Effects of the Preheating Treatments of Raw Ginseng in the Model System on the Synthesis of the Maillard Type-Browning Reaction Products of Red Ginseng

During our investigations on the relationship between the browning reaction of ginseng root and two compounds (arginyl-fructosyl-glucose and arginyl-fructose) in the model system of steaming and heat-drying processes for the preparation of red ginseng, the preheating treatment of main roots of raw ginseng at 60∼70$^{\circ}C$ prior to the steaming and heat-drying processes was found to bring about the gelatinization of starch granules. The enzymatic hydrolysis of gelatinized starch to maltose, a marked formation of maltose, and the increase of both free arginine and total amino acids, resulting the acceleration of the Maillard type-browning reaction of ginseng root during the steaming and heat-drying processes, and the rise of brown color intensity of red ginseng. These results show that the preheating treatment may be effective for the decrease of inside white of red ginseng.