry, food safety requirements and hygiene are increasing in importance in restaurants and hotels. Accordingly, there is a need for quick and practical monitoring techniques to determine hygiene status in the field. In this study, we investigated 5 domestic 5-star hotels specifically, personal hygiene (hands of workers), cooking utensils (knife, cutting board, food storage container, slicing machine blade, ice-maker scoop) and other facilities (refrigerator handle, sink). In addition, we examined the hygiene management status of customer contact points (tongs for buffet, etc.) to derive the correlation between the ATP values as a, a verification method. As a result of our five-hotel survey, we found that cooking utensils and personal hygiene were relatively sanitary compared to other inspection items (cookware 92.2%, personal hygiene 91.4%, facilities and equipment 76.19%, customer contact items 88.6%). According to our ATP-based mothod, kitchen utensils (51 ± 45 RLU/25㎠) were relatively clean compared to other with facilities and equipment (167 ± 123 RLU/25㎠). In the present study, we also evaluated the usefulness of the ATP bioluminescence method for monitoring surface hygiene at hotel restaurants. After correlation analysis of surveillance of hygienic status points and ATP assay, most results showed negative and high correlation (-0.64--0.89). Our ATP assay (92 ± 67 RLU/25㎠) of each item after cleaning showed signigicantly reduced results compared to the ATP assay (1020 ± 1254 RLU/25㎠) for normal status, thereby indicating its suitability as a tool to verify the validity of cleaning. By our results, ATP bioluminescence could be used as an effective tool for visual numerical evaluation of invisible contaminants.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.101-105
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• 2008

Enterobacter sakazakii is implicated in severe forms of neonatal infections such as meningitis and sepsis. This organism has been isolated from a wide range of foods, including cheese, vegetables, grains, herbs, and spices, but its primary environment is still unknown. Generally, dried infant milk formula has been epidemiologically identified as the source of E. sakazakii. Sunsik (a powdered mixture of roasted grains and other foodstuffs) is widely consumed in Korea as a side dish or energy supplement. Sunsik is consumed without heat treatment; thus, lacking an additional opportunity to inactivate foodborne pathogens. Therefore, its microbiological safety should be guaranteed. In this study, the prevalence of E. sakazakii was monitored in 23 different sunsik component flours, using FDA recommended methods; but E. sakazakii medium (Neogen) and Chromogenic E. sakazakii medium (Oxoid) were used as the selective media. In total, presumptive E. sakazakii strains were isolated from 8 different sunsik powders. Subsequently, an API 20E test was conducted, and 15 strains from 5 different sunsik flours (sea tangle, brown rice, non-glutinous rice, cheonggukjang, dried anchovy) were confirmed as E. sakazakii. Fifteen strains were again confirmed by PCR amplification, using three different primer sets (tDNA sequence, ITS sequence, 16S rRNA sequence), and compared to ATCC strains (12868, 29004, 29544, 51329). They were once again confirmed by their enzyme production profiles using an API ZYM kit. Finally, RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA)-genotyping was carried out as a monitoring tool to determine the contamination route of E. sakazakii during processing.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.193-198
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• 2017

Scutellaria baicalensis, Eleutherococcus senticosus, and Angelica sinensis have been used as raw materials for health functional foods. This study was conducted to develop a novel method to analyze levels of baicalin (Scutellaria baicalensis), eleutheroside E (Eleutherococcus senticosus), and ligustilide (Angelica sinensis) simultaneously in health functional foods. The methanol extracted samples were analyzed and quantified via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in the positive ion mode and the negative ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring. Standard calibration curves confirmed linearity with the correlation coefficient ($r^2$) of > 0.99 at $100-2000{\mu}g/mL$ concentration range. The limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantitation (LOQs) were in the range of $13.0{\sim}35.2{\mu}g/L$ and $39.3{\sim}106.7{\mu}g/L$, respectively. The recovery results ranged between 91.4~109.9% at 3 different concentration levels with relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 5%. The proposed analytical method was characterized with high accuracy and acceptable precision. The new method would be an effective tool to analyze baicalin, eleutheroside E, and ligustilide simultaneously in raw materials of health functional foods.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.589-600
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• 2007

Recently, with the rapid expansion of the franchise restaurants, ensuring food safety has become essential for restaurant growth. Consequently, the need for food safety training and related material is in increasing demand. In this study, we identified potentially hazardous risk factors for ensuring food safety in restaurants through a food safety monitoring tool, and developed training materials for restaurant employees based on the results. The surveyed restaurants, consisting of 6 Korean restaurants and 1 Japanese restaurant were located in Seoul. Their average check was 15,500 won, ranging from 9,000 to 23,000 won. The range of their total space was 297.5 to $1322.4m^2$, and the amount of kitchen space per total area ranged from 4.4 to 30 percent. The mean score for food safety management performance was 57 out of 100 points, with a range of 51 to 73 points. For risk factor analysis, the most frequently cited sanitary violations involved the handwashing methods/handwashing facilities supplies (7.5%), receiving activities (7.5%), checking and recording of frozen/refrigerated foods temperature (0%), holding foods off the floor (0%), washing of fruits and vegetables (42%), planning and supervising facility cleaning and maintaining programs of facilities (50%), pest control (13%), and toilet equipped/cleaned (13%). Base on these results, the main points that were addressed in the hygiene training of restaurant employees included 4 principles and 8 concepts. The four principles consisted of personal hygiene, prevention of food contamination, time/temperature control, and refrigerator storage. The eight concepts included: (1) personal hygiene and cleanliness with proper handwashing, (2) approved food source and receiving management (3) refrigerator and freezer control, (4) storage management, (5) labeling, (6) prevention of food contamination, (7) cooking and reheating control, and (8) cleaning, sanitation, and plumbing control. Finally, a hygiene training manual and poster leaflets were developed as a food safety training materials for restaurants employees.