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This study was performed to provide basic data of Cirsium setidens Nakai by cultivars that will be applied for development of functional foods and ingredients. We assessed pectiolinarin content, total flavonoids content and antioxidant effects (DPPH radical scavenging activity and ORAC assay) of C. setidens Nakai. Our results showed that the pectolinarin and total flavonoids contents of C. setidens Nakai by cultivars ranged from 3.95 ± 0.05 to 7.29 ± 0.07 mg/g and from 40.42 ± 0.91 to 76.70 ± 2.24 mg pectolinarin equivalent (PNE)/g, respectively. Among C. setidens Nakai by cultivars, the pectolinarin content was highest in GW-D extract. Futhermore, the DPPH radical scavenging activity of C. setidens Nakai ranged from 31.25 to 81.93%, respectively. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) value was highest in GW-D and GW-E extracts (514.49 and 501.73 μM TE/g, respectively). These results suggest that C. setidens Nakai extract could be considered as a good sources of natural antioxidants and functional food ingredients.

The aim of this study was to develop rapid screening method for the identification of Chineseherbal medicine species with similar appearance, Polygonum multiflorum, Cynanchum wilfordii and C. auriculatum,by using genetic markers. As a genetic marker, psbA-trnH gene in chloroplast was selected due to differences insequence among the three species. Species-specific primers were designed based on the sequences of the marker geneof P. multiflorum, C. wilfordii, and C. auriculatum, and the expected size of PCR products was 160, 147, and 119 bp,respectively. Under the developed conditions, cross-reaction was not detected among these three plant species. Toconfirm the efficiency of our species-specific primers, the optimized method was applied to a variety of processedproducts composed of mostly P. multiflorum and C. wilfordii, demonstrating that our method was a rapid and easyscreening assay. Our findings suggest this screening method can be utilized to prevent the distribution of economicallymotivated adulteration food and to improve consumer's right.Key words : species-specific primer, PCR (polymerase chain reaction), adulterated food

The simultaneous analysis and monitoring of aflatoxin B 1 , G 1 , B 2 , G 2 and ochratoxin A in foods were carried out by HPLC with fluorescence detection. The samples were extracted with methanol/water mixture. The extract was centrifuged, diluted with phosphate buffer saline (PBS), filtered, and applied to an immunoaffinity column containing antibodies specific to both aflatoxins and ochratoxin A. After washing the column with PBS and water, the toxins were eluted from the column with methanol, and quantified by HPLC, with a run time of approximately 30 min. The recoveries for aflatoxin B 1 , G 1 , B 2 , G 2 and ochratoxin A in foods were 78.4~101.5%, 73.3~102.1%, 81.7~106.7%, 67.0~104.6% and 78.7~120.8%, respectively. The limits of detection of aflatoxins and ochratoxin A ranged from 0.05 to 0.18 µg/kg. According to monitoring result with the established method, aflatoxin B 1 and ochratoxin A were found in 13 of 151 domestic commercial foods. The contamination levels were 0.32~1.80 µg/kg for aflatoxin B 1 and 0.97 µg/ kg for ochratoxin A. Therefore, this study showed all commercial foods monitored were safe under the Korean stan- dards for aflatoxins and ochratoxin A.

This study was carried out as a survey on the level of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) in 5 items of agricultural products (lettuce, pumpkin, head lettuce, cabbage and crown daisy) for which safety guidelines are not yet established in Korea. The 407 samples were collected from local markets in 9 regional places and the levels of metals were measured by ICP-MS and mercury analyzer. The average levels of Pb, Cd, As and Hg were 0.026, 0.018 ,0.008 and 0.003 mg/kg for lettuce, 0.002, 0.001, 0.001 and 0.0006 mg/kg for pumpkin, 0.002, 0.005, 0.001 and 0.0005 mg/kg for head lettuce, 0.001, 0.002, 0.0002 and 0.0006 mg/kg for cabbage and 0.022, 0.014, 0.006 and 0.004 mg/kg for crown daisy. For risk assessment, the daily dietary exposures of Pb, Cd and Hg by intake of these agricultural products were calculated and compared with PTWI (provisional tolerable weekly intake) estab- lished by JECFA. The daily dietary exposure of heavy metals by intake of these agricultural products were 0.13, 0.56 and 0.09% of PTWI, respectively. These monitoring results will be utilized as fundamental data for the establishment of Korean standards of Pb, Cd, As and Hg in 5 items of agricultural products and valuable source for DB construction for science-based safety control of heavy metals in foods including agricultural products.