• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1505-1510
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• 2009

Arginyl-fructose (AF) and arginyl-fructosyl-glucose (AFG) were chemically synthesized and purified. Their in vitro and cellular antioxidant activity was investigated using oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and cellular antioxidant activity assay, respectively. The peroxyl radical scavenging activity of AF was much higher than that of AFG, which was in good agreement with their reduction capacity to donate electrons or hydrogen atoms. On the other hand, the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of AF was weaker than that of AFG, which was consistent with their metal chelating activity, suggesting that AFG-$Cu^{2+}$ complex may be less redox-active than AF-$Cu^{2+}$ complex due to 1 glucose molecule attached. The cellular antioxidant activity of AF and AFG appeared to depend on both their permeability into cell membrane and the scavenging activity on peroxyl or hydroxyl radicals. These results indicate that AF and AFG, Maillard reaction products, may have a high potential as a material for the development of nutraceutical food with antioxidant activity.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.143-148
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• 2004

Brown color intensity has been a major factor to estimate the quality of red ginseng and its products. This study deals with the relationship between the browning reaction of ginseng root and two compounds, arginyl-fructosyl-glucose(Arg-fru-glc) and arginyl-fructose (Arg-fru), in the model system of steaming and heat-drying processes for the preparation of red ginseng. During the steaming process, a marked decrease of starch and a considerable formation of maltose occurred in main roots of raw ginseng, but the formation of glucose was scarcely observed. After the heat-drying process, the brown color intensity of the powdered preparation of steamed main roots was 3 to 4 times higher than that of the powdered preparation of raw main roots. Also, when the heat- drying process was done with the addition of L-arginine, brown color intensity of the powdered preparation of steamed main roots was 12 to 13 times higher than that of the powdered preparation of raw main roots. The amount ratios of browning reaction products formed from sugar compounds and amino acids in the model system of steaming and heat-drying treatments in vitro were in order of xylose > glucose > fructose > maltose > dextrin (DE 9) > sucrose > dextrin (DE 8) and soluble starch. Each solution of Arg-fru-glc and Arg-fru that were synthesized chemically from maltose plus L-arginine and glucose plus L-arginine, respectively, changed from colorless to brown color during the heat-drying treatment. Amino acids or sugars were effective on the acceleration of each browning reaction of Arg-fru-gIc and Arg-fru during the heat-drying treatment.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.136-142
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• 2004

During our investigations on the relationship between the browning reaction of ginseng root and two compounds (arginyl-fructosyl-glucose and arginyl-fructose) in the model system of steaming and heat-drying processes for the preparation of red ginseng, the preheating treatment of main roots of raw ginseng at 60∼70$^{\circ}C$ prior to the steaming and heat-drying processes was found to bring about the gelatinization of starch granules. The enzymatic hydrolysis of gelatinized starch to maltose, a marked formation of maltose, and the increase of both free arginine and total amino acids, resulting the acceleration of the Maillard type-browning reaction of ginseng root during the steaming and heat-drying processes, and the rise of brown color intensity of red ginseng. These results show that the preheating treatment may be effective for the decrease of inside white of red ginseng.