This study evaluated the food ingredient procurement patterns of School Meal Service Support Centers, based on a survey of 451 nutrition professionals (nutrition teachers and dietitians), categorized into a metropolitan group (G1) and a small to medium-sized city group (G2). The objective was to provide foundational data for enhancing regional operational efficiency. Key findings revealed that high-quality local food ingredients were the most frequently purchased items through the centers. The overall IPA (Importance-Performance Analysis) identified a statistically significant gap between the perceived importance and actual performance for the following attributes: ‘quality’ (taste, size), ‘freshness’, ‘packaging and labeling’, ‘price appropriateness’, and ‘sufficiency of supply’. On the other hand, no significant discrepancy was found for ‘hygiene and safety or ‘product diversity’. The comparative analysis showed distinct group differences. For importance, the G1 group assigned significantly higher ratings than the G2 group across all attributes: quality, freshness, packaging, hygiene and safety, product diversity, and price appropriateness. Regarding performance, the G1 group also reported higher satisfaction in the specific areas of quality, freshness, packaging and labeling, hygiene and safety, and product diversity than the G2 group.
This study compared the discourse structure of ‘Plant-based milk’ between A (2015~2017) and B (2022~2024) using Korean web texts. After applying uniform preprocessing to sources from Naver, Daum, and Google, the frequency, centralities, and the structural properties of the network on the top-30 nodes were investigated. The QAP correlation was calculated on a weighted co-occurrence adjacency matrix constructed from the 17-node intersection and assessed structural reconfiguration via CONCOR. The hub formed by milk, plant-based, and protein persisted while the edges and density increased from 240 to 266 and from 0.276 to 0.306, respectively. QAP yielded r=0.793 and p=0.001, indicating significant similarity in network-wide tie-strength patterns. In addition, CONCOR showed the foregrounding of segmented product lines and market, use, and menu contexts implying a reallocation of the periphery.
This study evaluated the perception of images and emotions of Korean food in nine countries. Intercultural patterns were identified through PCA and AHC of principal components. Korea showed a traditional-emotional orientation in which images such as “rich in fermented foods”, “nutritionally balanced”, and “various side dishes” were linked to emotions such as “like a mother’s home-cooked meal”, and “sharing affection”. On the other hand, the U.S., Australia, the U.K., Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore emphasized sensory-practical aspects, such as “tastes well”, “comfortable”, and “colorful”, and linked them to emotions such as “comfort” and “healthy”. Cluster analysis placed these eight countries in separate clusters, along with Korea. These results highlight the cultural differences in imageemotional interactions and support customized globalization and marketing strategies.
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of partially replacing pork backfat with string cheese on the quality of dry-cured goat meat sausages. Two formulations were prepared: A control (C0, 20% backfat) and a treatment (C10), in which 10% backfat was replaced with string cheese. Proximate composition, fatty acid profile, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), pH, water activity, color, and texture were analyzed. The addition of string cheese significantly reduced fat and increased protein and moisture (p<0.05). Fatty acid analysis revealed higher medium-chain saturated fatty acids (C4:0- C8:0) and total saturated fatty acids (SFA), with a lower unsaturated-to-saturated fatty acid (UFA/SFA) ratio. Both groups showed TBARS values below the sensory threshold, but the treatment had significantly lower lipid oxidation (p<0.05). The treatment also had a higher pH, while water activity showed no difference. In color, the treatment exhibited significantly higher a* (redness) and b* (yellowness) values. Textural analysis indicated increased hardness but reduced cohesiveness and gumminess. These findings suggest string cheese can act as a fat replacer and functional ingredient that improves the nutritional and physicochemical characteristics of dry-cured goat sausages.
This study aimed to establish an analytical method for the use of Adenophora triphylla and its extract using citric acid as a marker compound. The analysis of A. triphylla and its extract revealed citric acid contents of 671.993 mg/100 g and 433.218 mg/100 g, respectively. The analytical method was validated according to the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) guidelines, and the calibration curve for citric acid standard solution exhibited excellent linearity (R2>0.999). The intra-day and inter-day precision showed low relative standard deviations of 0.564 and 0.809%, respectively. Furthermore, the recovery rate for citric acid ranged from 96.578 to 100.525%, fulfilling the AOAC’s acceptable range, indicating high accuracy. The detection limit for citric acid in this method was 0.002 mg/100 g, and the quantification limit was 0.005 mg/100 g, demonstrating high sensitivity. Additionally, an investigation of potentially harmful compounds in A. triphylla and its extract revealed five compounds that were predicted to be harmful according to the RISCTOX database. However, their actual concentrations were far below the lethal dose 50 (LD50) values, suggesting they are not harmful to the humans. These findings provide foundational data for the quality control of A. triphylla as a food ingredient.
This study assessed the dietary exposure to microcystins (MCs) through consumption of leafy vegetables in Korea by combining the data on contamination levels reported in published literature with intake and body weight data from the 2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The estimated daily intake (EDI) was calculated for lettuce, spinach, napa cabbage, and cabbage, and hazard indices (HI) were derived using tolerable daily intake (TDI) values from the World Health Organization (WHO, 0.04 g/kg bw/day) and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA, 0.0064 g/kg bw/day). The results showed that under low-contamination conditions, the HI values, remained below 1 across all population groups, suggesting limited current risk. However, under high-concentration scenarios, the HI values exceeded 1 substantially, reaching tens to hundreds of times higher in infants, the elderly, and high-intake groups, underscoring the vulnerability of sensitive subpopulations. Because MC concentrations vary markedly across sites and seasons—even over short periods—continuous, seasonally responsive monitoring is warranted to capture episodic peaks and protect high-risk groups. These findings highlight the importance of integrating Korean dietary patterns into exposure assessment and provide a scientific basis for proactive food-safety management amid climate-driven cyanobacterial blooms.
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are closely associated with obesity mediated metabolic dysfunction, including hepatic injury, dyslipidemia, and glucose intolerance. Oenothera biennis seed (OBS) has been reported to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but the protective effects against AGE-induced metabolic disorder remain unclear. In this study, a CML-high fat diet (HFCML) mouse model was used to evaluate the effects of the OBS extract. OBS supplementation significantly attenuated kidney hypertrophy induced by HFCML diet. The serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were elevated in the HFCML group, and were reduced significantly by OBS administration. OBS administration also improved lipid metabolism by lowering triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Furthermore, OBS administration enhanced glucose tolerance. Overall, OBS extract mitigates HFCML-induced metabolic dysfunction by improving liver function, normalizing lipid profiles, and enhancing glucose tolerance, highlighting its potential as a functional food ingredient for the prevention of AGE-associated metabolic diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and insulin resistance.
This study examined the dietary and lifestyle factors associated with prediabetes among middle-aged Korean women. Data from the 9th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. The subjects were 2,562 women aged 40-64 years, classified into a prediabetes group (n=892) and a normal group (n=1,670) based on the criteria of the Korean Diabetes Association. Women with prediabetes were older, less educated, and more likely to be smokers and postmenopausal. They had higher body weight, waist circumference, body mass index, body fat, and one-year weight gain, as well as elevated triglycerides, fasting glucose, HbA1c, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and blood pressure, with lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. They consumed more sodium but less sugar, vitamin C, and fruit, while eating more meat. Regression showed that monounsaturated fatty acid intake reduced prediabetes risk (OR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.587-0.919), whereas sodium (OR 1.35, 95% CI: 1.059-1.713) increased risk. Moderate fruit intake was found to have a protective effect. The prediabetes group had a higher eating-out frequency and lower awareness and use of nutrition labeling. Therefore, aerobic exercise, weight loss, sodium reduction, moderate fruit intake, monounsaturated fat consumption, and a better understanding and use of nutrition labels may help prevent prediabetes in middle-aged women.
This study compared food security and dietary quality, as assessed by the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI), between single-person and multi-person households among Korean adults using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the KNHANES data. The participants were categorized into single-person and multi-person households based on the household composition. Food security was assessed using a validated questionnaire that categorized households into food-secure, mildly food-insecure, and moderateto- severe food-insecure groups. The dietary quality was evaluated using the KHEI, Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (NAR), and Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR). The final analysis included 13,647 adults aged 19–64 years. Among them, 1,176 (8.6%) were single-person households, while 12,471 (91.4%) were multi-person households. Single-person households showed a significantly higher prevalence of moderate and severe food insecurity than multi-person households (5.7% vs. 1.8%). The KHEI scores were significantly lower in single-person households (57.5±0.6) than in multi-person households (62.5±0.2, P<0.0001). Single-person households showed higher food insecurity and poorer dietary quality than multi-person households. These findings suggest the need for targeted nutritional interventions and policies to address the dietary disparities across different household types in Korea.