• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2001

Korean ginseng products have been fumigated with ethylene oxide (EO) for sterilization and prolongation of storage periods. However, there had been controversies indicating that consumption of EO treated foods might cause harmful effects in human. In Korea, the use EO gas for food treatment was banned in 1991. Since then, irradiation technique has been developed as an alternative. This study was carried out to evaluate the safety of irradiated ginseng on embryo and fetal developmental toxicity effects in rats. Either EO gas fumigated or $\gamma$-irradiated ginseng was administered to pregnant Wistar rats by oral gavage from gestational day 7 to 17. The amount of irradiation used in this study was 5, 10 and 30 kGy, respectively. There were no treatment related changes of dams in deaths, clinical signs, food consumption and body/organ weight. No treatment related changes in implantation ratio, litter size, sex ratio and body/organ weight of fetuses were observed. Also, no F1fetuses with external, visceral, head and skeletal mal-formation were observed. The results of this study showed that $\gamma$-irradiated ginseng, up to 30 kGy, has no adverse effects on fetal development of rats.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2003

Established cell-line cultures of cultured and wild mountain ginseng were characterized and their abilities to produce ginsenoside were determined. Cell lines were made of calli induced from the roots of wild mountain ginseng and cultured ginseng(Panax ginseng). Suspension cultures of wild mountain ginseng and cultured ginseng showed different growth and ginsenoside production rate. Their specific growth rates were 0.067 and 0.0035 day-1 in spite of having the same sugar consumption rates, where cells from wild mountain ginseng grew almost twice as fast as those of cultured ginseng. Their respective abilities to produce ginsenoside, however, were 0.53 and 2.53 mg/L.day, which means cells from cultured ginseng produced around 5 times more than wild mountain ginseng.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.371-375
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• 2015

Background: The current typical drying methods for red ginseng are sun drying and hot-air drying. The purpose of this study was to investigate drying characteristics of red ginseng by using far-infrared drying. Methods: The far-infrared drying tests on red ginseng were conducted at two drying stages: (1) high temperature for 24 h drying and (2) low temperature drying until the final moisture content was $13{\pm}0.5%$ (wet basis). The high temperature drying stage included three drying chamber temperature conditions of $60^{\circ}C$, $65^{\circ}C$, and $70^{\circ}C$. The low temperature drying stage was conducted at temperatures of $45^{\circ}C$ and $50^{\circ}C$. Drying characteristics were analyzed based on factors such as drying rate, color changes, energy consumption, and saponin content. The results were compared with those of the hot-air and sun drying methods. Results: The results revealed that increases in drying temperature caused a decrease in drying time and energy consumption for far-infrared drying. The saponin content decreased under all drying conditions after drying, the highest value (11.34 mg/g) was observed at drying conditions of $60{\sim}50^{\circ}C$. The sun drying condition showed the lowest color difference value when compared with far-infrared and hot-air drying. Conclusion: The far-infrared drying showed a faster drying rate, higher saponin content, lower color difference value, and a decrease in energy consumption than seen in hot-air drying.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.369-381
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• 2011

Ginseng in Korea has not only the big production value but also till a good reputation from overseas in the name of 'Korea Ginseng'. Having spread rapidly nationwide from 2000 year, its production keeps on increasing but its consumption becomes lazy and its price is also falling down because of comsumer's concern about mainly overusing pesticide for ginseng. In order to cope with this problem, the government introduced the GAP certification system to ginseng in 2006 to reflect consumer's needs for food safety. This system will be a good opportunity to promote ginseng consumption dramatically. In this aspect it is very important to know how well this system is established and how ginseng farmers build marketing strategies to draw new wind in the market. This study was carried out to look over the GAP certified ginseng system and show its marketing strategies using 4P's(product, place, promotion and price). The main results are as follows. GAP ginseng system currently has some weaknesses such as lack of systematic certification management and after-service, nonrealistic certification fee and poor linkage from production to consumption. In the marketing mix strategies, product strategy suggests that the most desirable appearance be transplanted ginseng filled with branch roots and 4 to 5 year-ginseng, and it is necessary to choose multi-brand strategy divided for present into for self-sufficiency and family brand strategy by use if its brand enlarges to processed products in the future. In the place strategy, 3 stages like 'producer group' - 'GAP certified facility' - 'sales shop' are based as the physical marketing channel according to traceability, and connected with giant retail market and environment friendly stand, and if its sales volume enlarges, it should be considered the GAP ginseng specialized marketplace which is a type of chain store. In the promotion strategy, the promotion of government level is necessary at first and producer alliances require the promotion targeting at the group of women under 40 with differentiation from price, quality, and safety. In the price strategy, the early stage-high price strategy which sets 20~25% higher for self-sufficiency and 30~35% for present is desirable.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.2
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• pp.71-83
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• 2020

College students are the potential income classes preparing for income activities and are the main consumers of the future that are very important. In order to understand the current state of ginseng-related consumption culture of young consumers, this study wanted to examine university students' attitudes toward ginseng-related products and services in the future, and to find out their purchasing status, satisfaction, and intent to purchase them. In doing so, we looked at the relative influence of the relevant variables that affect the intent of the purchase. As a result, the variables that affect college student consumers' intention to purchase ginseng-related products were shown in the order of their reliability, economy, purchasing experience, subjective interest, monthly income, monthly allowance, pride in ginseng, and age. Of these, most of the variables had positive effects, but the average monthly income, monthly allowance, and age had negative effects. In other words, the higher the reliability, economy, and self-esteem of ginseng, the higher the willingness to buy ginseng, the higher the subjective interest in ginseng, the higher the age, the lower the monthly allowance, and the lower the income, the lower the willingness to buy ginseng. To promote college students' consumption of ginseng products, it is necessary to cut prices for the younger generation, enhance the quality of the products for the younger generation, improve the taste to overcome the negative aspects of rejecting the bitter and bitter taste, and, above all, induce consumers' attention. It is also necessary to expand accessibility through the development of convenient and easy-to-eat products for young people and the expansion of sales outlets. Recently, young consumers are interested in new products they have never experienced before, products that are good to certify because of their unique design or packaging, and retro products that stimulate nostalgia in the past, so they need to promote and provide information related to consumption of ginseng products in this regard. Considering the practicality and convenience of consumers, we propose consideration of personal consumers' taste curation services, which reflect their preference for products that are convenient to carry with them in line with various living environments, and can have synergy with other products.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.167-171
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• 1984

Soft X-ray is useful to identify the quality of fresh ginseng causing the inside cavity or white pan of red ginseng. The portion of low mass density identified by the difference in absorption of soft X-ray showed lower dry matter density and less or no response to iodine test indicating less accumulation or excess consumption of starch. The inside white part of red ginseng absorbed less X-ray than the normal part did. Probability for identification of the inside cavity or white at fresh ginseng was rather high (80-90%) in screen observation than f'3m reading and seemed to be increased further by using the developed screen and with training. The inside white of red ginseng appeared to be due to starch deficiency. Dry matter density appeared to be better than fresh weight density for the quality criterion.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.517-526
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• 2019

Background: The root of Panax ginseng, a member of Araliaceae family, has been used as herbal medicine and functional food in Asia for thousands of years. According to Traditional Chinese medicine, ginseng is the most widely used "Qi-invigorating" herbs, which provides tonic and preventive effects by resisting oxidative stress, influencing energy metabolism, and improving mitochondrial function. Very few reports have systematically measured cell mitochondrial bioenergetics after ginseng treatment. Methods: Here, H9C2 cell line, a rat cardiomyoblast, was treated with ginseng extracts having extracted using solvents of different polarity, i.e., water, 50% ethanol, and 90% ethanol, and subsequently, the oxygen consumption rate in healthy and tert-butyl hydroperoxideetreated live cultures was determined by Seahorse extracellular flux analyzer. Results: The 90% ethanol extracts of ginseng possessed the strongest antioxidative and tonic activities to mitochondrial respiration and therefore provided the best protective effects to H9C2 cardiomyocytes. By increasing the spare respiratory capacity of stressed H9C2 cells up to three-folds of that of healthy cells, the 90% ethanol extracts of ginseng greatly improved the tolerance of myocardial cells to oxidative damage. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that the low polarity extracts of ginseng could be the best extract, as compared with others, in regulating the oxygen consumption rate of cultured cardiomyocytes during mitochondrial respiration.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.501-513
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• 1999

In order to investigate consumption pattern and image of beverage, this study was performed by using questionnaire based on stratified random sampling about 200 students from September 6, 1999 to September 18, 1999. The result was as followings: 1. For the reasons of each beverage consumption, coke, soda pop and sport drinks were for quenching thirst. And coffee and juices were for dessert and milk.yoghurts, dietary beverages, green tea and ginseng tea were for health. 2. For the priority in selecting each beverage, trademark was dominant factor for choosing coke. And the dominant factor of choosing milk.yoghurts and ginseng tea was nutrition and in case of other beverages taste was the first factor. 3. For the place of taking beverages, coffee, coke and sport drinks were mainly consumed in school and milk.yoghurt and juices in home. 4. The college students loved or liked milk.yoghurt and juices, and they liked or enjoyed coke, soda pop, sport drinks and green tea moderately, and enjoyed ginseng tea and black tea moderately or disliked them. 5. For the frequency of each beverage, many of them consumed coffee and milk.yoghurt once or twice a day. and consumed coke. soda pop. sport drinks and juices once or twice a week. And they answered that they did not consume dietary beverages, green tea, ginseng tea and black tea so often. 6. There was significant correlation with frequency of drinking and preference score of beverage. 7. For the consumption of the Korean traditional beverages, more than 50% of the subjects had no experience in taking sangwha tea, omiza tea, and Kugiza tea. Among them, many answered that they would try the Korean traditional beverages, if they had an opportunity, and that their price was moderate. 8. The results from the analysis of the image of those beverages were as followings; \circled1 Coffee, coke, sport drinks and dietary beverages had a modern image and green tea, ginseng tea and black tea had a traditional image. \circled2 Coke, sport drinks and ginseng tea had a manly image and juices, dietary beverages, green tea and black tea had a womanlike image. \circled3 The students recognized coffee, coke, milkㆍyoghurt, sport drinks, juices, dietary beverages and green tea to be daily and catholic. \circled4 Milkㆍyoghurt, juices, dietary beverages, green tea, ginseng tea and black tea were recognized to be good for health and coffee and coke bad for health. \circled5 Coffee, coke, soda pop, sport drinks, juices and green tea were slightly concerned with a change. \circled6 Coke, soda pop and sport drinks had a dynamic image and coffee, juices. green tea, ginseng tea and black tea had a little static image.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.549-561
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• 2018

Ginseng has been traditionally used for several millennia in Asian countries, including Korea, China, and Japan, not only as a nourishing and tonifying agent but also as a therapeutic agent for a variety of diseases. In recent years, the various effects of red ginseng including immunity improvement, fatigue relief, memory improvement, blood circulation improvement, antioxidation, mitigation of menopausal women's symptoms, and anticancer an effect have been reported in clinical as well as basic research. Around the world, there is a trend of the rising consumption of health functional foods on the level of disease prevention along with increased interest in maintaining health because of population aging and the awareness of lifestyle diseases and chronic diseases. Red ginseng occupies an important position as a health functional food. But till now, international ginseng monographs including those of the World Health Organization have been based on data on white ginseng and have mentioned red ginseng only partly. Therefore, the red ginseng monograph is needed for component of red ginseng, functionality certified as a health functional food in the Korea Food and Drug Administration, major efficacy, action mechanism, and safety. The present red ginseng monograph will contribute to providing accurate information on red ginseng to agencies, businesses, and consumers both in South Korea and abroad.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.144-166
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• 2013

Actoprotectors are preparations that increase the mental performance and enhance body stability against physical loads without increasing oxygen consumption. Actoprotectors are regarded as a subclass of adaptogens that hold a significant capacity to increase physical performance. The focus of this article is studying adaptogen herbs of genus Panax (P. ginseng in particular) and their capabilities as actoprotectors. Some animal experiments and human studies about actoprotective properties of genus Panax attest that P. ginseng (administered as an extract) significantly increased the physical and intellectual work capacities, and the data provided suggests that ginseng is a natural source of actoprotectors. Preparations of ginseng can be regarded as potential actoprotectors which give way to further research of its influence on physical and mental work capacity, endurance and restoration after exhaustive physical loads while compared with reference actoprotectors.