• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.491-506
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• 2013

The allergenic food labeling system for 12 foods has been operated in Korean school food service since 2012. This study was conducted to evaluate the food allergy status of Korean elementary school children's and their parents' perceptions of allergenic food labeling system. The parents of school aged(6-9yr olds) children in Gyeongbuk area were recruited to assist in this survey. Surveys were conducted by 404 parents. The prevalence of food allergy was 18.1%(73 students) and about one-half of the food allergic children had a family history of allergies, in particular, maternal family history. The major symptoms were related to skin and the major allergenic foods were mackerel, eggs, milk, wheat, crab and tomatoes. The parents eliminated the allergenic food from diet of 43.8% of the children with food allergy. Participants had an average knowledge score of 68% correct. The average knowledge score was higher for parents with food allergic children than for parents with intact children(p<.05). Over 61% of the respondents were not satisfied with allergenic food labeling system operated in school food service. The requirements for the allergenic food labeling system were the front-of-package labeling, conspicuous description and insert of warning sign. The parents estimated that the most important effect of the allergenic food labeling system was the improvement of psychological and physical health in children with food allergy. Because the only prevention method for food allergy is the restriction of allergenic food, the institutional device to expand the food labeling to unpackaged food as well as packaged food and to make people trust the food labeling should be prepared.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.181-190
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to suggest strategies for effective food allergen labeling in order to prevent food allergies in school meal service. Food allergy experience, eating behavior, and perceptions of food allergen labeling in school meal service were surveyed and compared according to the food allergy experiences of middle school girls in Incheon. Seventy-eight students (17% of total subjects) experienced food allergies. For eating behaviors, students with food allergy experience had significantly higher scores for using nutritional knowledge in their life than inexperienced subjects. For the perception of food allergen labeling in school meal service, girls who had experienced food allergies more often checked labeling of school meals for allergenic foods than those who had no experience of food allergies (P<0.001). The most desirable method for displaying allergenic foods was an indication of the allergenic food name among students who had experienced food allergies and allergenic food number of the current method for students who had not experienced food allergies (P<0.001). Students who had not experienced food allergies showed significantly lower interest in food allergen labeling than subjects who had experienced food allergies (P<0.001). For the importance score of information items in nutrition labeling, allergenic food score was significantly higher in students who had experienced food allergies (3.9 vs. 3.4 points, P<0.001). These results indicate that students who have experienced food allergies are more interested in food allergen labeling of school meals and that they are more aware. Efforts to improve labeling method such as directly labeling allergenic food name and a more visible indication are required for efficient utilization of food allergen labeling in school meal service.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.396-407
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• 2021

Objectives: We examined the common allergenic foods, symptoms and management of food allergies in children attending the facilities registered at Center for Children's Foodservice Management in Gangdong-gu, Korea. Methods: The survey was conducted among the directors or head teachers of 186 children's food service facilities with 7,591 children in 2019. The questionnaire consisted of three parts, including general information about food service facilities, information related to food allergies and allergenic foods and symptoms in individual children. Results: The number of children with food allergy was 271 (3.6%), and the proportion decreased with the increase of age. There were 91 children (33.6%) with a medical certificate, and these children had a significantly higher number of allergenic foods and symptoms than those without a medical certificate. Allergenic food groups included meat, fish, eggs and legumes (59.1%), fruits (12.4%), milk and dairy products (8.9%), cereals (7.8%), vegetables (6.2%), processed foods (3.8%) and oils and sugars (1.9%). Eggs accounted for 22.1%, followed by peanut and tree nuts (18.6%), fruits (12.4%), milk and dairy products (8.9%), shellfish (8.6%), vegetables (6.2%), fish (5.7%), cereals (4.3%) and meat (1.1%). The common allergenic foods were eggs, peanuts, walnuts, kiwi, shrimp, milk, tomatoes, mackerel, blue-green fish, peaches, shellfish (clams and abalone), buckwheat, wheat and soybeans. The most common allergic symptoms were skin and mucous membrane symptoms, such as hives, rash, itching and oral angioedema. Meal management for children with food allergies showed different trends depending on the causative food. Conclusions: The objective diagnosis by an allergist should be done for food allergy management in children's catering facilities. A system for systematic meal management of causative foods should be prepared.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.128-132
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• 2006

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of peptic and chymotryptic hydrolyses of 7S globulin, the major allergen of soybean protein, on its allergenicity, as measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and to identify the allergenic hydrolyzed fragments of 7S globulin using SDS-PAGE. When 7S globulin was hydrolyzed by pepsin, the allergenicity was reduced by over 50%. However, the allergenicity of 7S globulin reduced by peptic hydrolysis was recovered in the sera from 5 out of 10 patients following sequential chymotryptic hydrolysis. Two fragments, with molecular weights 20-25 and 13-16 kDa, among the hydrolysate of 7S globulin by sequential pepsin and chymotrypsin showed reactivity with sera from 10 soybean-allergenic patients. As a result of the theoretical hydrolyses of ${\beta}$-conglycinin, which is a major protein of 7S globulin, it is suggested that the 20-25 kDa fragments were the fragments of the ${\alpha}$-subunit of ${\beta}$'-conglycinin and that the 10-16 kDa fragments were from the ${\alpha}$'-subunit.

• 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.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.67-70
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• 2007

Mackerel (Scomber japonicus) often causes severe allergic reactions in sensitive people. Food containing undeclared mackerel may pose a risk to such people. The major allergenic protein in fish such as mackerel, codfish, and Alaska pollack has been found to be parvalbumin. In this study, we developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to detect mackerel DNA using primers corresponding to the parvalbumin gene. We cloned and sequenced 1.5 kb of parvalbumin gene by PCR using mackerel genomic DNA as a template. Nucleotide sequence analysis of genomic parvalbumin gene, composed of 4 exons and 3 introns, allowed the selection of two pairs of oligonucleotide primers specific for mackerel. These primers successfully enabled PCR amplification of specific regions of genomic parvalbumin DNA from mackerel, but no amplification from 8 other fish samples, surimi, and 6 boiled fish pastes. The sensitivity of this method was sufficient to detect 5 ng of purified mackerel DNA mixed with 50 ng of surimi DNA. This rapid and specific method for the detection of allergenic mackerel would be beneficial in reducing food allergy caused by the ingestion of hidden allergen in processed food.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.357-361
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• 2008

One of the major allergenic proteins in common buckwheat (Fagopyrum elculentum) was found to be a BW10KD. In this work, allergenic BW10KD genomic DNAs from the native common buckwheat 'Pyeongchang' and Tartarian buckwheat 'Clfa47' were cloned by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and their nucleotide sequences were determined. In addition, a novel PCR assay targeting the allergenic BW10KD gene was developed to detect and differentiate both buckwheat species in food. The nucleotide sequences of the BW10KD genomic DNA from 'Pyeongchang' and 'Clfa47' were 94% identical. Base differences in the nucleotide sequences of the BW10KD genes are probably useful as a molecular marker for species-specific identification. The 'Pyeongchang'-specific primer set 154PF/400PR and the 'Clfa47'-specific primer set 154DF/253DR generated 247 and 100 bp fragments in singleplex PCR, respectively. A duplex PCR assay with 2 species-specific primer sets simultaneously differentiated the 'Pyeongchang' and 'Clfa47' in a single reaction. The PCR assay also successfully allowed for the rapid detection of buckwheat ingredients in foods.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.3-8
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• 2013

Buckwheat is known as a health food but is one of the major food allergens triggering potentially fatal anaphylaxis in Asia, especially in Japan and Korea. This study was conducted to investigate the characteristic of enzymatic resistance of buckwheat protein and allergenic potential. Enzymatic resistance of buckwheat protein was performed with in vitro digestibility test in simulated gastric fluid (SGF), pH 1.2, using pepsin and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) using chymotrypsin. Reactivity of buckwheat proteins to human IgE was performed using six allergic patients sensitized to buckwheat. Buckwheat's IgE levels were measured using the Phadia UniCAP-system. Buckwheat protein, 16 kDa, still remained after 30 min treatment of pepsin on SDS-PAGE. Even though 16 kDa almost disappeared after 60 min treatment, two out of the six buckwheat patients' sera showed reactivity to hydrolysate after 60 min treatment, indicating that allergenicity still remained. In simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) using chymotrypsin, buckwheat protein, 24 kDa, showed resistance to hydrolysis with chymotrypsin on SDS-PAGE, and still had allergenicity based on the result of ELISA. Our results suggest that buckwheat proteins have strong resistance to enzyme degradation. This may be attributed in part to the allergenic potential of buckwheat. Further study should be continued regarding buckwheat allergy.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.426-439
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was performed to measure the food allergy (FA) awareness and management by the parents of preschool children. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted with the parents of preschool children. The questionnaire was designed to identify the prevalence of food allergies, requirements of food allergy support and differences in food management according to the presence or absence allergic diseases, using a modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. After excluding incomplete responses, the data of 158 parents of preschool children (90.3%) was used for statistical analysis. Results: The rate of the preschool children who had experienced food allergy (FA, ever) was 38.6% while diagnosed for food allergy by doctor (Diagnosis of FA, ever) was 17.7%. Forty nine preschool children (80.3%) had food restriction, and twenty three of them (37.7%) had self-restriction without diagnosis. The consumption frequencies of allergenic foods in FA group, such as ramyeon, noodles, bread, eggs, yogurt and ice cream were significantly (p<0.001) lower than those of the other two groups. The major allergenic foods were eggs, milk, wheat and processed foods in FA group. The overall food allergy-related knowledge level of parents was insufficient. Only 26 parents (16.5%) had received training about food allergies. All parents wanted to receive food allergy-related supports. In addition, most of parents wanted information on substitute menu for children with food allergy. Conclusions: This study identified a lack of food allergy training for the parents of preschool children and the necessity for food allergy education. Food allergy-related supports, such as menus without allergenic ingredients, guidelines for managing food allergy & anaphylaxis emergency care plan etc, should be provided to the parents in order to avoid events related to food allergies.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.736-740
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• 2005

As an alternative of yeast, various concentrations to prepare hypo-allergenic bread (HAB). Addition of sodium bicarbonate increased $CO_2$ emission, but at higher than 2.0% caused bitter taste compared to other mixtures. Addition of sucrose significantly increased $CO_2$ emission. HABs 7 ($NaHCO_3$ 2.0g+sucrose 0.63 g) and 8 ($NaHCO_3$ 2.0g+sucrose 1.0g) showed higher grain and color scores. HAB 5 ($NaHCO_3$ 1.5g+sucrose 1.0g) and 6 ($NaHCO_3$ 1.5g+sucrose 2.0g) gave higher aroma and taste scores. HAB 5 showed significantly higher overall acceptability (p<0.05) score than others, whereas HABs 7 and 8, regardless of high external sensory qualities, showed lower overall acceptabilities than HAB 5 due to bitter taste. Prototypical HAB was obtained using wheat flour (100g) and water (62mL) incubated at $37^{\circ}C$ for 4 hr for treatment of b.p pretense (100mg) before adding sodium bicarbonate (1.5%), sucrose (1.0%), NaCl (1.0%), and citric acid (1.0%).