• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.458-463
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• 2015

Many Koreans, who are resident in Uzbekistan and Central Asia, are still avid fans of the Korean traditional soybean paste. No research study has been conducted on the Korean-Uzbekistanis soybean paste. The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality characteristics of the Korean-Uzbekistanis fermented soybean paste. Nine kinds of soybean pastes prepared by Korean-Uzbekistanis were collected, and their physiochemical properties (protease activity, amylase activity, amino type nitrogen content, reducing-sugar contents, and aerobic bacterial count) have been analyzed. The Korean-Uzbekistanis' fermented soybean paste (KU-SP) showed higher protease activity than the Korean fermented soybean paste (K-SP). The protease activities of KU-SP B, D, and H were 832, 807 and 630 unit/g, respectively, which were significantly different from others. In addition, the content of amino-type nitrogen in KU-SP B, D, and H were 777 mg%, 686 mg%, and 705 mg%, respectively. In the meanwhile, ${\alpha}$-amylase activities showed wide ranges starting from 10.82 to 47.98 unit/g. The KU-SP values, except for the KU-SP C, have shown higher activities than the K-SP. The reduced sugar content and totoal aerobic bacteria number were within the range of 0.55~3.43%/g and 7.24~8.79 log CFU/g, respectively. Finally, this research provided the basic data and information for the quality characteristics of commercial soybean paste prepared by the Korean-Uzbekistanis. These basic data can be useful for understanding the Korean food culture in Central Asia.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.361-366
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• 2014

In this study, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Glycyrrhiza glabra extracts, with their countries of origin as Korea (Jecheon), Uzbekistan and China, were prepared under various extraction conditions. There were 8 extraction conditions which the licorice were subjected to, and all conditions had different extraction solvents, temperatures and times. Antimicrobial activity on skin flora was evaluated comparatively by a disc diffusion assay, broth macrodilution assay, and kill time curve assay. Based on the antimicrobial activity of their extract confirmed by disc diffusion assay, we established optimal extraction conditions. The Korean licorice extract (85% ethanol, $40^{\circ}C$, 12 h) showed the best activity amongst the samples examined. In particular, its antimicrobial activity against Propionibacterium acnes was the highest. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of the licorice extracts revealed that the Korean licorice ($156{\mu}g/ml$ and $1,250{\mu}g/ml$) had better antimicrobial activity than that of the Uzbekistani licorice ($625{\mu}g/ml$ and $2,500{\mu}g/ml$) and the Chinese licorice ($625{\mu}g/ml$ and $5,000{\mu}g/ml$). Taken together, it was shown that Korean licorice extracted in group F (85% ethanol, $40^{\circ}C$, 12 h) had the highest antimicrobial activity amongst the licorices from the other countries of origin. These results also suggest that the optimal extraction conditions are 85% ethanol, $40^{\circ}C$, 12 h, and that licorice has a potential application as a natural preservative in cosmetics products, thereby replacing synthetic preservatives.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2013

In this work, comparative study on antioxidative activities of extracts from Glycyrrhiza uralensis (G. uralensis) produced in Korea and in China and Glycyrrhiza glabra (G. glabra) produced in Uzbekistan was conducted. Among three origins, 50% ethanol extracts (21.15 ${\mu}g/mL$), ethyl acetate fraction (29.15 ${\mu}g/mL$) and aglycone fraction (3.26 ${\mu}g/mL$) of G. uralensis from Korea showed the higher free radical (1,1-phenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH) scavenging activity ($FSC_{50}$) than extracts from other origins. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activities ($OSC_{50}$) of extracts from three origins on ROS generated in $Fe^{3+}-EDTA/H_2O_2$ system were investigated using luminol-dependent chemiluminescence assay 50% ethanol extract (1.00 ${\mu}g/mL$) and ethyl acetate fraction (0.34 ${\mu}g/mL$) of G. uralensis from China showed the most prominent ROS scavenging activity. The protective effects of extract/fractions of G. uralensis and G. glabra extracts on the rose-bengal sensitized photohemolysis of human erythrocytes were investigated. 50% ethanol extract and aglycone fraction of G. uralensis and G. glabra extracts from three origins showed cellular protective effects in a concentration dependent manner (5 ~ 50 ${\mu}g/mL$). Aglycone fraction of G. uralensis from Korea (${\tau}_{50}$ = 847.4 min)especially showed cellular protective effects four times higher than that from China (${\tau}_{50}$ = 194.3 min). These results indicate that G. uralensis and G. glabra extracts, which have been used as whitening agent, could be applicable to functional cosmetic ingredient as a natural antioxidant. Judging from the prominent cellular protecitve effects, it is concluded that G. uralensis and G. glabra extracts can protect the skin from $^1O_2$ and various ROS induced by UV.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.1634-1647
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• 2007

"To invest or not to invest?" Most business leaders are frequently faced with this question on new and ongoing projects. The challenge lies in deciding what projects to choose, expand, contract, defer, or abandon. The project valuation tools used in this process are vital to making the right decisions. Traditional tools such as discounted cash flow (DCF)/net present value (NPV) assume a "fixed" path ahead, but real world projects face uncertainties, forcing us to change the path often. Comparing to other traditional valuation methods, the real options approach captures the flexibility inherent to investment decisions. The use of real options has gained wide acceptance among practitioners in a number of several industries during the last few decades. Even though the options are present in all types of business decisions, it is still not considered as a proper method of valuation in some industries. Mining has been comparably slow to adopt new valuation techniques over the years. The reason fur this is not entirely clear. One possible reason is the level and types of risks in mining. Not only are these risks high, but they are also more numerous and involve natural risks compared with other industries. That is why the purpose of this study is to deal with a more practical approach to project valuation, known as real options analysis in mining industry. This paper provides a case study approach to the copper mining industry using a real options analysis. It shows how companies can minimize investment risks, exercise flexibility in decision making and maximize returns.