Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have recently been shown to affect human health at low levels in the blood, according to epidemiological evidence. Consequently, human exposure to these chemicals should be strictly controlled to prevent health risks. This review reports on the potential sources of PFAS using Japan as an example. Tap water has attracted attention as a source of exposure to PFAS. PFAS have also been detected in the air, in household dust, and in consumer products. Furthermore, in the general population, diet is the most common source of exposure, and there is particular concern about human exposure to PFAS accumulated in seafood. Continuous monitoring is important for appropriate management of exposure for both humans and the environment.
Seafood/toxicity* ; Fluorocarbons/toxicity* ; Japan ; Drinking Water/standards* ; Air Pollutants/toxicity* ; Humans ; Dust/analysis* ; Environmental Exposure/standards* ; Food Contamination/analysis* ; Environmental Pollutants/toxicity* ; Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity*

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between fish consumption and stroke is inconsistent, and it is uncertain whether this association varies across predicted stroke risks. METHODS: A cohort study comprising 95,800 participants from the Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China project was conducted. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect data on fish consumption. Participants were stratified into low- and moderate-to-high-risk categories based on their 10-year stroke risk prediction scores. Hazard ratios ( HRs) and 95% confidence intervals ( CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models and additive interaction by relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion (AP), and synergy index (SI). RESULTS: During 703,869 person-years of follow-up, 2,773 incident stroke events were identified. Higher fish consumption was associated with a lower risk of stroke, particularly among moderate-to-high-risk individuals ( HR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.47-0.60) than among low-risk individuals ( HR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.49-0.85). A significant additive interaction between fish consumption and predicted stroke risk was observed (RERI = 4.08, 95% CI: 2.80-5.36; SI = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.42-1.89; AP = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.28-0.43). CONCLUSION Higher fish consumption was associated with a lower risk of stroke, and this beneficial association was more pronounced in individuals with moderate-to-high stroke risk.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Stroke/etiology* ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Incidence ; Aged ; Animals ; Fishes ; Risk Factors ; Diet ; Seafood ; Adult ; Cohort Studies

Aims: Edible coatings developed from biodegradable materials such as starch and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPS) are efficient antimicrobials that could be used as a food additive to reduce the bacterial load on the food surface. Therefore, this study was aimed to examine the effect of chemical and green synthesized ZnO-NPS with different concentrations on the survival of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in fish fillets during chilling storage at 4 ± 1°C. Methodology and results: ZnO-NPS were chemically prepared by mixing zinc acetate dihydrate with sodium hydroxide. Lavandula officinalis was used for the green synthesis of ZnO-NPS. The sterile biodegradable coating containing 2 and 5% of both chemically and green synthesized ZnO-NPS were made using starch, gelatin, xanthan gum and glycerol. Different bacterial cocktail strains of both E. coli and S. aureus were inoculated onto Tilapia fillet samples. The coating solution with different antimicrobials was aseptically spread in Tilapia fillets and examined periodically within two days intervals for the survival of S. aureus and E. coli during chilling at 4 ± 1 °C. Both chemically and plantsynthesized ZnO-NPS reduced the growth of both S. aureus and E. coli by about 3.7 log10 CFU/cm2 of Tilapia fillet. The incorporation of L. officinalis increased the antibacterial activity of ZnO-NPS. Staphylococcus aureus was more sensitive than E. coli for both chemically and plant-synthesized ZnO-NPS. Moreover, zinc oxide biodegradable coating extended the shelf-life of chilled Tilapia fillets by about 4 days. Conclusion, significance and impact of study The results of the current study demonstrated the incorporation of L. officinalis into ZnO-NPS biodegradable coating which may be promising in reducing microbial growth on food surfaces.
Seafood ; Zinc Oxide ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Escherichia coli

Objective: This study aimed to assess the risk of cumulative exposure to Pb, Cd, Hg, and iAs through aquatic products consumed by Chinese people. Methods: Heavy metal concentration data were obtained from the national food contamination monitoring program during 2013-2017. Consumption data were derived from the China National Food Consumption Survey in 2014 and the relative potency factor (RPF) method was used to estimate cumulative exposure for neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Results: The results demonstrated that the cumulative exposure based on neurotoxicity was below the lower confidence limit on benchmark doses of lead (BMDL Conclusion The cumulative exposures of the 2-6 year-old group to the four heavy metals did not reach (but came close to) the corresponding safety threshold for both neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Given that there are still other food sources of these four heavy metals, it is necessary to more closely study their cumulative health effects.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Arsenic/analysis* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dietary Exposure/analysis* ; Environmental Monitoring ; Food Contamination/analysis* ; Humans ; Metals, Heavy/analysis* ; Middle Aged ; Risk Assessment ; Seafood/analysis* ; Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis* ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify the relationship between exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and seafood consumption using a nationally representative data of the general Korean population.METHODS: This study was conducted on 5,402 adults aged 19 years and older (2,488 men, 2,914 women) based on the second Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2012–2014). We stratified the data according to gender and analyzed urinary BPA concentrations in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, health behavior, dietary factor, and seafood consumption. In the high and low BPA exposure groups, the odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using logistic regression analysis according to the top 75th percentile concentration.RESULTS: In men, large fish and tuna and other seafood categories had significantly higher ORs before and after adjustment in the group who consumed seafood more than once a week than in the group who rarely consumed seafood, with an adjusted value of 1.97 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–3.48) and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.10–2.75), respectively. In the shellfish category, the unadjusted OR was 1.61 (95% CI: 1.00–2.59), which was significantly higher in the group who consumed seafood more than once a week than in the group who rarely consumed seafood. However, the OR after adjusting for the variables was not statistically significant. In women, the frequency of seafood consumption and the concentration of urinary BPA were not significantly associated.CONCLUSIONS: BPA concentration was higher in men who frequently consumed large fish and tuna, shellfish and other seafood in this study.
Adult ; Environmental Health ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Seafood ; Shellfish ; Tuna

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the salinity of soups provided at childcare centers by measuring the salinity for three years and providing basic data for sodium reduction.METHODS: The soup salinity was measured using a Bluetooth salinity meter from January 2015 to December 2017 at 80 childcare foodservice establishments enrolled in the Suseong Center for Children's Foodservice Management in Daegu.RESULTS: An analysis of the soup salinity each year showed that the salinity decreased significantly from 0.48% in 2015 to 0.41% in 2017, particularly in clear soups and soybean soups compared to other soups (P < 0.05). The salinity and sodium content in seafood soups (0.45% and 179.1 mg/100 g, respectively) were highest, followed by soybean soups (0.44%, 175.2 mg/100 g), with perilla seed soups containing the lowest (0.42%, 167.2 mg/100 g) (P < 0.05). The salinity was significantly higher in institutional foodservice establishments than small foodservice establishments (P < 0.001). The salinity and sodium content were the highest in foodservice establishments with a small number of measurements, and the salinity was the lowest in foodservice establishments with salinity measurements performed an average of 151 times each year (three times a week) or more (P < 0.05). The soup salinity was low in the order of winter, spring, summer, and autumn, and the salinity decreased significantly year by year in all seasons. (P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONS: The soup salinity was significantly lower in foodservice establishments where the salinity was measured more than three times a week, indicating that continuous salinity management is effective.
Daegu ; Food Services ; Perilla ; Salinity ; Seafood ; Seasons ; Sodium ; Soybeans

With increasing need to prevent serious food allergy reactions, Korean food allergen labeling regulation has been revised repeatedly. This paper aims to summarize current statuses of food allergen labeling in Korea and foreign countries and to analyze the issue of food allergen labeling regulation. Korean food labeling regulation currently requires 19 items and 22 foods to be reported on labels (eggs, milk, buckwheat, peanut, soybean, wheat, mackerel, crab, shrimp, pork, peach, tomato, sulfite, walnut, chicken, beef, squid, shellfish, and pine nut). However, some common food triggers (for example, almond, cashew nut, and kiwi fruit) are not included in the current labeling regulation. Another issue is that the Korean labeling regulation has not yet been fully implemented for nonprepacked foods; thus, consumers still have difficulty in correctly identifying allergenic ingredients in food. It should be assessed whether warning statements for cross-contamination are reasonable. To prevent the occurrence of serious reactions from accidental ingestion, efforts must be made to solve recently raised issues including the items required to be listed on food labels, the system of standards for labeling and display methods.
Anacardium ; Arachis ; Chickens ; Decapodiformes ; Eating ; Fagopyrum ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Food Labeling ; Hypersensitivity ; Juglans ; Korea ; Lycopersicon esculentum ; Milk ; Nuts ; Perciformes ; Prunus dulcis ; Prunus persica ; Red Meat ; Shellfish ; Soybeans ; Triticum

Isolating the effects of a single nutrient or food in relation to health outcomes including increased skeletal muscle mass is a challenging task because dietary constituents are highly correlated and synergistic. Hence, diet pattern analysis may be used to investigate the role of certain diets in health outcomes. The present study investigated the dietary patterns and their relationship to skeletal muscle mass in Korean adults. Data were extracted from the 2008–2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. To explore the dietary patterns of the study subjects, factor analysis was performed using data obtained from a 24-hour recall. The skeletal muscle index according to dietary pattern scores was then investigated to estimate the changes in skeletal muscle mass. Three patterns were initially identified from the factor analysis. Of these vegetables and fish (VF) pattern was the primary factor with high reliability and was a common factor in sex-separated analyses. The VF pattern scores were positively associated with increased skeletal muscle mass in both men and women. Further analysis according to quartile levels of VF pattern scores showed a positive association between skeletal muscle mass and VF pattern in men but not in women. These results suggest that dietary patterns focused on vegetables and seafoods may contribute to increased skeletal muscle mass in Korean men but that sex difference should be considered in nutrition care for skeletal muscle health.
Adult ; Diet ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Female ; Fishes ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Seafood ; Sex Characteristics ; Vegetables*

We conducted this study to compare the awareness and attitude of Busan housewives about consuming marine products. The survey was conducted from April 10 to May 31, 2019 by using a questionnaire. The degree of preference of seafood was higher among individuals in their 40s than those in the other age groups. Among the women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 70s, the reason for liking seafood was ‘taste’, and for those in their 60s it was ‘nutrition’. Overall the most common reason for disliking seafood was the ‘fishy smell (37.4%)’. Conception degree of nutritive value of seafood was higher among individuals in their 30s and 40s than that for those individuals in their 50s, 60s and 70s. As for the price of seafood, the wives over 40s thought seafood was more expensive than did those wives in their 30s. The younger the individuals were, the lower was the perceived degree of safety was 49.8% of the subjects reported that the main concern for purchase was ‘freshness’. The perceived degree of safety for imported seafood was better for the wives in their 60s and 70s than that for those wives in their 30s, 40s and 50s. The confidence level for local Korean seafood was higher for the wives in their 60s than that for the wives in their 50s. The degree of preference for seafood was moderate overall, except for Jellyfish. Age was positively correlated with conception for safety and dietary attitude (P<0.01), whereas age was negatively correlated with monthly food expenditure, nutrition knowledge and intake requirements (P<0.01). Preference for seafood was positively correlated with conception for safety (P<0.05), nutrition knowledge (P<0.05), dietary attitude (P<0.01), awareness for nutritive value (P<0.01) and intake requirements (P<0.01). Laws and regulations should be reinforced in order to promote eating more seafood and periodic research to determine the actual amount of consumed seafood and people's preferences should be conducted.
Busan ; Eating ; Female ; Fertilization ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Nutritive Value ; Seafood ; Smell ; Social Control, Formal ; Spouses

This study aimed to determine the status of common parasitic disease in Korea in 2019. Twelve parasitic diseases were selected: toxocariasis, anisakiasis, paragonimiasis, sparganosis, cysticercosis, toxoplasmosis, clonorchiasis, enterobiasis, trichuriasis, trichomoniasis, cryptosporidiosis, and malaria. Their biology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, symptoms and signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis were evaluated. Of the parasitic diseases, toxocariasis was the most prevalent according to serological results. Anisakiasis should be considered when acute gastrointestinal symptoms occur with a recent past history of raw seafood ingestion. Paragonimiasis, sparganosis, and cysticercosis can be diagnosed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; thus, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay needs to be performed for suspected cases. Toxoplasmosis and cryptosporidiosis are opportunistic infections. The symptoms and signs are aggravated under immunocompromised conditions. Although the egg positivity rate of Clonorchis sinensis is higher than that of other intestinal parasitic diseases, encountering patients with complaints of symptoms caused by clonorchiasis is rare because the worm burden is low. Trichomoniasis is usually managed by gynecologists; therefore, it should be included in the differential diagnoses of vaginal diseases. The annual number of malaria cases has decreased, although it remains at approximately 500 cases per year. Malaria should be suspected when symptoms such as intermittent fever, headache, and splenomegaly are noted especially when the patients reside near demilitarized zones. Although the prevalence and number of reported cases of parasitic diseases have decreased in Korea, we should consider parasitic diseases in the list of differential diagnoses.
Animals ; Anisakiasis ; Biology ; Clonorchiasis ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Cryptosporidiosis ; Cysticercosis ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Eating ; Enterobiasis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epidemiology ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; Korea ; Malaria ; Opportunistic Infections ; Ovum ; Paragonimiasis ; Parasitic Diseases ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Republic of Korea ; Seafood ; Sparganosis ; Splenomegaly ; Toxocariasis ; Toxoplasmosis ; Trichuriasis ; Vaginal Diseases