As global interest in K-Culture rises, this study investigates changes in British perceptions of K-Food over the past decade, focusing on kimchi, gochujang, and Korean hot dogs (K-Dogs), using articles from The Guardian. A keyword search for “Korean food and drinks” yielded 93 relevant articles, which were analyzed based on the Korean Wave (Hallyu) period classification. Notably, the number of K-Food articles surged from 12 in the third wave period to 81 in the fourth. Across the dataset, 99 types of Korean food were mentioned in 195 total references. The fourth period highlighted the influence of KCulture, with items like Jjapaguri and Buldak Bokkeum Myun gaining popularity through K-Movies and mukbang content. While kimchi’s representation in the third period was limited in variety and use, the fourth period saw broader application— featured in pasta, cocktails, and other local dishes—indicating a shift toward culinary integration. These findings offer meaningful insights into the evolving global perception of Korean cuisine and provide a foundation for developing strategies to position K-Food as part of daily diets worldwide.
This study examined the quality characteristics of rice layer cakes prepared using various levels of allulose (ALL). ALL was used to substitute 0% (control group), 25% (ALL-25 group), 50% (ALL-50 group), 75% (ALL-75 group) and 100% (ALL- 100 group) of white sugar (WS) in the manufacture of rice layer cake. The substitution of WS with ALL decreased the pH of the cake batter but increased its specific gravity (p<0.001). The ALL-100 group exhibited higher moisture content than the control (p<0.05), and baking loss increased with increasing ALL levels (p<0.01). The volume index of the cake decreased significantly as the proportion of ALL increased (p<0.001). Low lightness, high redness, and high yellowness were observed in the experimental groups at higher proportions of ALL (p<0.001). The ALL-100 group exhibited significantly higher hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness than the other groups (p<0.05). Sensory evaluation revealed that cakes with higher ALL levels had stronger perceived intensity with respect to “color,” “sweet aroma,” and “salty taste.” The acceptance test indicated that the ALL-25 group was comparable to or more acceptable than the control in all attributes except for color.
This study investigates the potential market demand and the effects of consuming senior-friendly foods on the nutritional status and quality of life of older adults in South Korea, which has rapidly become a super-aged society. Utilizing data from a 2024 field study, a Difference-in-Differences (DID) analysis was employed to evaluate the impact of senior-friendly food intake on calorie and nutrient supplementation, as well as improvements in quality of life. The findings reveal a substantial potential market, with 11.7 to 16.2% of individuals aged 75 and over expressing purchase intentions. Significant improvements were observed in both the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF) and the Nutrition Quotient for Elderly (NQ-E) scores after the consumption of senior-friendly foods. Further, the intake increased daily calories by an average of 322.9 kcal, protein intake by 14.2 g, and fat intake by 12.1 g. The utility weight, indicating quality of life, also significantly increased by 0.037. Policy directions should prioritize promoting the senior-friendly food market to improve nutritional intake and quality of life among the rapidly growing older adult population, as evidenced by the significant positive effects observed in this study.
This study evaluated the effects of various allulose (AL)-trehalose blend ratios as sucrose replacers on the quality characteristics of Baekseolgi. Control (sucrose), single-sweetener, and blend treatments (AL0-AL100) were prepared and stored at 4oC for 0, 1, 3, and 8 days. Hardness, moisture content, color, and sensory attributes were analyzed. Hardness increased during storage in all the groups. However, the AL40-AL60 blends showed slower increases and better maintenance of their initial softness. Moisture retention tended to improve with higher allulose ratios, showing a slower decrease during storage. Sensory evaluation revealed significant differences in color, aftertaste, and overall acceptability (p< .05). The AL40-AL60 blends maintained moistness, softness, and sweetness comparable to the sucrose control, while achieving balanced acceptability. However, both allulose and trehalose have lower sweetness compared to sucrose, requiring larger quantities to achieve equivalent sweetness levels, which may raise production costs. Therefore, future studies should explore blends of allulose with higher-intensity sweeteners to reduce total sweetener usage and production costs, while retaining texture stability and flavor balance. This study provides practical formulation guidelines for sugar reduction and shelf-life improvement of traditional rice cakes, with potential for broader industrial applications.