• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.287-293
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• 1993

This study was carried out to investigate the influences of cultural conditions of koji on the production of organic acid during rice-koji making by Aspergillus awamori var. kawachii which is now widely used as koji-mold in brewing Takju and Yakju in Korea. The optimum temperature for the germination of the conidia of the mold was 35'8, and the time required for germination at this temperature was 8 hours. Rapid germination occurred when the water content of steamed rice was above 40%, but germination retardation occurred markedly below 35%. The optimum cultural temperature for the production of organic acid was 32$^{\circ}C$, and the production of organic acid was markedly restricted at 36$^{\circ}C$ and 4$0^{\circ}C$. It was effective for the high production of both saccharogenic amylase and organic acid to shift the cultural temperature from initial 36$^{\circ}C$ to 32$^{\circ}C$ after 20~25 hours of cultivation. Initial water content suitable to the production of organic acid was 40% in steamed rice, but its production was markedly restricted below 30% of water content. When the quantity of conidial inoculation was too small, the production of organic acid was low in initial phase, but it was retrived at later period. Acid production was markedly restricted together with the increase in koji thickness.

• Proceedings of the Korean Journal of Food and Nutrition Conference
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• 2001.12a
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• pp.122-122
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• 2001

쌀과 같은 곡류는 전분질을 당분으로 전환시켜 술을 제조하여야 하므로 미생물이 생성하는 효소가 필요한데 그 효소원이 누룩이며 누룩은 주류의 품질이나 생산량에 영향을 미치는 가장 중요한 요소라고 할 수 있다. 본 연구는 전국44개 지역의 누룩에서 순수 분리된 89종의 곰팡이 중 효소역가와 당화력이 비교적 뛰어난 10종(Aspergillus sp. SH-412 Heunghae, Aspergillus sp. SH-422 Ulsan, Rhizopis sp. SH-606 Imdeok, Aspergillus sp. SH-607 Yhesan, Aspergilus sp. SH-613 Wolseong, Rhizopus sp. SH-654 Uncheon, Aspergillus sp. SH-660 Jeonkok, Aspergillus sp. SH-667 Dongseong, Aspergillus sp. SH-669 Uncheon, Aspergillus sp. SH-696 Daecheon)과 대조균주로 Aspergillus kawachii CF1002 그리고 효모 Saccharomyces cerevisiae를 사용하셨으며 탁주제조 중 균주별 술덧의 산도, 환원당, 아미노산도와 제조된 완성주의 유기산, 유리아미노산, 유리당, 휴젤유 및 색도를 HPLC, GC Mass, 색차계로 측정한 결과 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 균주별 술덧의 주정도는 모든 실험구에서 Aspergillus kawachii보다 높았으며 특히 Aspergillus sp. SH-422는 14.9%로 가장 수율이 좋았다. 환원당은 Aspergillus sp. SH-613이 0.49%로 가장 높았고 Aspergillus sp. SH-422는 0.37%로 가장 낮았으며 산도는 시간의 경과에 따라 감소했으며 술덧 발효중 아미노산도는 시간의 경과에 따라 약간 상승 후 다소 낮아지는 경향을 보였다. 각 균주별 술덧의 유기산은 tataric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid가 검출되었으며 lactic acid 함량이 2.0∼3.2g/100ml로 가장 많이 검출되었다. 유기산은 Aspergillus sp. SH-669가 가장 높게 확인되었으며 Aspergillus sp. SH-607이 가장 낮게 분석되었다. 술덧의 주 아미노산은 histidine, alanine, glutamic acid, leucine, tryptophan순으로 검출되었으며 특히 alanine은 주류에 단맛을 주는 성분으로 모든 실험구에서 많은 양이 검출되었다. 각 균주별 술덧의 유리당은 glucose가 가장 많이 검출되었으며 Fusel oil은 iso-butyl alcohol과 iso-pentyl alcohol 이 가장 많이 검출되었다. 한편 균주별 술덧의 색차를 측정한 결과 L값은 63.33∼41.98, a값은 0.09∼-3.47, b값은 17.41∼4.90으로 나타났다.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1516-1524
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• 2013

To find a novel skin whitening agent, the effect of cordycepin-enriched Cordyceps militaris (CM${\alpha}$) extract fermented by fungi on anti-melanogenesis in B16F0 mouse melanoma cells was investigated. Fermented CM${\alpha}$ was prepared with fungi, including Monascus purpureus (Mp), Aspergillus oryzae (Ao), Aspergillus kawachii (Ak), and Rhizopus oryzae (Ro), respectively. When the content of the phenolics and the flavonoids and the activities of the antioxidant and the mushroom tyrosinase inhibition were measured in the CM fermented by Ak (AkF-CM), the highest content of the phenolics was 46 mg/g dry weight and the highest content of the flavonoids was 0.93 mg/g; the highest activity of the DPPH radical scavenging was 62.74% and the highest activity of the mushroom tyrosinase inhibition was 79.97% CM${\alpha}$CM${\alpha}$. From this result, AkF-CM${\alpha}$ exhibited the highest mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity and so it was used in subsequent anti-melanogenesis. B16F0 melanoma cells were treated with 1-10 mg/ml concentrations of AkF-CM${\alpha}$ and 200 ${\mu}M$ arbutin as the positive control. The melanin content and cell viability of the melanoma cells by arbutin treatment decreased to 43% and 92% of the control, respectively. AkF-CM${\alpha}$ treatment at 1, 3, and 5 mg/ml concentrations decreased the extracellular melanin release induced by IBMX treatment by 35%, 45%, and 53%, respectively. AkF-CM${\alpha}$ showed inhibitory activity against both intracellular tyrosinase in melanoma cells and mushroom tyrosinase. AkF-CM${\alpha}$ reduced the protein level of tyrosinase in the IBMX-stimulated cells. These results indicate that AkF-CM${\alpha}$ suppressed the activity and protein content of cellular tyrosinase and decreased the total melanin content in cultured B16F0 melanoma cells.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.39-50
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• 2019

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases play an important role in cell growth and differentiation, as well as the modulation of proinflammatory cytokines. The objective of this study was to examine the increase in the anti-inflammatory effect of Gentiana scabra Bunge (GSB), due to bioconversion with the Aspergillus kawachii crude enzyme, via inhibition of the $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling and MAP kinase pathways in RAW 264.7 cells. The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 in RAW 264.7 cells treated with the GSB ethyl acetate fraction bioconverted with A. kawachii crude enzyme (GE-BA), was dramatically suppressed as compared to GSB ethyl acetate fraction non-bioconverted with the A. kawachii crude enzyme (GE-UA). The phosphorylation of p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinases, and inhibitory ${\kappa}B$ in RAW 264.7 cells treated with GE-BA was further suppressed, as compared to exposure to GE-UA. Moreover, the mRNA expression of interleukin 6, interleukin 1-beta, and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ was further suppressed by GE-BA, compared to GE-UA. Similarly, anti-oxidant activities, such as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical scavenging activity, of GE-BA were further increased compared to GE-UA. These observations demonstrate that the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of GSB ethyl acetate fraction increases as a result from bioconversion with the A. kawachii crude enzyme.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.100-106
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• 2012

In this study, the metabolite profiles of three Aspergillus strains during rice koji fermentation were compared. In the partial least squares discriminant analysis-based gas chromatography-mass spectrometry data sets, the metabolite patterns of A. oryzae (KCCM 60345) were clearly distinguished from A. kawachii (KCCM 60552) and only marginal differences were observed for A. oryzae (KCCM 60551) fermentation. In the 2 days fermentation samples, the overall metabolite levels of A. oryzae (KCCM 60345) were similar to the A. oryzae (KCCM 60551) levels and lower than the A. kawachii (KCCM 60552) levels. In addition, we identified discriminators that were mainly contributing tyrosinase inhibition (kojic acid) and antioxidant activities (pyranonigrin A) in A. oryzae (KCCM 60345) and A. kawachii (KCCM 60552) inoculated rice koji, respectively. In this study, we demonstrated that the optimal inoculant Aspergillus strains and fermentation time for functional rice koji could be determined through a metabolomics approach with bioactivity correlations.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.944-950
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• 2005

Volatile flavor components of Takjus mash prepared using Aspergillus kawachii nuruk were identified by GC and GC/MS. Twenty-two esters, 20 alcohols, 10 acids, 8 aldehydes, and 3 others were found in Takju mash. Thirty two components including 13 esters and 13 alcohols were detected at beginning of fermentation. Thirteen more components were detected after second day of fermentation, and 63 additional components after 12 days of fermentation. Twenty nine flavor components including 12 alcohols such as ethanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, and benzeneethanol, 12 esters such as ethyl acetate, ethyl caprylate, and ethyl butyrate 3 aldehydes, and 2 acids were detected during fermentation. Major volatile components detected during fermentation included 3-methyl-1-butanol, ethyl caprylate, and benzeneethanol. Peak areas of 2-methyl-1-propanol, 1-hexanol, 2, 3-butanediol (D.L), 1-dodecanol, 2-phenylethyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and monoethyl butanoate were higher than those of other components depending upon fermentation period.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.789-795
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• 2013

Current study was to investigate the potential effects of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. fermented with Bacillus subtilis (BFSP) and Aspergillus kawachii (AFSP) at the 5% (w/w) levels in Sprague-Dawley rats, which was intoxicated with 1% (w/w) orotic acid (OA) for 10 days. The rat group administered silkworm powder showed improvements in fatty liver condition. Consumption of fermented silkworm powder reduced triglyceride concentrations in the liver tissues and serum and increased the serum lipid concentrations to normal levels, thereby aiding in improving fatty liver conditions. These effects were more pronounced in the BFSP than that in SP or AFSP in orotic acid-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress. Based on these results, fermented silkworms are considered to be a material with significant potential for development into a functional health food that can improve fatty liver conditions.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.35 no.4 s.139
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• pp.309-314
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• 2004

By treating crude enzyme extract from Aspergillus kawachii, the liquiritigenin content in the licorice (Glycyrrhizae Radix) was significantly increased. The liquiritigenin content reached its maximum level (45.7 mg/g licorice extract) after 60 min of incubation with the crude enzyme extract at $37^{\circ}C$, while the inactivated crude enzyme treated control contained trace amount (about 0.11 mg/g) of liquiritigenin. The enzyme-treated licorice extract inhibited more than 50% DPPH radical at 100 ppm and this was about two times higher activity compared to the enzyme-untreated control.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1842-1848
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• 2015

Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) has been known to be more bioavailable than cyanidin-3-rutinoside (C3R), the most abundant anthocyanin in black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis). The aim of this study was to enhance the bioavailability of anthocyanins in black raspberry by cleaving ʟ-rhamnose in C3R using crude enzyme extracts (CEEs) from Aspergillus usamii KCTC 6956, A. awamori KCTC 60380, A. niger KCCM 11724, A. oryzae KCCM 12698, and A. kawachii KCCM 32819. The enzyme activities of the CEEs were determined by a spectrophotometric method using ρ-nitrophenyl-rhamnopyranoside and ρ-nitrophenyl-glucopyranoside. The CEE from A. usamii had the highest α-ʟ-rhamnosidase activity with 2.73 U/ml at 60℃, followed by those from A. awamori and A. niger. When bioconversion of C3R to C3G in black raspberry was analyzed by HPLC-DAD, the CEEs from A. usamii and A. awamori hydrolyzed 95.7% and 95.6% of C3R to C3G, respectively, after 2 h incubation. The CEEs from A. kawachii and A. oryzae did not convert C3R to C3G in black raspberry.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.113-121
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• 1968

This study has been aimed to determine the ecological factors with relationship to the Jongkok production in view of fermentation technology by means of some strains, Asp. kawachii, which is now preserved by the author and the following factors are included during the study; inorganic salts, nitrogen, sugar, water contents and temperature. The results, are as follows: (a) Sugar among other above-mentioned factors is increasingly affecting the number of the short type of conidiophore on culture medium and the conidiophore is increased by direct ratio until glucose concentration of 50%, at which concentration is mostly effective for the short type of conidiophore, while other factors did not affect on it. (b) Until glucose concentration of 50% sugar component of culture medium is favorable for the spore formation of Asp. kawachii by direct ratio. And peptone or asparagine on nitrogen medium, calcium-phosphate among other inorganic salts, wheat bran and rice branare also favorable, but other factors rientioned earlier show no relationship with the spore formation. Sugar, however, also related with the spore color clearness of crimson and light brown, and spore color is mostly clear at the point of glucose concentration until 50%. And asparagine on nitrogen medium, calcium phosphate among other inorganic salts, rice bran did all affect on the color clearness, while other factors did not concern with color clearness. (c) Water, sugar and temperature have related with the acid formation which is promoted, by direct ratio at the point of water-saturated condition and glucose concentration of 50%, while temperature at $25^{\circ}C$favorably affected on the acid formation which is increased by inverse ratio at the temperature$25^{\circ}C$ to $45^{\circ}C$ And pH did not relate with the acid formation. (d) Cylindrical plate method devised by the author is mostly favorable for the preservation and isolation of culture, compared with the traditional slant medium method.