Korea’s side dishes generosity under scrutiny amid restaurant reuse concerns
A restaurant that reused leftover side dishes was recently caught and ordered to suspend operations, reigniting concerns over recurring hygiene violations. Despite declining in recent years, the practice of recycling side dishes — taking food left by one customer and serving it to another — continues to resurface, posing serious health risks.
Health experts warn that consuming food contaminated with another person’s saliva can lead to hepatitis, stomach ulcers and even stomach cancer.
Helicobacter pylori doubles stomach cancer risk
A recent study published in the Journal of Gastric Cancer found that infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria doubles the risk of developing stomach cancer. The findings were based on a comprehensive analysis of 507 studies.
Other lifestyle factors also significantly increase the risk: excessive alcohol consumption raises it by 1.5 to 2.2 times, salty foods by 1.4 to 2 times and smoking by 1.3 to 1.8 times. Processed meat, red meat, and refined grains were also linked to higher risk.
Conversely, diets rich in vegetables and fruit reduce stomach cancer risk by 20 to 40 percent, while fish and seafood consumption lowers it by 10 to 30 percent. Regular physical activity and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were also found to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits.
Shared utensils can spread serious infections
H. pylori is a bacterium that lives in the stomach lining and has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, as a Group 1 carcinogen — the highest cancer risk category.
Traditionally, Korea’s communal dining culture, wherein multiple people share a single pot of stew, contributed to high infection rates. Using utensils contaminated with another person’s saliva can transmit H. pylori, increase the risk of stomach ulcers and spread hepatitis A. Reusing leftover food in restaurants not only raises hygiene concerns but also the likelihood of disease transmission.
Separate plates improve hygiene and reduce overeating
Experts recommend adopting the habit of using individual plates, both at home and in restaurants, to prevent cross-contamination and improve hygiene. Using separate plates also helps prevent overeating by controlling portion sizes.
For restaurants, serving smaller amounts of side dishes initially and providing a self-service corner for refills can reduce both health risks and labor costs.
Stomach cancer cases in Korea
According to the 2022 National Cancer Registry, stomach cancer remains the fifth most common cancer in Korea, with 29,487 new cases reported that year, accounting for 11 percent of all cancer diagnoses. Of these, 19,562 cases were men, reflecting higher smoking and drinking rates, while 9,925 cases were women.
Health authorities stress the importance of preventing H. pylori infection, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol and processed foods and maintaining a diet rich in antioxidant-packed vegetables, fruit, fish and seafood. They also emphasize that families should adopt healthier eating habits together, as poor diets and shared food practices can increase risks across generations.
This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
