This study examined the perceptions of older adults regarding fermented foods, their selection attributes, and consumption behaviors. This research provides insights supporting the development of effective marketing strategies for the fermented food industry and promotes healthy eating practices among older adults. A survey was conducted on Korean adults aged 65 and older. Two hundred and fifty valid responses were analyzed using SPSS 28.0 and AMOS 29.0 through frequency analysis, t-tests, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM). Gender-based analysis showed that women had significantly more positive perceptions of kimchi, cheese, and vinegar (P<0.01) and placed greater importance on quality and convenience. Men reported higher consumption of Jang and Jeotgal, while women showed greater awareness of fermentation methods across all product types except vinegar. The perception and selection attribute items for fermented foods showed validity and internal consistency through exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis. The selection attributes were classified into quality, cost-efficiency, and convenience, all showing acceptable reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the model had an acceptable fit, with each factor exhibiting sufficient reliability and validity. The results of SEM showed that the perceptions of fermented foods had a positive influence on all three selection attributes (P<0.001). This study highlights the need for marketing strategies tailored to older adults and product development that balances functionality, quality, cost-efficiency, and convenience. The importance of education in promoting fermented food consumption is also emphasized.

This study investigated the associations between health habits, chronic diseases, sleep apnea, mental health, nutritional status, and neck circumference as a marker of upper body fat in middle-aged Koreans. A total of 2,612 participants aged 40~64 years from the 2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were included in the analysis. The participants were divided into tertiles based on the neck circumference. The anthropometric characteristics, such as height, weight, body mass index, and waist circumference were positively associated with the neck circumference tertiles. The participants in the highest neck circumference tertile exhibited significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, hemoglobin, and uric acid levels, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was higher in the lowest tertile. Logistic regression analysis showed that the highest neck circumference tertile, compared to the lowest, was significantly associated with the following factors: heavy drinking (odds ratio [OR]: male 1.63), alcohol intake (OR: female 1.52), hypertension (OR: male 3.99, female 4.44), diabetes (OR: male 4.08, female 8.42), hypercholesterolemia (OR: male 2.21, female 2.28), hypertriglyceridemia (OR: male 3.68, female 5.91), metabolic syndrome (OR: male 9.21, female 16.74), hyperuricemia (OR: male 3.48, female 3.71), sleep apnea (OR: male 1.67~2.65, female 1.36~3.02), stressful mental status (OR: male 1.43, female 1.48), depression (OR: male 3.06, female 1.89), and poor vitamin C intake status (OR: female 1.50). These findings suggest that neck circumference is significantly associated with cardiovascular risk factors, including drinking, chronic diseases, sleep apnea, and mental health status, and may serve as a useful anthropometric marker of cardiovascular risk in middle-aged populations.

This study compared the perceived importance and performance levels of surface hygiene management items in school foodservice kitchens and dining areas across different occupational groups and identified the priority areas for improvement. Five hundred and sixty-eight participants from elementary schools in Seoul that operate cafeteria-style meal services, including nutrition teachers, kitchen staff, serving assistants, and homeroom teachers, completed a questionnaire consisting of 20 items related to surface hygiene. The results from the importance-performance analysis indicated no significant differences in the perceived importance of the kitchen and dining areas among the occupational groups. By contrast, kitchen staff and serving assistants reported relatively higher performance, which may be interpreted as a reflection of in-group bias. Nutrition teachers identified the need for an objective verification system for surface hygiene as the most urgent improvement priority, and proper handwashing was reaffirmed as a key hygiene practice that still requires emphasis. In the long term, the modernization of foodservice facilities with hygiene considerations and the expansion of human resources were proposed as key policy tasks. In addition, the need for improved hygiene management in dining areas, such as water fountain maintenance, was confirmed. Therefore, the introduction of objective hygiene assessment tools and enhanced inter-role communication are necessary to improve surface hygiene practices.

The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and the growing interest in functional foods have heightened the demand for dietary components that support glycemic control and antioxidant defense. This study compared general mixed grains composed of glutinous brown rice, regular brown rice, and black rice with functional rice enriched with bioactive ingredients. The samples were classified as non-gelatinized raw general mixed grains (RG) and raw functional mixed grains (FRG) or gelatinized cooked general mixed grains (CG) and cooked functional mixed grains (FCG), and evaluated by α-glucosidase inhibition, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity, cellular antioxidant capacity (CAC), and DNA damage inhibition using the comet assay. Overall, functional rice (FRG and FCG) showed equal or superior bioactivity to general mixed grains (RG and CG) across assays, with some assay-specific differences. In particular, cooked functional mixed grains (FCG) exhibited the highest α-glucosidase inhibition (48.8%) and the strongest cellular antioxidant effect with the lowest CAC IC₅₀ (58.2 ㎍/mL). FCG also showed minimal DNA damage in the COMET assay. In the DPPH assay, the lowest IC₅₀ was observed for raw general mixed grains (RG; 2,504.0 ㎍/mL), while cooked functional mixed grains (FCG) maintained meaningful scavenging activity after gelatinization. These findings suggest that the key functional components in rice can retain antidiabetic and antioxidant efficacy after heat processing, supporting the potential of functional rice as a practical dietary strategy for blood-glucose regulation and the mitigation of oxidative stress. This study provides a scientific basis for developing functional rice-based foods with health-promoting properties under realistic consumption conditions.

This study examined the effects of brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) extract supplementation on the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, nutritional composition, and sensory quality of cold brew coffee. Cold brew coffee was prepared with different yeast extract concentrations (3%, 6%, and 9%) and compared with a control. Increasing the yeast extract concentration reduced the pH significantly while enhancing the crude protein content, total phenolic content, and total flavonoid content. The antioxidant capacity, assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-I-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging assays, was most pronounced at 9% yeast extract concentration. Color analysis revealed darker tones, higher turbidity, and increased browning with greater supplementation. The sensory evaluation showed that 3% yeast extract addition improved the sourness and aroma while reducing bitterness, achieving the most favorable balance of functionality and consumer acceptance. At 6% and 9% yeast extract concentrations, however, intensified bitterness and astringency reduced the overall preference despite the higher antioxidant potential. These findings suggest that brewer's yeast extract is a promising functional ingredient for cold brew coffee, with 3% supplementation providing the best balance among the levels tested. Future studies should explore concentrations below 3% to optimize consumer acceptability while retaining functional benefits.