• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.227-240
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• 2015

Recent amendment on the Food Sanitation Act in Korea mandated the Minister of Food & Drug Safety to secure the scientific basis for management and reevaluation of standards and specifications of foods. Especially because the current food safety control is limited within the scope of 'Farm to Market' covering from production to retail in Korea, safety control at the plane of true 'Farm to Fork' scope is urgently needed and should include 'total diet' of population instead of individual food items. Therefore, 'Total Diet Study (TDS)' which provides 'closer-to-real' estimates of exposure to hazardous materials through analysis on table-ready (cooked) samples of foods would be the solution to more comprehensive food safety management, as suggested by World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Although the protection of diets from hazards must be considered as one of the most essential public health functions of any country, we may need to revisit the value of foods which has been too much underrated by the meaningless amount of some hazardous materials in Korea. Considering the primary value of foods lies on sustaining life, growth, development, and health promotion of human being, food safety control should be handled not only by the presence or absence of hazardous materials but also by maximizing the value of foods via balancing with the preservation of beneficial components in foods embracing total diet. In this regard, this article aims to provide an overview on TDS by describing procedures involved except chemical analysis which is beyond our scope. Also, details on the ongoing TDS in Korea are provided as an example. Although TDS itself might not be of keen interest for most readers, it is the main user of the safety reference values resulted from toxicological research in the public health perspective.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.142-149
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• 2014

Purpose: A multispectral algorithm for detection and differentiation of defective (defects on apple skin) and normal Red Delicious apples was developed from analysis of a series of hyperspectral line-scan images. Methods: A fast line-scan hyperspectral imaging system mounted on a conventional apple sorting machine was used to capture hyperspectral images of apples moving approximately 4 apples per second on a conveyor belt. The detection algorithm included an apple segmentation method and a threshold function, and was developed using three wavebands at 676 nm, 714 nm and 779 nm. The algorithm was executed on line-by-line image analysis, simulating online real-time line-scan imaging inspection during fruit processing. Results: The rapid multispectral algorithm detected over 95% of defective apples and 91% of normal apples investigated. Conclusions: The multispectral defect detection algorithm can potentially be used in commercial apple processing lines.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.176-185
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to identify school dieticians' perceptions on the Potentially Hazardous Food (PHF) and the inspection of food safety and sanitation conducted by Provincial Office of Education. Questionnaires were distributed to 400 school dieticians in elementary schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, and 217 responses were collected. The majority of respondents (64%) defined PHF as food that easily decays at room temperature and over half of the respondents considered Korean cooked vegetables as a PHF. In addition, 4% of respondents completely excluded PHFs from their menus. Forty five percent of the respondents selected CCP rule 7 (delivery and distribution process) and 34% selected CCP rule 6 as the most difficult of the CCP rules to follow. Also, perceptions concerning food safety inspection and sanitation were not high in terms of validity, objectivity, and reliability among the evaluation criteria. The study results suggest that PHF as well as Potentially Hazardous Menu (PHM) definitions and guidelines should be re-established in consideration of traditional Korean food culture and the preparation of Korean foods.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2011

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.38-48
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• 2004

This study was performed to investigate knowledge, attitudes and related behavior on the food hygiene and safety management of school food-service programs among mothers and to find factors affecting their knowledge, attitudes and behavior. A self-administered questionnaire was offered to a random sample of 301 mothers who have children attending elementary schools in one region of Korea. The survey was carried out over a two-month period (April-May,2001). They had lower behavior scores compared to the scores of knowledge and attitudes (p〈0.05). The micro levels of the knowledge, attitudes and behavior scores also showed the same tendency. Logistic regression analysis showed that mothers' education level affected their knowledge and attitudes, while the participating activity in school food-service programs affected their behavior the most frequently. Pearson's correlation analysis confirmed that the knowledge and attitude scores were significantly correlated (r=0.61404, p〈0.001). The results indicate that the knowledge and attitude levels of mothers regarding the food hygiene and safety of school food-service programs were good, however, their behavior levels were not satisfactory. The findings highlight the importance of participating programs in school food-service programs to close gaps between the behavior and knowledge or attitudes of mothers and to improve their behavior levels.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.263-282
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the impact of FSSC 22000 food safety management system characteristics on the business performance of food-related companies and to verify the mediating effect of organizational capabilities in the relationship between them. Methods: To achieve this, a survey was conducted among employees of food companies in Seoul and the metropolitan area that have implemented the FSSC 22000 food safety management system, and the following main results were derived. Results: First, the FSSC food safety management system factors, such as measurement/analysis and improve- ment, documentation, management responsibility, and service and product realization, were found to have a significant positive (+) impact on organizational capabilities. The relative impact was in the order of measurement/analysis and improvement, documentation, management responsibility, and service and product realization. Second, organizational capabilities were found to have a significant positive (+) impact on business performance. Third, the FSSC food safety management system factors, such as measurement/analysis and improvement, management responsibility, resource management, and documentation, were found to have a significant positive (+) impact on business performance. The relative impact was in the order of measure- ment/analysis and improvement, management responsibility, resource management, and documentation. Fourth, the factors of management responsibility, resource management, measurement/analysis and improvement, and documentation, excluding resource management factors, were found to have a positive impact on business performance through the mediation of organizational capabilities. Conclusion: The results of this study may provide important implications for the implementation and efficient operation and management of the FSSC 22000 food safety management system in enhancing the business performance of food-related companies.

• Food Industry And Nutrition
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2002

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 2016

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 2003

A survey including an inspection was conducted to assess the sanitary condition of kitchens in the school food-service programs and to prepare background data for improving the safety of school meals. The survey was carried out over a two-month period (September-October, 2001). A self-administered questionnaire recommended by the Korea Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development (MOEHRD) was offered to a random sample of dieticians of twenty-five elementary schools in one region of Korea about food, sanitation, and safety inspection of their kitchens. Air temperature, relative humidity, and airborne microbes in the kitchens were monitored during preparation, cooking, and service. The inspection results showed their sanitary rendition met the level B of the recommendation of the Korea MOEHRD. The range of air temperature of the kitchens was 21.4~22.4$^{\circ}C$. and the range of relative humidity was 62.4~69.6%. The microbiological evaluation of kitchen samples indicated aerobic plate count levels from 22..5 to 26.5 CFU/15 minutes. Although the results of inspection show that the levels of sanitary condition of kitchens in the schools were good, they are not satisfactory for safe food-servile because the temperature and humidity levels are high. This study indicates that the school kitchens should be monitored and strict inspection is necessary. The legal standards for school food-service should include standards for kitchen air temperature, relative humidity, and airborne microbes.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.49-60
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• 2011

This study was performed to develop a children's dietary life safety index required by the Special Act on Safety Management of Children's Dietary Life enacted in 2009. An analytical hierarchy process was used to obtain initial weights of dietary life safety evaluation indicators. The Delphi method was applied to develop the weights along with 98 food and nutrition professionals. Three representative policy indicators, nine strategy indicators, 11 main evaluation indicators, and 20 detailed evaluation indicators were selected for the children's dietary life safety assessment. Three policy indicators and nine strategy indicators were the following: children's food safety indicator (support level of children' safety, safety management level of children's favorite foods, and safety management level of institutional food service), children's nutrition safety indicator (management level of missing meals and obesity, nutrition management level of children's favorite foods, and nutrition management level of institutional food service), and children's perception and practice level indicator ("Dietary Life Law" perception level, perception, and practice level for dietary life safety management, perception, and practice level for nutrition management). Weights of 40%, 40%, and 20% were given for the three representative policy indicators. The relative importance of nine strategic indicators, which were determined by the Delphi method is as follows: For children’s food safety, support level of children's safety, safety management level of children's favorite foods, and safety management level of institutional food service were given weights of 12%, 9%, and 19%, respectively. For children's nutrition safety, the missing meals and obesity management level, nutrition management level of children's favorite foods, and the nutrition management level of institutional food service were given weights of 13%, 11%, and 16%, respectively. The "Dietary Life Law" perception level, perception and practice level of dietary life safety management, and perception and practice level of nutrition management were given weights of 4%, 7%, and 9%, respectively.