Sixty dried agricultural products were collected from February to July 2024. Among these, 16 samples were randomly purchased from large supermarkets and local markets in Gwangju, and 44 were obtained from online marketplaces. Only products labeled with phrases such as “No Food Additives” or “100% Raw Ingredients” were selected for analysis. The aims of this study were to determine the concentrations of sulfur dioxide, preservatives, artificial colorants, and toxic heavy metals (lead and cadmium) in dried agricultural products, assess their risk indices, and provide foundational data to establish relevant regulatory standards. The results revealed that sulfite compounds were detected in some samples, with the highest sulfur dioxide concentrations found in gourds (82.99- 1046.95 mg/kg), apricots (10.87-529.45 mg/kg), and konjac powder (23.59-475.92 mg/kg). The highest sulfur dioxide risk index was observed in persimmons, with values ranging from 4.74% to 16.61% for male and 6.26% to 26.84% for female consumers. Sweet potatoes followed, with risk index values of 6.87% and 11.29% for male and female consumers, respectively. All the samples exhibited sulfur dioxide risk indexes below 100%, indicating safety. No preservatives or artificial colorants were detected in any of the samples, suggesting that sulfites can be used as alternatives to preservatives in certain products. The concentrations of lead in dates (9.55-137.09 μg/kg) and gourds (10.76-49.14 μg/kg) and cadmium in gourds (16.36-51.76 μg/kg) were within safe limits, with risk indexes below 100%. This study provides crucial baseline data for evaluating the safety of dried agricultural products. Furthermore, it underscores the need for more comprehensive risk assessments that consider the interactions between sulfur dioxide, heavy metals, and consumption patterns. Lastly, it highlights the necessity of strengthening regulatory standards to better protect consumers.

This study aimed to provide basic evidence regarding the development of materials by analyzing the physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of Streptococcus thermophilus KCCM 3782 strain-fermented Cordyceps militaris grown on Tenebrio molitor. Among the solvents tested, DPPH radical scavenging activity was the highest in the hot water-extracted sample after 30 min of extraction. Moisture content decreased, whereas crude protein and fat content increased, after lactic acid bacteria-mediated fermentation. Sodium, magnesium, calcium, and zinc contents increased, with potassium levels attaining the maximum value, whereas free amino acid content decreased after the fermentation. Among Hunter's color values, a value increased to 66.7→149.92 after fermentation, whereas the L and b values decreased to 15.79→-15.75 and 54.45→0.01, respectively. Cordycepin content assay increased from 7.02 mg% to 8.66 mg%. The DPPH free radical scavenging activity of the fermented product was 91.92 EDA%, which was higher than that of the extract (84.69 EDA%). The ABTS free radical scavenging and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were also higher in the fermented products.

This study was carried out to investigate the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of fermented milk with addition of hot water extract of Cordyceps militaris grown upon Tenebrio molitor. The general components of Cordyceps militaris grown upon Tenebrio molitor are moisture 10.85%, crude protein 18.44%, crude fat 2.07%, crude ash 5.46%. The DPPH radical scavenging activities of different solvents were the highest (74.81 EDA%) with hot water extract sample. The acidity of fermented milk was high with increasing amount of extracts. The pH of fermented milk reached 4.60-4.66 after 4 h of fermentation, and the number of lactic acid bacteria was highest (11.70 log CFU/mL) with 1% fermented milk. The moisture content of fermented milk showed no significant difference. In addition, contents of crude protein were not significantly different according to addition amount. Regarding Hunter’s color values, L value decreased as the amount of extract increased, whereas a value and b value increased. The content of free amino acid increased with increasing amount of extract. The DPPH free radical scavenging ability and ABTS free radical scavenging ability of fermented milk were significantly different as the addition amount of extract increased. In the sensory evaluation, fermented milk containing 1% of extract showed the highest preference.