• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2019

Ursolic acid is recognized for various effects such as anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, we confirmed the anti-cancer effect of ursolic acid on human melanoma cancer cells, A375SM and A375P. Survival rate of the melanoma cells was confirmed by MTT assay and the proliferation rate was confirmed by wound healing assay. The rate of apoptotic bodies was confirmed by DAPI staining, and apoptosis rate was confirmed by flow cytometry. The induction of apoptosis protein was examined by western blotting according to the concentration of ursolic acid in melanoma cells. The survival and proliferation rates of melanoma cells were decreased according to the treatment concentrations of ursolic acid. DAPI staining showed that chromosomal condensation of melanoma cells was increased with increasing concentrations of ursolic acid, and increased apoptosis rate of melanoma cells by ursolic acid was confirmed by flow cytometry. We also confirmed by western blotting that cleaved-PARP and Bax were increased and Bcl-2 was decreased at $12{\mu}M$ concentration of uricolic acid in melanoma cells. This study was carried out at low concentrations of ursolic acid, 0 to $20{\mu}M$, and analyzed 24 h after treatment. As a result of this study, it is thought that ursolic acid has the anti-cancer effect through the regulation of apoptosis-related proteins in melanoma cells A375SM and A375P.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 2019

This study investigated the residual characteristics of bifenthrin and chlorothalonil in crown daisy and suggested pre-harvest residue limits (PHRLs) based on their dissipation patterns and biological half-lives. The samples for residue analysis were harvested at 0 (3 hr), 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 22 and 26 days after treatment, and analyzed by $GC/{\mu}-ECD$ and TOF/MS. The limit of quantitation (LOQs) of bifenthrin and chlorothalonil were 0.0046 mg/kg and 0.0007 mg/kg, respectively. Recoveries ranged from $88.67{\pm}7.97%$ and $99.90{\pm}16.03%$, showing that this method is appropriate for the analysis of the pesticide residues in crown daisy. Being well within first order kinetics, the biological half-lives of the pesticide residues in crown daisy were 9.63 days for bifenthrin and 6.54 days for chlorothalonil. The PHRLs of bifenthrin and chlorothalonil were recommended as 11.70 mg/kg and 24.10 mg/kg for 26 days before harvest, respectively.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.438-446
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• 2019

In this study, the nutrients of a total of 4 species of popcorn, Oryun Popcorn, Oryun Popcorn 2, G-Popcorn and Gichan Popcorn, cultivated in Gangwon-do, were analyzed and compared. The contents of these products, including their general ingredients, inorganic substances, fatty acids, reducing sugar and starch, were analyzed. The moisture, crude ash and crude fat content of the dried popcorn species were 11.54-12.54%, 0.97-1.45% and 2.48-2.62%, respectively. The crude protein content was 9.68-11.75%. As for inorganic substances, the potassium and phosphorus content were the highest. Potassium was 228.25-310.46 mg/100g and was the highest in Oryun Popcorn, and the content of phosphorus was 276.04-310.00 mg/100g. As for fatty acids, 11 types were detected. The content of linoleic acid accounted for 52.89-55.76% of the total fatty acid content showing the highest amount followed by oleic acid (24.31-26.65%) and palmitic acid (14.20-15.92%). As for amino acids, total 16 types of amino acids were detected by specie, with glutamic acid making up 17.70-18.52% of total amino acids, the highest, followed by leucine (12.30-12.54%) and proline (10.34-10.92%) in that order. The creducing sugar content by specie was 4.68-5.13% and starch content was 42.14-46.14%.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.60-67
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• 2021

In this study we investigated pesticide residues on herbs and spices disrtibuted in the Incheon Metropolitan area. A total of 112 samples were purchased from off-line and on-line markets from January to October 2020. In accordance with the implementation of the Positive List System (PLS), the proper usage of pesticides is now being enforced. It is assumed that unregistered pesticides are being used on herbs and spices due to the low number of registered pesticides in the agricultural industry. Pesticide residue levels were not detected in 99 samples but 11 kinds of pesticides in 6 samples (13 times) exceeded the MRLs. The pesticides that were used in accordance with the PLS were Diazinon, Diethofencarb and Pyridalyl. However, unregistered pesticides were on the herbs and spices. Therefore, it is necessary to educate producers of herbs and spices on the appropriate use of pesticides. It is also necessary to establish MRLs on herbs and spices.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.271-279
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• 2021

Sweet pumpkin is rich in minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and fiber, and also contains a large amount of β-carotene, which has antioxidant effects. In this study, Makgeolli containing steaming sweet pumpkin (SP) was manufactured to enhance the antioxidant activity. To prepare the Makgeolli, SP was added in amounts of 5, 10, 20, and 30% (w/w), and the chemical (pH, total acidity, alcohol), microbiological (lactic acid bacteria, yeast) properties, and antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS) were examined during fermentation and storage for 9 days. The pH of SP Makgeolli was 4.00-4.23 at day 1 of fermentation, and then the pH gradually decreased as fermentation progressed, showing the lowest results at day 9 (3.28-3.52). At day 1, the total acidity was significantly increased (P<0.05) as the amount of SP (0-30%; 0.09-0.55%) and the total acidity in SP Makgeolli (1.01-1.20) was also rapidly increased by 5 days of fermentation. Alcohol content was significantly increased (P<0.05) as the amount of SP (0-30%; 4.59-5.77%) increased at day 9. The counts of lactic acid bacteria and yeast in SP Makgeolli were 8.0-8.1 and 7.9-7.8.0 CFU/mL, respectively, which was higher than SP 0% at day 9. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities were significantly increased (P<0.05) as the amount of SP (0-30%; 48.29-78.97% for DPPH, 62.12-86.68% for ABTS) increased at day 9. This study suggests that Makgeolli added with SP could be potentially and commercially developed due to its superior microbiological and chemical properties, including high antioxidant activities.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.239-247
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• 2021

In order to confirm the impact of the Positive List System (PLS) being applied to all agricultural products from January 1, 2019, we analyzed 28,693 points of inspection-related data on agricultural products distributed in Gyeonggi-do from 2018 to 2020. The ratio of cases exceeding the standard for the total inspection performance was 1.0% in 2018, 1.2% in 2019, and 1.2% in 2020. Out of the 114 cases exceeding the standard in 2019, 55 were applied on a Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) of 0.01 mg/kg, and out of the 115 cases exceeding the standard in 2020, 66 were applied on a MRL of 0.01 mg/kg. To improve this, it seems necessary to manage unintentional pollution, conventional use for unregistered crops, and illegal pesticides. Fluquinconazole detection resulted from unintentional contamination, and diazinon, chlorothalonil, and methabenzthiazuron detection resulted from conventional use in unregistered crops. Chinomethionat is a pesticide component that was discarded in the past and its current use has been attributed to the smuggling of pesticides. This study and future monitoring data can be used as reference data for system supplementation and on-site management reinforcement.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.317-322
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• 2022

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is the causative agent of caseous lymphadenitis (CLA), a chronic contagious disease in small ruminants. The prevalence of CLA has been reported to be >50% in Korean black goats. CLA is difficult to control due to a lack of efficient vaccines and treatment methods. Effective disinfection of the farm environment may be an alternative strategy for reducing the spread of C. pseudotuberculosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of commercial disinfectants against CLA. The six commercial disinfectants, largely composed of sodium dichloroisocyanurate, sodium hypochlorite, potassium monopersulfate triple salt, quaternary ammonium, citric acid, and copper sulfate, were tested against five different genotypes of C. pseudotuberculosis isolated from goat farms in Korea. Efficacy tests were performed in accordance with the disinfectant efficacy test guidelines recommended by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency of Korea with slight modifications. All disinfectants except for copper sulfate exhibited >99.99% killing efficacy under hard water conditions following 30 min of incubation, which is the recommended standard treatment time according to guidelines. The minimum bactericidal treatment time was evaluated by employing treatments for durations of 1, 5, and 15 min. The most effective compounds under hard water conditions were sodium dichloroisocyanurate, potassium monopersulfate triple salt, and sodium hypochlorite, exhibiting >99.99% killing efficacy after 1 min of treatment. In the aqueous solution forms, citric acid and the quaternary ammonium compound were the most effective, but required at least 5 min to kill >99.99% of the bacteria. The current study characterizes the killing efficacy of six commercial disinfectant active compounds against C. pseudotuberculosis. Thus, this study provides essential information regarding the efficacy of the disinfectants used to control CLA in goat farms.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.394-399
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• 2022

This study was conducted to estimate hazardous heavy metal content, including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) in 120 collagen products currently marketed in Korea. Hg concentration was analyzed by a gold amalgamation method using a mercury analyzer, while concentrations of Pb, Cd, and As were analyzed by ICP-OES. The average Pb concentration was 0.097 mg/kg. For comparison, respective average concentrations were 0.108 mg/kg, 0.084 mg/kg, 0.131 mg/kg, and 0.149 mg/kg in functional health foods, other processed products, beverages, and fruit/vegetable processed products. The average concentration of Cd was 0.026 mg/kg. All products in which Cd was detected were functional health foods. The average concentration of As was 0.097 mg/kg, with respective average concentrations of 0.091 mg/kg, 0.133 mg/kg, and 0.086 mg/kg in functional health foods, other processed products, and fruit/vegetable processed products. The average Hg concentration was 0.0025 mg/kg, with respective average concentrations of 0.0012 mg/kg, 0.0028 mg/kg, 0.0013 mg/kg, and 0.0031 mg/kg in functional health foods, other processed products, fruit/vegetable processed products, and candies respectively. Heavy metal levels in beverages and candy products with set heavy metal standards were below the set standards. Even products without regulatory standards were found to be relatively safe compared with heavy metal standards set for domestic and foreign foods.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.149-158
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• 2022

This study aimed to investigate pesticide residues in 160 stalk and stem vegetables marketed in Northern Gyeonggi-do. The QuEChERS method using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS was employed to analyze the residues of 341 pesticides in the samples. The maximum or lower than the residue limit was recorded in 75 samples (46.9%), while 4 samples (2.5%) exceeded the maximum residue limit (MRL). Thirty-nine kinds of residual pesticides were detected including fungicides (14), insecticides (22), herbicides (2), and plant growth regulator (1). Carbendazim and pendimethalin were the most frequelntly detected pesticides. Fenitrothion, procymidone, and diazinon exceeded MRL in garlic chives, and Welsh onion. This indicated that these vegetables along with water celery should be constantly monitored.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.189-197
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• 2022

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by recurring symptoms, airflow obstruction, and bronchial hyper-responsiveness. The onset of asthma for most patients begins early in life, and current asthma treatment with anti-inflammatory agents can have adverse effects, eventually leading to impaired quality of life. In the pathogenesis of asthma, macrophages and basophils play a vital role during progression. Macrophages not only induce inflammation by secreting inflammatory cytokines but also promote DNA damage and mucus production through nitric oxide (NO) production. Basophils enhance eosinophil recruitment and aggravate asthma through the FcεRIα receptor with high affinity for histamine and IgE. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether the activation of macrophages and basophils is suppressed by the individual extracts of 28 natural products. RAW 264.7 cells (mouse macrophages) were treated with the natural products in LPS, and 4 natural product extracts resulted in decreased NO production. In β-hexosaminidase assay using RBL-2H3 cells (rat basophils), 19 natural product extracts decreased β-hexosaminidase production. In NO production and β-hexosaminidase assay using macrophages and basophils, 3 natural product extracts (Plantago asiatica, Centella asiatica, and Perilla frutescens var. japonica) significantly inhibited NO production and β-hexosaminidase release. Overall, we examined the inhibitory effects of 28 natural product extracts on macrophage and basophil activity, and the findings demonstrated the potential of natural product extracts for treating asthma and macrophage- and basophil-related diseases.