Recognition of Environmentally-friendly Agricultural Products for School Foodservice of Nutrition Teachers and Parents in 2018 at Seongnam in Gyeonggi province / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the nutrition teachers' and parents' recognition of environmentally-friendly agricultural products (EAPs) used in school foodservice. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was given to 128 school foodservice nutrition teachers in Seongnam and 189 parents from Oct. 16 to Oct. 31, 2018 at Seongnam in Gyeonggi province. The survey included information on the recognition, satisfaction, and improvement of EAPs, and the results of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: A comparison of the recognition of EAPs showed that nutrition teachers knew more about the EAPs and local government support in school foodservice than the parents. On the other hand, the parents were more aware than the nutrition teachers in that children have a higher affinity for EAPs than for general agricultural products in the school foodservice. A comparison of the level of satisfaction with the EAPs by nutrition teachers and parents revealed the nutrition teachers to be significantly more satisfied than parents in terms of the color, taste and nutrition of EAPs. Among the items that should be provided with EAPs, more than 50% of each group of nutrition teachers and parents answered that vegetables must be provided first. Some 70.9% of nutrition teachers and 84.5% of parents were aware of the certification standards of EAPs. The nutrition teachers had showed a slightly higher score than the parents in the certification system (3.51 vs. 3.25). In terms of improving the EAPs, 36.2% of nutrition teachers answered a reasonable price preferentially, whereas 56.4% of parents answered maintaining quality. In the expected effects of using EAPs, 57.9% of nutrition teachers answered an improvement of parents' satisfaction on the school foodservice. On the other hand, 38.0% of parents answered an improvement of children' satisfaction on school foodservice. CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition teachers and parents need to be educated on the certification systems that would enhance the trust in EAPs.

Parents' perception on middle school foodservice using environment friendly agricultural products (EFAP) in Masan area

The purpose of this study was to investigate parent's perception of a middle school foodservice in Masan city, Korea that uses environmentally friendly agricultural products (EFAP). From May 29, 2009 to July 11, 2009, questionnaires were distributed to 350 parents of middle schools located in Masan city. A total of 295 responded and 276 (response rate, 78.9%) were used for the final analysis after excluding improperly completed questionnaires. First, 47.8% of the parents responded that they had participated in the school foodservice operation (receiving food, attending foodservice-related events, working as a meal service aid, evaluating suppliers). Receiving food (53.7%) accounted for the greatest proportion in the participating area. Second, most subjects (83.0%) responded that they were aware of the use of EFAP. Additionally, 96.4% of the subject approved expanding the use of EFAP for all items. Third, their degree of interest in the school foodservice was 3.86, and satisfaction with the school foodservice was 3.94 based on a 5-point Likert scale. The overall satisfaction on the quality of EFAP used in the school foodservice was 3.68 based on a 5-point Likert scale. Fourth, awareness that the school used EFAP in the foodservice by the parents who participated in school foodservice operations was higher than that of parents who did not participate. Satisfaction (4.10) with the school foodservice by parents who participated in school foodservice operations was significantly higher than that (3.79) of parents who did not participate (p < 0.001). In conclusion, parent's participation in school foodservice operations should increase to improve the quality of the school foodservice and improve communication between parents and the school.

The Perception for Management of School Foodservice Using of Environmentally Friendly Agricultural Products of Elementary School Children's Mothers in Gunsan / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to compare the degree of understanding about school foodservice management and environmentally friendly agricultural products between urban and rural elementary school children's mothers. The subjects were 280 elementary school children's mothers who lived in Gunsan city and the nearby countryside. The results are summarized as follows. The mothers in urban schools were higher on the degree of participation (p < 0.01) and interest (p < 0.01), but were lower on the degree of satisfaction (p < 0.001) for school foodservice than rural ones. The best improvement of school foodservice management was improving food tastes and qualities of the foodstuffs in urban schools and sanitation at the service area in the rural schools (p < 0.001). The school foodservice program contributed to cure the unbalanced diets and developing of bodies and minds; there was no difference of urban and rural schools. But eating habits in rural schools were more improved than urban schools (p < 0.001). The primary reason for using environmentally friendly agricultural products was to improve their health and in securing safe foods, there was no difference of urban and rural schools, but generating the farmer's income from the products in rural schools was higher than urban schools (p < 0.001). There are conflicting views between urban and rural schools for the additional costs brought by using the environmentally friendly agricultural products (p < 0.001). The order of preference on using environmentally friendly agricultural products was rice and various grains, vegetables, fruits, livestock, seasoning, etc. In conclusion, our central and local governments should change their roles in financially positive ways and reflect the issues in making the policy effective. Responsible administrators of school food suppliers run the system more faithfully with the above government support.