• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.424-432
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Most consumers are able to recognize allergenic foods. However, the frequency of checking such foods is reportedly low, resulting in higher prevalence of food-related allergic reactions in Korea compared to other countries. Thus, this study was performed to investigate the overall perception of allergenic food labeling and its practice level in food manufacturing company employees. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The survey was administered to food safety employees and food development teams at food companies located in metropolitan areas. A total of 399 (93.8%) valid samples were used in the final analysis. Statistical analyses, including Frequency Analysis, t-test, Anova, PCA (Principal Component Analysis), and Pearson Correlation Analysis using SPSS ver. 21.0, were performed. RESULTS: The correct answer rate in the analysis of allergy-related knowledge level ranged from 15.0% to 89.7%. Analysis of differences in allergy-related perception by knowledge level showed significant differences in introduction of a food recall system, strengthening of relevant laws and regulations, content labeling, description of substitutional food, and differentiated package by age. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that labeling of allergenic foods should be made easier and more convenient for checking by employees, developers, and consumers, and it is necessary to provide contents through the development of publicity, guidelines, or APP along with labeling.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.519-533
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• 2007

This study was carried out to investigate the nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes, and dietary habits of girl's high school students in Kunsan, and to investigate their recognition of food-nutrition labeling. The results are summarized as follows. General nutrition knowledge is relatively low, with an average of 0.57. It was shown that high school female students skipped breakfast rather than lunch or dinner, with a skipping rate of 28.9% for breakfast, 0.7% for lunch, and 8.6% for dinner. Regarding snacks, 35.5% of all the surveyed students had 1 snack per day, with 31.9% having them between lunch and dinner. The most popular snacks include biscuits (22.3%), noodles (18.3%) and bakery (13.3%). The most popular response was that students 'sometimes checked' the food label of processed domestic and imported processed food. The level of satisfaction with food labels is moderate, with an average of 2.96, out of 5. The most satisfactory title about food labels was 'helpful for food selection' with 3.19. On the other hand, the least satisfactory title was 'understands the label' with 2.78. Regarding the identification of the nutrition labeling, the highest response was 'sometimes watched, sometimes not' with 40.5%. Products which were most often checked were milk/milk products (3.44), snacks/bread (3.33), and soft drinks (3.07). Among nutrition labeling items, total calories was the most important, followed by fat, carbohydrate, cholesterol and calcium. The question regarding the knowledge of nutrition labeling rated an average of 0.58 (out of 1). There was a significant positive correlation between the degree of the nutrition label verification and the dietary attitude score, along with the nutrition labeling knowledge and the nutrition knowledge score of the subjects. On the other hand, the degree of the nutrition label verification and the knowledge on nutrition labeling had a significant negative correlation. Hence, it is of the opinion that education on properly reading nutrient information is necessary to enable adolescents to apply that in real life. Furthermore, labeling nutritional information on processed fred through a more comprehensive method is deemed necessary as a supporting measure.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.417-428
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• 2011

To promote use of nutrition labels, degrees of awareness, use, and satisfaction of nutrition labeling on eating-out menus were investigated by a self-recorded questionnaire from May to July 2010 in 629 participants who visited four bakery chains (n=409) and three ice-cream chains (n=220) located in Daejeon. Of the subjects 53.4% were female, 68.8% aged 20~29 years, and 59.3% visited bakery or ice-cream stores 1~3 times per month. Only 38.2% of participants had knowledge of nutrition-labeling mandates for eating-out menus, and 74.9% had seen labels before in bakery and ice-cream stores. Most subjects understood calorie amount and daily value of sodium very well, but they failed to understand the meaning of daily value. Only 21.2% of the subjects understood nutrition label information completely. Of the participants, 46.7% read nutrition labels in bakery or ice-cream stores when purchasing. Among the subjects who read the labels, 77.2% (36.1% of total subjects) referred to the label information when selecting a menu and 46.9% (21.9% of total subjects) had experienced altering their menu choice based on the information. Exactly 53.3% of subjects answered they did not read nutrition labels since they were not interested or had no time, or because the labels were not noticeable. Satisfaction of the place, timing, and format of nutrition labels at bakery and ice-cream stores fell below average overall. Many subjects wanted trans fat and cholesterol to be added to the labels. In conclusion, degrees of perception, use, and satisfaction of nutrition labels at bakery and ice-cream stores were still low. More effective publicity and consumer education about nutrition labeling will be necessary, and bakery or ice-cream companies should make efforts to improve nutrition labeling such as providing format and place.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.849-857
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to investigate 5th grade elementary school girls' effort to recognize and use nutritional labels on processed foods and restaurant meals to encourage dietary behavior. The subjects (n=976) were divided into three groups (effort group, n=711; normal group, n=193; and no-effort group, n=72) depending on level of effort for the healthy dietary behavior such as eating balanced meals, eating three meals regularly, and eating meals slowly. In the effort group, the frequency of food intake for breads, ramen, noodles and fast foods was significantly lower, while frequency of food intake for fruits and vegetables and salad was significantly higher than in the other two groups. In the effort group, the ratio of the respondents that perception of nutrition labeling on processed foods and restaurant meals was 80.5% and 31.4% and the ratio of girls who checked the nutrition labeling at their point of purchase was 71.1% and 24.7%, respectively. Reasons given for not reading nutrition labeling for restaurant meals were 'not interested' for 34.6% of the effort group, and 52.2% of the no-effort group. Therefore, it is necessary to create an educational program on healthy dietary behavior, including how to read nutrition labeling and establishment of proper body image perception for elementary school girls.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.227-238
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• 2011

To investigate recognition and use of nutrition labeling on eating-out menus, self-recorded questionnaire was surveyed for 641 consumers who visited hamburger and pizza restaurants in Daejeon from May to July, 2010. Subjects were women of 51.3% and 92.9% aged 10s or 20s. Use frequency of hamburger and pizza restaurants was 2-3 times a month with 56.9%. Of subjects 41.0% knew nutrition labeling mandates of eating-out menus, 64.6% have seen nutrition labels of menus, and 44.5% read nutrition labels when purchasing. Among subjects who read nutrition labels, 67.0% (29.8% of total) referred to it when menu purchase and 60.4% (26.9% of total) experienced changing menu. The ratio of reading nutrition labels was different among gender, diet trial frequency and monthly eating-out cost. Reasons for not reading labels were "not interested in" or "never heard about" for 57.0%, and "not noticeable" for 28.7%. The ratio who read correctly all 3 pieces of information, such as calorie amount, daily value, and way of using daily value was 39.2%. Average number of correct reading was 2.13, which was different among gender, marital status, having children, diet trial frequency, monthly eating-out cost, the restaurants use frequency, and accompanying person. Many subjects wanted to be additionally provided with cholesterol and transfat. Therefore, practical and differentiated consumer educations considering consumer features are required for better nutrition labeling usage. Government's regulatory efforts and voluntary effort of eating-out companies, such as adding nutrients on labels and improving labeling places, are also necessary.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.206-213
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• 2007

This study investigated the prevalence of nutrition labeling and claims on processed and packaged foods. The final database consists of 1,287 foods, which were collected in two supermarkets in the Seoul area from September to November, 2006. An estimated 78% of KFDA-regulated processed, and packaged foods have nutrition labels. Nutrient content claims on food labels were identified in 21% of the foods which have nutrition labels. The prevalence of nutrition labels in this study is much higher than in previous studies due to the current expansion of the mandatory labeling regulation. However, false labeling and misleading contents claims were also identified. The food label is an important tool for enhancing the public's understanding of healthy choices of processed foods. Therefore, to maximize the benefits of the nutrition labeling regulation, industries, government agencies and health professionals should work together to help consumers make healthy dietary choices and improve their health.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.507-512
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• 2010

This study was conducted to offer basic data that give effective ways to inform the country-of-origin labeling, where the ingredients they are serving are from, at school foodservice and to reconsider the importance of the labeling origin based on the survey by the elementary school students. 96.0% of the elementary school students agreed to the regulation about the country-of-origin labeling and the older students were influenced more by media and also supported the labeling. About the tendency of ingesting food from the country the students didn't like, 69% of them disagreed to eat. In the ways to label the country-of-origin labeling at school foodservice, elementary school students recognized easily the indication of origin designed by menu items, letter type. 76% of elementary school students checked the country-of-origin labeling posted at restaurants. When the students eat out, 68% of them were unwilling to have the food using the ingredients from the country they don't like. The country-of-origin for main ingredients such as beef, pork, chicken and other meat products, rice, kimchi had high importance scores. We found that the students think about the country-of-origin for main ingredients is important. Consequently, education and public relations of the country-of-origin labeling for elementary school students would be required.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.858-865
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• 2015

The study was carried out to investigate the efficacy of current nutrition labeling of processed foods and examine awareness among university students of nutrition information given current nutrition labels, and also awareness of the one-serving size of snacks that come in differently sized packages. A total of 100 students in Chungbuk, Korea participated in this study. About 60% of the subjects knew about nutrition labeling; however, a very small percentage (11%) of the subjects reported an experience of being educated about nutrition labeling. Also, just 32% of the students checked nutrition labels when they purchased processed foods. When understanding of nutrition information on labels of snacks in differently sized packaging was tested, over 80% of the subjects understood nutrition information accurately. Five different package sizes were studied. Of these 5, packages containing about 200% of one standard serving showed the highest rate of misunderstanding of total energy contents per container. Interestingly, the students most strongly preferred containers that contained 300% of one standard serving. From these results, we conclude that students consider the current recommendation for a serving size to be small, which may be related to misreading of nutrition labels of snacks that come in packages containing less than 300% of one standard serving size. To improve accurate understanding of nutrition labels of snacks, total package labels or dual column labels on packages containing less than 300% of one standard serving size should be considered.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.636-643
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate school dietitians' perception on nutrition labelling of processed and packaged foods in the Incheon area. This study was carried out through a self-administered questionnaire and the subjects were 203 school dietitians. The results were summarized as follows. Most of the subjects checked nutrition labeling of processed and packaged foods when they purchased these foods for school lunch. However, the main reason for their checking nutrition labeling of processed and packaged foods was not for nutrition but for food safety. There were significant differences in the subjects' understanding and trust on nutrition labeling of processed and packaged foods by employment school. The scores of the subjects' satisfaction, understanding and trust on nutrition labeling of processed and packaged foods were not high. There were significant differences in the subjects' perception and concern about content information on nutrition labeling of domestic processed and packaged foods by employment school. Most of the subjects answered that it is almost necessary or very necessary to implement nutrition labelling of processed and packaged foods. Also their most preferred method of nutrition labelling was to label nutrient content. As the most important nutrient and functional component necessary for nutrition labelling, they answered energy, mineral such as calcium and iron, protein, total fat, cholesterol, vitamin, sodium and dietary fiber in order. As the major prerequisite task for the implementation of nutrition labelling, they answered formulation of nutrition labelling-related rules, and education and motivation for consumer, Therefore, it is necessary to activate the mandatory nutrition labelling of the processed and packaged foods and to prepare its consumer education program for school dietitian.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.8 no.12
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• pp.291-300
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• 2008

We survey recognition of nutrition labeling on the processed foods for the college students with distinction of sex and their major. The frequency of purchase that processed food is over the 3-5 times in a week. The man students preferred to have Ramyon, milk and milk products and the woman students' ingested snacks, soft drinks and sugar snacks. For another, the food major students like to have juice, soft drink, milk and milk products. Then again, the non-food major students ingested Ramyon, snacks and sugar snacks. The woman students and food major students show higher recognition of nutrition labeling and confirmation of it. The man student replied reason why to confirm nutrition labeling is to keep their health. But the woman students show interest to confirm nutrition content. The food major students confirm the nutrition labeling to determine the nutrition labels. The non-food major students did not confirm the nutrition labeling because they think it is an involved style. For knowledge of nutrition contents, the woman student and the student majoring food are well informed. But, all of the student show poor knowledge for staple foods, nutrient function and vitamin. As the research results, we suggest that the educated the student nutrition knowledge for nutrition labeling on the products. It helps to improve their dietary life and eating habits. And they can avoid buying of the processed foods by habit without confirmation of the nutrition.