• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.258-267
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• 2019

Purpose: Upper respiratory tract infections are major causes of the common cold throughout the world. Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) is a well-known functional food for its anti-fatigue and immunomodulating activities. On the other hand, there are no reports on the protective effect against upper respiratory tract infections (URI). This study was a 12 week randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial in healthy volunteers. Methods: A total of 100 subjects 20 ~ 70 years of age with a history of at least two colds in the year were enrolled in the study. The participants were required to record any adverse events and rate any cold-related incidents in a diary during the investigation period. The efficacy end point was the symptoms and incidence of URI, and changes in cytokines, IgA and natural killer (NK) cell activity. Results: The Cordyceps militaris group over 12 weeks showed no significant impact on the incidence and symptomatology of URI compared to the placebo group. On the other hand, the experimental group showed significantly higher NK cell activity (p = 0.047) and IgA level (p = 0.035) compared to the placebo group. The NK-cell activity and IgA level were increased significantly by Cordyceps militaris over 12 weeks. Conclusion: The results suggest the possible beneficial immunomodulating effects, but the protective effects on URI could not be demonstrated under these conditions. Additional research will be needed to determine the efficacy and mechanisms of Cordyceps militaris function.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.222-229
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• 2007

It is well known the functional foods are very useful to prevent serious diseases and promote health. Therefore, they are often called as nutraceuticals, designer foods, and pharmafoods, etc. Most of foods have diverse functions because they provide nutrients, energies and fibrinoid materials. When foods are taken in the body, they promote the biological defense system against diseases through the supply of the essential or healthy materials to human being's organs. The mode of action and functional foods in human body have not been clarified yet. Antioxidant is known as one of the therapeutic aids which can be reduced pesticide poisoning. Onion has a strong antioxidant effect. This study was carried out to elucidate an antioxidant function of onion by determination of superoxide dismutase in liver, lung, serum of male rat administered by intraperitonial injection of 0, 2, $4\;mg\;kg^{-1}$ cblorpyrifos after administrated orally with onion for 6 weeks. Damage of liver and kidney was also investigated by biochemical analysis of serum(AST, ALT, BUN/Creatine ratio). SOD(superoxide dismutase) activity of onion-administrated group is higher than control group. In liver and lung, SOD activity of onion+cblorpyrifos administrated group is higher than only chlorpyrifos administrated group. BUN/Creatinine ratio of onion+chlorpyrifos administrated group was decreased compared with only chlorpyrifos-administrated group.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.740-750
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• 2011

With a recent increase in dietary supplements (DS) consumption among children in Korea, this study was performed to examine the influencing factors on children's DS consumption. A nationwide survey was conducted employing 3 representative samples of children for summer & fall of 2008 and spring of 2009 by stratified multistage sampling of 120 survey sites per season based on the 2005 census population. Approximately 30 households from each survey site were screened for residing children of 0-19 years and about 1,700 households remained as eligible samples per season. Trained dietitians visited households to perform face-to-face interview to children and/or parents regarding DS consumption including health functional foods (HFF), vitamins/minerals (V/M) supplements and other food supplements during 1 month prior to interview. Out of 5,328 children responded, 18.7% reported DS consumption. Consumption rate was higher in boys (19.9% vs. 17.3% in girls, P < 0.05) and youngsters (22.8% compared to 15.0% in adolescents, P < 0.001). Children from higher income family (P < 0.001), those living in apartments (P < 0.001), those residing in metropolitan area (P < 0.001), and those of mothers with higher education (P < 0.001) were more likely to take DS. Also, mother's employment status and occupation were significantly associated with children's DS consumption. The most popular DS was HFF (72.1%), which was consumed more in children of higher income family. It is revealed that socioeconomic factors affect children's DS consumption significantly. Also it is necessary to estimate children's V/M intake from DS and foods together especially because there are tolerable upper limits set for V/M for safety purposes.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.496-502
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• 2016

This review describes the diversity of Korean fermented foods and their significance as potential sources of probiotic bacteria. Fermented foods consumed in Korea are categorized according to their base material. Fermented foods such as kimchi, meju, doenjang, kangjang, jeotgal, and makgeolli are reported to have significant medicinal properties. These fermented products, which are consumed regularly by local people, are rich sources of beneficial microbes represented by several genera, including Weissella spp., Lactobacillus spp., Leuconostoc spp., Mucor, Penicillium, Scopulariopsis, Aspergillus, Rhodotorula, Candida, Saccharomyces, and Bacillus, as well as lactic acid bacteria. Fermented foods are now taken beyond the boundaries of their use as mere side dishes and are used significantly as a functional as well as medicinal foods. Fermented foods are a rich source of potential natural substances with antioxidant, anticancer, anticholesteric, antiobesitic, and antiaging properties, so that traditional fermented foods used as food supplements can impart health benefits. Publication of scientific studies on the dietary benefits of various fermented foods and growing consciousness about the potential health benefits of traditional fermented food are reflected in the scores of reports currently available in this field. Food microbiologists now have abundant opportunities to explore Korean traditional fermented foods for the isolation of new bacterial strains and to evaluate the potential applications of these strains through microbiological research.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.104-108
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to establish valerenic acid as a marker compound for the standardization of ethanol extract of Valerinan officinalis (valerian) root as a functional health food. We established valerenic acid as a marker compound using HPLC. HPLC was used to quantify the marker compound in the valerian extract after validation of methods with linearity, accuracy, and precision. The specificity for retention time was met by comparative analysis of the valerian extract and standard compound using HPLC. The method showed high linearity of the calibration curve with a coefficient of correlation ($R^2$) of 0.9999. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was $10{\mu}g/mL$. The accuracy of measurement was 99.88~00.68% and the relative standard deviation (RSD) value was 0.59%. In addition, our analytical method yielded a 29% mean content of valerenic acid in the valerian ethanol extract. These results indicate that the established HPLC method facilitated the determination of marker compounds in the valerian extract for the standardization of health functional foods.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.307-314
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Numerous researches have studied the association between sugar intake and obesity of children in many countries. This study was undertaken to investigate the association between beverage intake and obesity of children by reviewing a database for total sugar contents established in all foods and presented in a nutrition survey by the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). SUBJECTS/METHODS: Data of 1,520 children aged 6-11 years in the 6th KNHANES (2013-2015) were analyzed for this study. A database for total sugar intake comprises the total sugar contents of all foods included in the results of a nutrition survey using the 24-hour recall method of 6th KNHANES. Beverages were categorized into carbonated beverages, fruit & vegetable drinks, other drinks, tea, and coffee. RESULTS: The average daily beverage intake of all children was 131.75 g/day, and the average daily total sugar intake in beverages was 13.76 g/day. Carbonated beverages had the highest intake rate (58.85 g/day) and also ranked highest for sugar intake (6.36 g/day). After adjusting for confounding variables, the odds ratio for obesity in children with beverage intake of ${\geq}200mL/day$ significantly increased by 1.83 times (95% CI, 1.11-3.00) as compared to children with beverage intake of < 200 mL/day. Also, a significant increase was observed in the odds ratio for obesity in total children (2.41 times; 95% CI, 1.35-4.33) and boys (3.15 times; 95% CI, 1.53-6.49) with carbonated beverage intake of ${\geq}200mL/day$ when compared with children who consumed < 200 mL/day. CONCLUSION: A positive association is observed between beverage intake and obesity in Korean children. In particular, an intake of carbonated beverages has a positive correlation with childhood obesity in boys. This study can therefore be used as scientific evidence for reducing sugar, and for the continuous management and research on beverages.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.208-214
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• 2018

Purpose: Platycodon grandiflorum (a domestic diploid variety, DV-PG) has been used as a food and component of various traditional oriental medicines. Although DV-PG is known to have an anti-allergic effect, little is known about the beneficial health effects of the tetraploid 'Etteum' variety in the Platycodon grandiflorum (TV-PG), which is a recently developed variety. In this study, we investigated the effect of TV-PG on the rat basophilic leukemia mast cell (RBL-2H3)-mediated allergic response. Methods: To examine the effects of TV-PG on the allergic response, RBL-2H3 cells were sensitized with dinitropheny (DNP)-immunoglobin E, treated with various concentrations of TV-PG, and challenged with DNP-human serum albumin. We estimated cell granulation by measuring the release of ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase and production of inflammatory mediators by ELISA. Results: TV-PG had no effect on the proliferation or cytotoxicity of RBL-2H3 cells within the concentration range of 0 to $200{\mu}g/mL$. TV-PG inhibited degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells by antigen stimulation in a dose-dependent manner. TV-PG also suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines and mediators such as interleukin-4, tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$, prostagladin E2, and leukotriene B4 in RBL-2H3 cells by antigen stimulation. Conclusion: These results indicate that TV-PG exhibits anti-allergic activity via inhibition of degranulation as well as suppression of inflammatory mediators and cytokine release. These findings suggest that TV-PG may have potential as a preventive and therapeutic agent for the treatment of various allergic diseases.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.31-39
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• 2016

The reasons for selecting insects as future food are high growth and feed conversion rates, reproduce quickly, low environmental footprint, valuable source of nutrients, and source of a various undeveloped functional materials. Since 2014, Tenebrio molitor larva, Protaetia brevitarsis larva, Allomyrina dichotoma larva, and Gryllus bimaculatus were registered as new food in Korea because it has been scientifically proven that they are not harmful to eat and nutritious. Therefore they can be legally produced and sold as food. Accordingly, there are 7 species of edible insects including grasshopper, silkworm pupa, and Baekgangjam in Korea. To improve aversion to edible insects, using their powder, chop, and gravy hidden their morphology, we developed more than 100 different kinds of recipes for general food menu, held several times tasting events to be familiar with edible insect food, and published cookbooks. Moreover, we developed more than 50 kinds of recipes for patients. To eat the insect food more and more people, we have been analyzed various function of insects. If health food based on the results of functional analysis is developed, edible insect's value will be raised. If various insect foods are developed and consumed by people, edible insect market will grow up more than 100 billion won in 2020.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.232-243
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• 2017

Although several supplementary foods are available for pregnant and lactating women, there is a need for foods able to maintain a woman's beauty without any changes in body shape. In this study, four questionnaires about nutrition management, skin care, body shape, and the intent of purchasing beauty supplementary foods, were prepared for an online survey (http://pms8011.wixsite.com/project). A total of 95 answers from 293 women were classified into four groups, based on age, income, occupation, and skin type. The data were statistically analyzed using SPSS/WIN Program 22.0. The significances of the F-value analyzed by one-way ANOVA and the differences within the groups were verified by Scheffe's method. All groups were shown to have very high requirements for nutrition management and beauty standards. In the skin patterns, the groups of middle-aged women, house wife and the lower income showed high interests, with a high significance (P<0.01) in ages. With respect to body shape, significant interest was found within the groups of skin type (P<0.05) and age (P<0.001). With regard to supplementary foods, all groups showed a strong intention to purchase, but no significant differences were found. This study indicates the necessity to categorize supplementary foods by the intended target group, such as women planning to conceive, pregnant women, and lactating women.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.480-487
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major public health issue in Japan and other countries, and foods that prevent or treat OA are in strong demand. Proteins and peptides in chicken meat and bones are known for being rich in functional and nutritional ingredients for the improvement of osteoporosis. We speculated that chicken legs, a food consumed in many regions of the world, may also contain such ingredients. In this study, we aim to (i) evaluate the effect of chicken leg extract (CLE) on the promotion of cartilage matrix production and (ii) identify the active ingredient in CLE that contributes to this function. MATERIALS/METHODS: Artificial CLE digest was prepared, and the acid mucopolysaccharide production-promoting activity of the CLE digest was evaluated by alcian blue staining of ATDC5 cells. CLE was orally administered to rabbits with burr holes in the knee joint of the femur, and the degree of regeneration of cartilage matrix was evaluated. Furthermore, we investigated orally administered CLE-derived peptides in human plasma using LC-MS. From measuring the acid mucopolysaccharide production-promotion activity of these peptides, a molecule considered to be an active ingredient in the CLE digest was identified. RESULTS: CLE digest promoted acid mucopolysaccharide production and facilitated regeneration of cartilage matrix in in vitro and in vivo experiments. Four peptides including phenylalanyl-hydroxyproline (Phe-Hyp) were detected as CLE-derived peptides in human plasma. The effect of CLE was inferred to be due to Phe-Hyp, which was confirmed to be present in the CLE digest. CONCLUSIONS: It was shown that CLE stimulated the production of articular cartilage matrix both in vitro and in vivo, and that CLE could be an effective food for preventing or treating OA. Furthermore, only Phe-Hyp was confirmed as the active compound in the CLE digest, suggesting that the activity of CLE was due to Phe-Hyp.