Effects of Heat Processing Time on Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Capacity of Ginseng Jung Kwa

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) preserved in syrup, known as ginseng Jung Kwa (GJK), is a popular traditional snack in Korea. We investigated the effects of heat processing time on total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of GJK. Water extract was prepared from GJK with different heat processing times, 3 hours (GJK-3), 6 hours (GJK-6), or 12 hours (GJK-12), with sonication for 2 hours. The GJK extract contained total phenolic content in the following order: GJK-12 (2.28%)>GJK-6 (1.57%)>GJK-3 (1.29%). Both the peroxy and hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity and cellular antioxidant capacity of GJK extract was significantly enhanced with increasing heat processing time. The hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity of GJK-12 extract was greater than that of the GJK-3 and GJK-6 extracts, consistent with metal chelating capacity and reducing capacity. In a cellular model, the GJK extract effectively reduced 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride, $Cu^{2+}$-, and $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative stress, with GJK-12 and GJK-6 extracts demonstrating greater cellular antioxidant capacity than the GJK-3 extract. These results suggest that heat processing time can contribute to the antioxidant capacity of GJK and that GJK extract may have the potential to be used as an effective dietary antioxidant to prevent oxidative stress-related diseases.