OBJECTIVES: Although water is essential for life and can supply essential minerals, studies that evaluate calcium intake through drinking water are limited. The aim of this study was to assess calcium contents of natural mineral water (NMW) and its possible contribution to calcium intake in healthy adults. METHODS: This study examined water consumption in 640 Korean adults with selfselected diet, analyzed the calcium content of 10 different brands of bottled NMWs sold in Korea, and assessed the amount of calcium intake from drinking water and its daily contribution to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) of calcium. RESULTS: Mean calcium content in 10 bottled NMWs was 20.9 mg/l. Daily water intakes from food composition database and calculated using energy intake based on 0.53 ml/kcal were 957.2 ml and 1109.8 ml for men and 848.3 ml and 951.6 ml for women, respectively, with a significant difference by gender (p < 0.001). Daily drinking water intake was significantly higher among men than women (1203.9 ml vs. 1004.3 ml, respectively, p < 0.001). Daily calcium intakes from foods were 564.0 mg for men and 534.2 mg for women. Daily possible calcium intakes from drinking bottled water were 25.2 mg for men and 21.0 mg for women (p < 0.001). The contribution of daily calcium intake from drinking bottled water to RNI of calcium was 3.3% for men and 2.9% for women without significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: One half of the daily total water intake was consumed as drinking water, and possible calcium intake through drinking water was about 3% of RNI.
Adult ; Calcium ; Diet ; Drinking Water ; Drinking ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mineral Waters ; Minerals ; Miners ; Water

OBJECTIVES: Although water is essential for life and can supply essential minerals, studies that evaluate calcium intake through drinking water are limited. The aim of this study was to assess calcium contents of natural mineral water (NMW) and its possible contribution to calcium intake in healthy adults. METHODS: This study examined water consumption in 640 Korean adults with selfselected diet, analyzed the calcium content of 10 different brands of bottled NMWs sold in Korea, and assessed the amount of calcium intake from drinking water and its daily contribution to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) of calcium. RESULTS: Mean calcium content in 10 bottled NMWs was 20.9 mg/l. Daily water intakes from food composition database and calculated using energy intake based on 0.53 ml/kcal were 957.2 ml and 1109.8 ml for men and 848.3 ml and 951.6 ml for women, respectively, with a significant difference by gender (p < 0.001). Daily drinking water intake was significantly higher among men than women (1203.9 ml vs. 1004.3 ml, respectively, p < 0.001). Daily calcium intakes from foods were 564.0 mg for men and 534.2 mg for women. Daily possible calcium intakes from drinking bottled water were 25.2 mg for men and 21.0 mg for women (p < 0.001). The contribution of daily calcium intake from drinking bottled water to RNI of calcium was 3.3% for men and 2.9% for women without significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: One half of the daily total water intake was consumed as drinking water, and possible calcium intake through drinking water was about 3% of RNI.
Adult ; Calcium ; Diet ; Drinking Water ; Drinking ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mineral Waters ; Minerals ; Miners ; Water

BACKGROUND: The market for vitamin drinks is expanding both in Korea and worldwide. However, it was difficult to find studies regarding the possibility of tooth erosion induction due to vitamin drinks. The purpose of the present in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of tooth erosion caused by a few commercial vitamin beverages on bovine teeth enamel in terms of erosion depth and fluorescence loss. METHODS: Three experimental groups (vitamin drinks), a positive control group (Coca-Cola), and a negative control group (mineral water) were established. Each group consisted of 5 specimens obtained from sound bovine teeth. The pH and titratable acidity of beverages were measured. Specimens were immersed in the beverages and artificial saliva for 6 and 18 hours, respectively. This cycle was repeated for 5 days. The depth of the tooth loss caused by tooth erosion (erosion depth) and maximum loss of fluorescence (Max ΔF) were measured using the microscope and quantified light-induced fluorescence-digital, respectively. For the statistical analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis test and ANOVA were used to compare the erosion depth and Max ΔF of the enamel surfaces. In addition, Spearman correlations were estimated. RESULTS: The pH of the three vitamin beverages ranged from 2.65 to 3.01, which is similar to that of the positive control group. All beverages, except mineral water, had sugar and acidic ingredients. Vitamin drinks and the positive control, Coca-Cola, caused tooth erosion lesions, and showed significant differences in erosion depth compared to mineral water (p<0.05). The vitamin beverages with low pH were associated with high erosion depth and Max ΔF. CONCLUSION: Vitamin drinks have the potential to cause tooth erosion.
Beverages ; Dental Enamel ; Fluorescence ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; In Vitro Techniques ; Korea ; Mineral Waters ; Saliva, Artificial ; Tooth Erosion ; Tooth Loss ; Tooth ; Vitamins

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dry syrups on bovine tooth surfaces. METHODS: Each specimen of the extracted bovine teeth enamel was treated with two types of dry syrup (experimental group), mineral water (negative control group), and liquid syrup (positive control group) (n=12 per group). The specimens were immersed for 1, 5, and 10 minutes and subsequently analyzed for surface microhardness changes using a Vickers hardness tester. RESULTS: The surface microhardness of sound enamel decreased as the immersion time increased. In addition, the microhardness difference (ΔVHN) among the groups after immersion for 10 minutes in both liquid syrup and two types of dry syrup was higher than that after immersion in mineral water (P<0.05). There were significant differences between the liquid syrup group and the two dry syrup groups (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups of dry syrup (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results imply the erosive potential of dry syrup on tooth surfaces. The longer the contact time with teeth, greater is the risk of dental erosion. Therefore, it is recommended that the mouth be rinsed with water after drinking the syrup.
Dental Enamel ; Drinking ; Hardness Tests ; Immersion ; Mineral Waters ; Mouth ; Tooth ; Water

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the erosive potential of tea beverages containing citric acid on tooth surfaces. METHODS: Specimens of extracted bovine teeth enamel were embedded in resin and polished. The specimens were subjected to one of three treatments (n=10 per treatment group): mineral water, brewed black tea, or black tea beverage. Tooth specimens were exposed to the treatment for 30 minutes and then analyzed using Vickers surface hardness testing and scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: After 30 minutes of treatment, there were statistically significant differences between the hardness of the enamel pre- and post-treatment in both, the brewed black tea and black tea beverage groups (P<0.05). The differences in microhardness (ΔVHN) were ―71.49±14.99, ―9.05±10.25, and ―2.43±15.44 in the black tea beverage, brewed black tea, and mineral water groups, respectively. In the difference of microhardness (ΔVHN) between groups, the black tea beverage group showed significantly greater changes than the brewed black tea and mineral water groups (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the brewed black tea group and the mineral water group (P>0.05).On observation using a scanning electron microscope, the tooth surfaces exposed to the black tea beverage containing citric acid were rougher than the tooth surfaces in the other two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the erosive potential of citric acid-containing tea beverages on tooth surfaces. Thus, there is need to caution people regularly consuming tea beverages containing citric acid, regarding the possibility of tooth surface erosion.
Beverages* ; Citric Acid* ; Dental Enamel ; Hardness ; Hardness Tests ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Mineral Waters ; Tea* ; Tooth*

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to investigate food consumption practices and analyze factors that influence customer satisfaction of an HACCP applied restaurant in a highway service area. METHODS: A total of 207 customer responses were used for data analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted using the SPSS program (ver. 22.0) for χ²-test, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Reasons for visiting the highway area were using the restroom (86.0%), purchasing of meals or snacks (70.1%), taking a rest (58.5%), and shopping (3.4%) and selection attributes of food sold in the highway service area were food taste (48.8%), food safety (33.3%), and waiting time for meal (10.7%). According to the results of the survey, udon (66.2%) was the most preferred meal, followed by instant noodles (56.0%), kimbap (50.7%), pork cutlet (38.2%), and bibimbap (29.0%). In addition, coffee (73.4%) was the most preferred among snacks and beverages, followed by beverages (58.9%), walnut cake (53.1%), mineral water (52.2%), and hotbar (52.2%). Satisfaction evaluation scores of foods sold in the highway service area were highest for appropriate portion size, followed by food safety, menu variety, food taste, and reasonable price. Overall customer satisfaction scores regarding the restaurant in the highway service area was 3.24 out of 5 points on average. According to the results of the multiple regressing analysis, food taste (p < 0.001) and reasonable price (p < 0.01) had significant positive effects on overall customer satisfaction. CONCLUSION: To enhance customer satisfaction, restaurant managers in the highway service area should implement HACCP, improve food taste, and set up a proper price for food sold at the restaurant in the highway service area.
Beverages ; Coffee ; Food Analysis ; Food Safety ; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points* ; Juglans ; Meals ; Mineral Waters ; Portion Size ; Red Meat ; Restaurants* ; Snacks ; Statistics as Topic

Acid-Base Equilibrium ; Adolescent ; Child ; Drinking Water ; Humans ; Kidney ; Mineral Waters ; Minerals ; Schools ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Water Supply

The consumption of low mineral drinking water has been increasing around the world with the shortage of water resources and the development of advanced water treatment technologies. Evidences from systematic document reviews, ecological epidemiological observations, and experimental drinking water intervention studies indicate that lack of minerals in drinking water may cause direct or indirect harm to human health, among which, the associations of magnesium in water with cardiovascular disease, as well as calcium in water with osteoporosis, are well proved by sufficient evidence. This article points out that it is urgent to pay more attention to the issues about establishment of health risk evaluation system on susceptible consuming population, establishment of lab evaluation system on water quality and health effect for non-traditional drinking water, and program of safety mineralization for demineralized or desalinated water and so on.
Calcium ; Calcium, Dietary ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Drinking Water ; Humans ; Magnesium ; Mineral Waters ; Osteoporosis ; Risk Assessment ; Water Purification ; Water Supply

BACKGROUND: The treatment of different skin conditions with spa waters is a long tradition dating back to at least late Hellenism. Interestingly, independent scientific examinations studying the effect of spa waters are scarce. OBJECTIVE: In the present in vitro study, we compared the effect of culture media supplemented with (a) thermal spa waters (La Roche-Posay, Avene) and (b) two natural mineral drinking waters (Heppinger, Adelholzener) on physiological parameters in HaCaT keratinocytes. METHODS: The different medium preparations were investigated with regard to cell proliferation and cell damage. Moreover, the impact on inflammation parameters with and without ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation was examined. RESULTS: Two popular thermal spring waters were found to suppress cell proliferation and cell damage. Moreover, these waters reversed the induction of interleukin-6, as measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and promoter transactivation, and the formation of reactive oxygen species after UVB stimulation. Of note, the two natural mineral waters, which are distributed as drinking waters, had some effect on the above-mentioned parameters but to a lesser extent. CONCLUSION: In summary, our results show that spa waters, and particularly those derived from thermal springs, reduce parameters associated with inflammation. It seems likely that trace elements such as selenium and zinc are critical for the observed effects.
Cell Proliferation ; Culture Media ; Drinking ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans* ; Inflammation* ; Interleukin-6 ; Keratinocytes* ; Mineral Waters ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Selenium ; Skin ; Trace Elements ; Transcriptional Activation ; Water* ; Zinc

BACKGROUND: Balneotherapy, although not a well-established dermatological treatment, is thought to have therapeutic properties for psoriasis and is used as an alternative treatment modality throughout the world. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the mechanism underlying the therapeutic immunologic effects of thermomineral water. METHODS: A murine model of imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation was used for evaluating the therapeutic effects of balneotherapy with Hae-Un-Dae hot spring mineral water. The clinical improvements were evaluated by a dermatologist. Lesional cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-23, and IL-22, were quantitatively measured by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Serum levels of interferon-gamma, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-17A were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. T cell proportions in the spleen were evaluated by flow cytometry, and histopathological evaluation of the skin was also performed. RESULTS: The mineral water balneotherapy group showed faster improvement in skin erythema and scales than the distilled water bathing group. A substantial reduction was observed in the lesional mRNA levels of IL-17A and IL-23 in the mineral water group. Serum levels of IL-4 and IL-5 were significantly decreased in the mineral water group but not in the distilled water group. Normalized T cell proportions were observed after bathing. CONCLUSION: Balneotherapy showed immunomodulatory effects in a psoriasis-like murine model. Balneotherapy suppressed lesional IL-23 and IL-17A, which are important cytokines in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. These results suggest that balneotherapy can be used as an effective and safe treatment for psoriasis.
Balneology* ; Baths ; Cytokines ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Erythema ; Flow Cytometry ; Hot Springs ; Immunomodulation ; Inflammation ; Interferon-gamma ; Interleukin-17 ; Interleukin-23 ; Interleukin-4 ; Interleukin-5 ; Interleukins ; Mineral Waters ; Psoriasis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Spleen ; Water* ; Weights and Measures