Characteristics of pork belly consumption in South Korea and their health implication.
Fresh pork belly is a highly popular meat in South Korea, accounting for 59 % of the approximately 100 g of meat per capita that is consumed daily. Fresh pork belly offers not only high-quality protein from the lean cuts but also substantial micronutrients including fat-soluble vitamins and minerals. However, fresh pork belly generally consists of about 30 % fat, with saturated fatty acids representing half of this value. Excessive consumption of saturated fatty acids increases total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglycerides while decreasing high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, raising concerns about an increased risk of hyperlipidemia, followed by cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we discuss the consumption and production trends in South Korea, the general characteristics, and health issues related to fresh pork belly to delineate the features of pork production and consumer welfare.
Department of Food Bioscience and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, 136-701 South Korea.
Jee-Hwan
JH
Choe
Division of Applied Life Science Graduate School (BK21 plus), Gyoungsang National University, Jinju, 660-701 South Korea.
Han-Sul
HS
Yang
Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 120-750 South Korea.
Sang-Hoon
SH
Lee
Department of Food and Nutrition, Kookmin University, Seoul, 136-702 South Korea.
Gwang-Woong
GW
Go
Cardiovascular disease; Dyslipidemia; Pork belly; Pork belly production; Pork preference; Saturated fatty acids