• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.240-246
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Folic acid supplementation before pregnancy is known to significantly reduce the risk of having a baby with neural tube defects (NTDs). Therefore, it is important for women to be aware of the effects of folic acid supplementation before pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the awareness and preconceptional use of folic acid and to assess the current knowledge about folic acid among low-income pregnant women in Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted in 2012. Five hundred pregnant women were selected from the waiting list for the Nutriplus program implemented in public health centers using a multistage clustered probability sampling design. Data from 439 women were analyzed after excluding ones with incomplete answers. RESULTS: Among women who responded to the questionnaire, 65.6% had heard of folic acid before pregnancy, and 26.4% reported on the preconceptional use of folic acid. Women with a university degree or higher education were more likely to be aware of folic acid and to take folic acid in the preconception period. In a multivariate logistic regression, when age, education level, household income, employment status, gravidity, parity, and folic acid awareness were included in the model, folic acid awareness was a strong predictor of preconceptional folic acid use. As of interview, 85.4% and 77.7% of women were aware of the NTD-preventive role of folic acid and the appropriate time to take folic acid, respectively. The main sources of information on folic acid were healthcare professionals (41.2%), friends and family members (31.2%), and the media (26.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that public health strategies are needed to increase the preconceptional use of folic acid among Korean women.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 2018

Recently demand for safer and healthier food has augmented with advancements in health conditions. Food ingredients with yet to be known safety and functionality, are being investigated for their safety or detrimental effects. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has introduced "health functional food" by the "Health Functional Food Act" to evaluate bio-functional and safety properties of raw materials using standard methods including in-vitro and in-vivo testing before human consumption. Despite recent growth in net worth of domestic functional food market, most of the raw materials are not from local Korean industries with own research and development, and mostly terrestrial not marine resources. Geographically, Korea has access to diverse marine bio-resources that need to be managed and utilized sustainably. Recently, diverse novel physiologically active substances have been reported from marine organisms. Hence, the development of functional foods from marine bio-resources is considered as an inevitably important task.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2018

This study was conducted to analyze the microbiological contamination status of raw beef distributed in Korea, and evaluate the suitability of current aerobic plate count (APC) guidelines. We analyzed five years (2010-2014) of microbiological monitoring data obtained from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and investigated the microbiological status of raw beef collected from meat packing centers and meat shops in the Seoul/Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Chungcheong regions in August 2015. From 2010-2014, most raw beef (>94%) displayed APC levels of < $1.0{\times}10^6CFU/g$. However, raw beef samples collected from all three regions in August 2015 had comparatively higher APC levels than those reported in previous years. To evaluate the relationship between the APC level and quality, changes in beef loin were evaluated during cold storage for 15 days at $4^{\circ}C$. On day 11, the mean APC level ($4.7{\times}10^6CFU/g$) conformed to current guidelines in Korea ($1.0{\times}10^7CFU/g$) and the pH value was 5.82. However, the sensory evaluation score for color and overall acceptability was under 3.0, meaning that the beef loin was not acceptable for eating. These results suggest that current APC guideline for raw beef should be lowered to $1.0{\times}10^6CFU/g$ to improve both the microbiological safety and palatability of raw beef.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.234-242
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• 2020

In this study, we monitored the raw materials in home-meal replacement (HMR) products, which have shown more than 63% growth in market size for two years. A total of 89 HMR products were purchased and the DNA barcodes of 112 raw materials in the product samples were analyzed. In order to identify the raw material species, a primer set specific for the 16S ribosomal RNA region of each raw material species was amplified. The amplicon was purified and sequenced, and then used to perform a BLAST search provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The species of the raw material was determined by comparing the nucleotide sequences of the species registered in GenBank with identity and match score. Twenty-four species and three genera were identified from 112 raw materials. Three genera were identified at the genus level because a large number of species belonging to the same genus exist within 98% of the identity criteria. The results of the determination were compared with the available raw materials suggested in the Korea Food Code to determine the Korean name and availability of the foods. Six non-listed species were determined to be edible according to information provided by influential domestic and foreign organizations.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.130-139
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• 2019

Safety of genetically modified foods (GM foods) in Korea is evaluated according to "Food Sanitation Act" and "Regulation on safety evaluation for GM foods" based on the concept of substantial equivalence. In which cases a person who imports, develops or manufactures GM foods for the purpose of eating imports GM foods for the first time, he/she shall undergo a safety evaluation of the relevant foods, etc. by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). And in which cases ten years have elapsed since GM foods underwent safety evaluation, they shall be re-evaluated for their safety. As of April 2019, a total of 199 events have been approved by MFDS and they are 169 events of GM crops including soybean (29), maize (87), cotton (29), canola (14), sugar beet (1), potato (4), alfalfa (5), 6 events of GM microorganisms (GMM) and 24 events of GM food additives originated from GMM.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 2014

In recent, the abuse of newly-emerging psychoactive drugs, ('designer drugs') is a rapidly increasing problem in Korean society. Quantitative-structure activity relationship (QSAR) is an alternative method to predict bioactivities of new abused compounds. In this study, cathinone-related new designer drugs, 4-methylbuphedrone and 4-methoxy-N,N-dimethylcathinone were tested for prediction of the bioactivity with QSAR model. The bioactivity of 4-methylbuphedrone and 4-methoxy-N,N-dimethylcathinone was similar to those of methylone. These results suggest that the prediction with QSAR model may provide scientific evidences for regulatory decision.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.6-15
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• 2014

This study was performed to acquire the information on the foodborne pathogen risk management programs in a couple of developed countries by the expert meeting and searching the information on the web. The backgrounds, strategies and effects related to microbial hazards of the foodborne pathogen reduction programs in fresh produce (US), Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef (US), Salmonella in chicken, pork and eggs (Denmark), and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafood (Japan) were investigated for case study. A comparison among the pathogen reduction programs was conducted to find advantages and disadvantages and implications of the policies to bring out implications of the programs. A model for foodborne pathogen reduction program was developed based on both the CODEX risk management scheme and the case studies as follows; 1) preliminary risk management activities, 2) planing a foodborne pathogen reduction program, 3) option identification and selection, 4) implementation (conducting the each stake-holders role and applying the intervention methods), 5) monitoring activities, 6) interim review, 7) continuation or amendment of implementation method by the interim review before achieving the goal, and 8) final review and additional cost-benefit analysis if necessary. This proposed model according to the role of the stake-holders can be used to conduct microbial risk management programs in Korea in the near future.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.93-101
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• 2021

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems were developed to ensure a high level of food safety and reduced risk of foodborne illness. This paper focuses on significant issues associated with the implementation of HACCP; it provides an overview on recent literature. The structure of the paper follows six groupings of issues in the international literature of HACCP: (1) comparative studies and unification plan between HACCP and other food safety regulations; (2) verification of the HACCP system's effectiveness in improving food safety; (3) establishment of critical control point (CCP) for various foods HACCP model development; (4) expansion of HACCP application in the various fields and small businesses;(5) the impacts of HACCP on consumer's preferences and firms' financial performance in food industry; (6) HACCP and technological changes. The paper concludes with some suggestions for the future research in order to promote safe food supply chain for global customers.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.322-326
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• 2014

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, USA) recently it was reported that the children (< 5 year-old children) were more susceptible to Foodborne-illness. Confectionery products should be strictly controlled because they are children-preferred foods. Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS, South of Korea) tried to monitor contamination of organisms in confectionery products (such as biscuits, candies, chewing gums and ice candies) distributed in South Korea. MFDS evaluated the levels of indicator organisms: total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli as well as the levels of food-borne illness organisms: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens. Experimental plans for microbiological test were in accordance with the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Food (ICMSF). For this study, 1,005 samples were collected and from Seoul and Gyeongin region, South Korea. The average level of total aerobic bacteria in 1,005 samples was 1.7 log Colony Forming Unit(CFU)/g and the detection rate was 26.8%. The average level of Bacillus cereus was detected in 1.7 log CFU/g and the rate was 0.9%. There was no detection of coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium perfringens. The results of this study will be provided as the basic data to set the reasonable microbiological criteria of Korea Food Code.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 2023

Background: This study was aimed to identify the safety signals of metoclopramide in Korea Adverse Event Reporting System (KAERS) database by proportionality analysis methods. Methods: The study was conducted using Korea Institute of Drug Safety and Risk Management-Korea Adverse Event Reporting System Database (KIDS-KD) reported from January 2013 to December 2017 through KAERS. Signals of metoclopramide that satisfied the data-mining indices of proportional reporting ratio (PRR), reporting odds ratio (ROR) and information component (IC) were defined. The detected signals were checked whether they included in drug labels in the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Micromedex^®. Results: A total number of drug AE reports associated with all drugs of data in this study was 2,665,429. Among them, the number of AE reports associated with metoclopramide was 22,583. Forty-two meaningful signals of metoclopramide were detected that satisfied with the criteria of data-mining indicies. Especially neurological signals including extrapyramidal reactions, represented in the safety letter of regulatory agencies were identified in this study. Conclusion: Neurological signals of metoclopramide including extrapyramidal reactions were detected. It is believed that this search for signals can contribute to ensuring safety in the use of metoclopramide.