• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2011

The number of North Korean refugees residing in the Republic of Korea (South) has reached 17,000, and this number is expected to exceed 20,000 (North Korean Supporter's Association, 2009). Refugees have developed improper dietary habits while hiding and escaping North Korea. They have also developed preferences for exotic food. This thesis attempts determine the changes in Korean food. This study also describes the view on South Korean food by North Korean refugees. According to our survey, women refugees had better dietary habits than men. Moreover, women and those in their 40's showed a tendency to choose food based on quality over quantity. Both men and women refugees responded that they cook food based on North Korean recipes. Those who view their current financial status as average or higher stated that South Korean food is tastier than North Korean food. Those whose financial status among North Koreans was average or higher when they lived in North Korea appreciated the splendor and beauty of South Korean food more. The results of this study are expected to assist in determining the differences in dietary habits between those from the North compared to Koreans living in the Republic of Korea. Therefore, studies between South and North Korean food should continue.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.134-142
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: North Korean refugees (NKRs) in South Korea are a unique population as they must adapt in a new country with similar cultural traits but different social, political, and economic systems, but little research has been conducted on diet and nutrition in this population. This study examined food security, dietary behaviors, and nutrient intakes among adult NKRs living in South Korea and compared them to those of South Koreans. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The subjects were 139 adult NKRs (25 men, 114 women) living in the Seoul metropolitan area, and 417 age- and sex- matched South Korean controls (SKCs; 75 men, 342 women) selected from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Food security and dietary behaviors (meal skipping, eating-out, meals with family, nutrition education and counseling, and nutrition label knowledge and utilization) were obtained using self-administered questionnaires. Nutrient intakes were assessed by 24-hr recall. The statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS ver. 23.0. RESULTS: In South Korea, food security had improved over the previous 12 months, but remained significantly poorer for NKR women than SKC women. Meal skipping was three times more frequent than for SKCs and eating-out was rare. Average energy intake was 1,509 kcal for NKR men and 1,344 kcal for NKR women, which was lower than those of SKCs (2,412 kcal and 1,789 kcal, respectively). Significantly more NKRs (men 24.0%, women 21.9%) showed simultaneously deficient intake in energy, calcium, iron, vitamin A, and riboflavin than SKCs (men 2.7% (P = 0.003), women 7.0% (P < 0.001)). NKR women had a significantly higher index of nutrient quality (INQ) for some nutrients than SK women. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports significant differences in food security, dietary behaviors, and nutrient intakes between NKRs and SKCs. Generally, NKRs reported lower intakes despite improved food security, but relatively good INQs across nutrients. Further research is needed to understand processes of food choice and consumption among NKRs to provide appropriate support aimed at improving diets.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.265-273
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• 2016

Objectives: This study compared the nutritional status of child-bearing age women between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Methods: The data presented in the DPRK Final Report of the National Nutrition Survey 2012 was utilized for the nutritional status and food intake of North Korean women. To produce the South Korean women's data comparable to those of North Korean women, the data from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey were analyzed and the data presented in the 2010 Report of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards were utilized. Results: The prevalence of maternal anemia (blood hemoglobin < 12.0 g/dL) was over 30% in all the age groups of North Korean women and 8.9%, 14.2%, 16.4% in 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 year old South Korean women, respectively. The prevalence of maternal protein-energy malnutrition (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference < 22.5 cm) was 25.2%, 21.4%, 21.8% in 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 year old North Korean women, respectively and less than 10% in all the age groups of South Korean women. Result of dietary diversity comparison showed that North Korean women consumed less food than South Korean women at all food groups: grains, fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy. Percentage of North Korean women having consumed protein rich foods-meat and fish, eggs or dairy products-were much lower than those of South Korean women. Conclusions: The striking disparity of nutritional status between South and North Korean women indicates that nutrition support for North Korean women is essential in the process of preparation for a unified nation.

• Agribusiness and Information Management
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.1-5
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• 2013

Demographic transition drives changes in consumer demand for food products. This study examines how rising incomes and population trends affect spending on food purchased for home. The objective of this study is to characterize the relationships between selected socio-demographic factors and food selection among South Korean households. Panel data from Rural Development Administration (RDA) in South Korea in 2010 was used (n=971). Household food purchases were classified into one of the five food groups from Composition of Foods of RDA. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the effects of household size and income based on the expenditure share on each food group. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS/ PC version 9.3. Results show that household socio- demographic characteristics have a strong influence on food purchasing, with the purchase of vegetables and fruit, and processed food and pre-packaged being particularly sensitive.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1857-1864
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• 2018

Phthalate plasticizers residue in food is a serious threat to public health. Spores of Ganoderma lucidum are easy to be contaminated with phthalates during collection and processing. In this study, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) was performed to remove phthalates in spores of G. lucidum, and the effects on acid and peroxide values of spores' oil were also evaluated. The results showed SFE removed 100% of the residual di-iso-butyl phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate in the spores of G. lucidum. No significant differences in polysaccharides content and fatty acid composition were observed between SFE and control spores. However, the triterpenoid extracts of SFE spores had a 7.45% increase, significantly higher than that in control spores. Accelerated oxidation tests further implied that SFE could improve the stability of spores' oil. Our results suggested SFE is a potential approach to remove phthalate from food related products.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.209-217
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• 2003

The food and nutrition system is a network of processes linking agriculture, food, eating, nutrition, and health. The system includes a series of nine stages (production, processing, distribution, acquisition, preparation, consumption, digestion, transport, and utilization) and two types of contexts (biophysical and sociocultural). Analysis of whole food and nutrition systems provides information about the structure and processes involved in the complete scope of food and nutrition, assisting in the identification of ″upstream″ influences and ″downstream″ consequences in the system. The current analysis gathered existing data about the food and nutrition system in South Korea from public sources and professional publications, and interpreted that information to consider how different elements of the system contribute to health. The findings revealed that South Korea has substantial domestic food production and processing supplemented by imports, widespread food distribution in markets and a growing number of Korean and Western restaurants, a relatively low percentage of household income spent on food, growing use of new food preparation methods such as microwave ovens, a rice/vegetable/fish based three-meal consumption pattern, few recorded digestive problems, increasing calorie storage as body fat, and a relatively low chronic disease prevalence compared to other developed societies. Examination of the full scope of the food and nutrition system provides a broad perspective using whole system thinking that can identify potential strategies for future research and intervention.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.93-110
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the adaptation and preference for South Korean food among North Korean refugees. A survey was conducted on 220 North Korean refugees regarding general questions, adaptations, and preference on consuming dishes in South Korea. The results of the survey showed that the average difficulty degree scored with the adaptation to South Korean food was 3.06 points out of 5.00 points. The adaptation to Korean food was investigated as 'average' and some North Korean refugees had some difficulties in South Korean food. Some respondents described South Korean food as having very strong flavor that tastes more sweetened, seasoned, and spicy than North Korean food. The extended residency in South Korea allowed North Korean refugees to become more familiar with sweetened flavors. Most of them enjoy an oily and spicy taste more than South Koreans. North Korean refugees like Ssal bap, Naengmyeon, Doenjang-guk, Galbi-jjim, Bulgogi(beef, pork), Chaesobokkeum, Oi-saengchae, Chaeso-jeon, Baechu-kimchi, Saengsun-twigim, Soondae, pears, fruit juice, and spring water. North Korean refugees over the age of 30 years enjoy classic foods such as Japgokbap, Gimbap, Jumeokbap, Hwedeopbap, and Chobap. On the other hand, North Korean refugees less than 30 years old enjoy new foods like ramen and spaghetti.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.86-96
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• 2020

This study analyzed the dietary behaviors and adaptation for Korean foods among Central Asian workers(Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan) living in South Korea to provide basic and fundamental data that allows Central Asian workers to have desirable eating habits while living in South Korea. Questionnaires were completed by 186 Central Asian workers living in South Korea. From this study, we found that 56.8% of respondents ate three meals a day, and 27.2% of respondents ate two meals a day. 29.7% of respondents had no snacks. For adapting Korean food, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan workers had difficulties adapting spicy and salty flavors and unpleasant smell while Kazakhstan workers had difficulties due to sweet flavors and spicy and salty flavors. Men adapted better than women to adapt Korean food. Women respondents ate Korean food more often than men. And the Uzbekistan ratio of eating homeland food daily was the highest. By providing understanding of dietary patterns of Central Asian workers, these results can be used as the basic and fundamental data for their Korean food adaptation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.198-204
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Food shortage situation in North Korea has gained much interest, however food insecurity caused by the food shortage in North Korean households has not been much investigated. This study examined food security experiences and food consumption pattern of displaced North Korean households currently living in South Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Food security experience among 51 North Korean households living in South Korea was examined using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) in three time points: immediately before childbirth, immediately before leaving North Korea, and immediately before entering South Korea. Meal/snack consumption frequencies and food diversity were also examined. RESULTS: Food security situation was the worst at the time of immediately before leaving North Korea with the average HFIAS score of 10.05. The households that were food insecure, they tended to be "severely" insecure. Although majority of the subjects reported having three or more meals a day, food diversity in their diet was very low with the average food diversity score of 2.17 immediately before childbirth and 1.74 immediately before leaving North Korea. Their diet appeared to heavily rely on grain and vegetable. CONCLUSIONS: This study is one of few that specifically examined food security of North Korean households with a pre-developed scale, and that demonstrated food security situation at different time points in quantified terms. Replicating this study with different groups of North Korean households for different time points would allow more complete understanding of impacts of food shortage. Food diversity score could provide a good way to examine changes of food consumption occurring to North Koreans in the process of adaptation. More attention to the changes occurring during adaption to South Korea should be given to understand the process and impact and to prepare public nutrition policy for the re-unified Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.56-65
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• 2021

This study examined the background of the dietary life of North Korean defector adolescents born and raised in North Korea and their new South Korean dietary experiences after being settled in South Korea. The study included six North Korean defector adolescents enrolled in an alternative school located in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. This study's qualitative research methodology included two-by-two group interviews, followed by individual interviews and field observation. The study period was from September 14 to October 26, 2019. Before entering South Korea, they primarily ate food pickled with soybean and salt, a cooking method by which foods are preserved because refrigerators were unavailable. After settling in South Korea, they had difficulty adapting to South Korean foods because of the unfamiliar ingredients and recipes. On the other hand, they quickly adapted to some foods, such as chicken. The participants reported that North Korean foods are generally light, whereas South Korean foods are sweet, salty, and spicy; hence, they do not taste delicious. The results suggest that attention be paid to menu improvement and the provision of nutritional education by schools and the government to prevent undernourishment or malnourishment because of unfamiliar ingredients and recipes.