• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.1119-1123
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• 2005

The inhibitory effects of water and methanol extracts of Doenjang, Chungkookjang and Miso on bovine hyaluronidase were examined. The extracts were vacuum-dried and the resulting pellets were dissolved with 0.1 M acetate buffer with 1$\%$ DMSO to a final concentration of 50 mg/mL. The water extracts of Doenjang, Chungkookjang and Miso inhibited 62$\%$, 70$\% $, 56$\%$ of hyaluronidase activity, respectively, while the extract of crushed soybean inhibited 24$\%$ of the activity. Under the same condition, disodiumcromoglycate known as an anti-allergic drug inhibited 46$\%$ of hyaluronidase activity at the concentration of 0.35 mg/mL as a positive control. Also the methanol extracts of Doenjang, Chungkookjang and Miso inhibited 48$\%$, 52$\%$, 70$\%$ of hvaluronidase activity, respectively, while the extract of crushed soybean inhibited 46$\%$ of the activity. After heat treatment of the water extracts of Doenjang, Chungkookjang and Miso at 100"C for 10 min, hyaluronidase inhibitory effects of them were reduced approximately to half. However, hyaluronidase inhibitory effects of methanol extracts were maintained well even after heat treatment.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.69-73
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• 2008

Fermented soybeans contain microorganisms, diverse enzymes, and bioactive compounds. Few studies on cellulase in Chungkookjang exist. Oligosaccharides play diverse roles of bioactivity. Through Congo red test and activity staining, it was confirmed that the enzyme solution contained cellulase. Optimal pH and temperature of the cellulase produced by Bacillus licheniformis B1 were 10 and $40^{\circ}C$, respectively. Through TLC analysis, it was demonstrated that the enzyme solution degraded carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), whose main products contained dimer and trimer oligosaccharides. Cellulase activity of barley-Chungkookjnag fermented by the strain increased, compared with that of Chungkookjang. The cellulase was found to be a ${\beta}$-1,4-glucanase through the analysis of the cloned gene, showing polymorphism at 32 amino acid sites in the coding range of amino acid 10 and 460.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.102-109
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• 2013

To isolate GABA-producing microorganisms, 1,500 strains were isolated from different Chungkookjang samples and screened. From these strains, 20 were selected for further analyses based on a protease and slime-producing activity test. The MC 31 strain showed the highest GABA concentration in Chungkookjang and was used in this study. MC 31 was identified as Bacillus subtilis by an API 50CHB kit and 16S rDNA sequences analysis and named as B. subtilis MC 31. B. subtilis MC 31 showed exponential growth up to 12 hours at $37^{\circ}C$ in LB broth, and it reached a stationary phase after 24 to 36 hours of incubation. B. subtilis MC 31 showed maximum GABA content at 72 hours after incubation at $40^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.855-862
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• 2013

Although antioxidant activities of Korean traditional fermented foods were reported by many researchers, study on antioxidant activity of microorganism originated from Korean traditional fermented foods was little. Therefore, we improved condition for antioxidant production by a bacterium isolated from home-made Chungkookjang. We selected a bacterial strain, which showed the highest antioxidative activity, from Chungkookjang and then named GJ. The selected GJ strain was identified as Bacillus methylotrophicus by alignment data of 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences. Improved medium compositions for DPPH radical scavenging activity were 0.25% sucrose, 1% peptone, 0.01% $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$ and initial pH 6.5, respectively. Optimal culture conditions were $30^{\circ}C$, 200 rpm and 4% inoculum volume, respectively. In improved conditions, DPPH radical scavenging activity of GJ reached to 91% in a short time. The strain GJ also possessed ACE inhibition and other antioxidative activities; ACE inhibition activity (49.4%), ABTS radical scavenging activity (99.8%), metal chelating activity (67.9%), SOD-like activity (36.5%) and reducing power ($A_{700}$ = 5.982) were observed, respectively. Therefore, our results suggest that B. methylotrophicus GJ strain may be potential candidate for functional foods, cosmetic products for anti-aging and medicine for diseases caused by oxidative stress.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.256-261
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• 2007

Apoptosis is a step of the cell cycle which is important in the regulation of immune cell populations. Chungkookjang is a Korean traditional fermented soybean containing microorganisms, enzymes, and bioactive compounds which was used in the treatment of mouse spleen as well as thymus cells (CH1-fermented soybean containing barley, wormwood, and sea tangle; CH2-fermented soybean) and was found to exhibit substantially reduced small DNA fragmentation. An MTT assay showed that the treatment of CH1 and CH2 into the mouse splenocytes and thymocytes sharply increased their survival. Moreover, a FACS analysis also showed that CH1 and CH2 are effective at suppressing the apoptosis of splenocytes and thymocytes. The fermented soybean isoflavone concentrations, which are implicated in lowering breast and prostate cancers, lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and improving bone health, were determined using Capillary Electrophoresis-Electrochemical Detection (CE-ED). The amount of Daidzein in fermented soybean significantly increased by 44-fold dramatically, compared with those in unfermented soybean. In this study, we demonstrated that ethanol extracts of Chungkookjang promote the survival of the mouse spleen and thymus cells in culture by suppressing their apoptotic death. Future studies should investigate which genes are related to apoptosis of the immune cells.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.202-210
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• 2007

A total of 45 bacterial strains were isolated from the traditional Korean soybean-fermented food, Chungkookjang. Among these strains, seven strains were selected and identified based on morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics, as well as phylogenetic analysis using 16S rDNA sequences. All strains were Gram-positive, aerobic, motile, oxidase-positive, rod-shaped, and endospore-forming bacteria, and produced extracellular enzymes such as amylase, cellulase, lipase, protease, and xylanase. The isolates were grown in the presence of 0-11% (w/v) NaCl. Growth was optimal at pH 6-9 and at temperatures of $30-45^{\circ}C$. According to VITEK automicrobic system tests and supplementary tests, the isolates were similar to several species of the genus Bacillus. The phylogenetic analysis of seven bacterial strains based on comparisons of 16S rDNA sequences, revealed that the strains were closely related to Bacillus species. The identification of strains that produced surfactin was also carried out, based on PCR screening of the sfp gene. Among the seven isolated strains, six yielded a surfactin-positive result with PCR.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.204-210
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• 2002

The quality characteristics and sensory evaluation of chungkookjang were investigated. The samples were prepared and fermented by the inoculation of Bacillus strains; B. subtilis, B. natto and B. licheniformis as a single starter, and mixed culture of B. natto and B. licheniformis on the industrialized model system. It was shown that microbial growth, protease activity, contents of amino-and ammonia-nitrogen and contents of organic acid were higher in B. subtilis inoculated sample, and were lower in B. licheniformis inoculated one. General quality characteristics of sample inoculated by mixed culture of B. natto and B. licheniformis took a middle position between each B. natto and B. licheniformis inoculated one. Fifty eight species of odor components were identified. Ethanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, acetic acid, benzaldehyde and alkyl pyrazines were identified in all samples and most of other flavor components were strain specific. The contents of unpleasant smell components, alkyl pyrazines and benzaldehyde, were lower in B. licheniformis inoculated sample. The sensory evaluations showed that chungkookjang manufactured from mixed culture of B. natto and B.licheniformis was most acceptable. Therefore, results indicated that chungkookjang manufactured from mixed culture of B. natto and B. licheniformis induced better sensory quality than that of the control.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.132-139
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• 2005

The major obstacle in the popularization of Chungkookjang is the short shelf-life of $2{\sim}3$ months and some problems concerning storage including the growth of molds even in the products even within shelf-life. To solve these problems we conducted a research to improve its storage by using the vacuumed packaging and sanitary method through seed culture, innoculation and sterilization. For the optimization of storage time, temperature and sterilization temperature, we measured viable cell numbers of bacteria and fungi, amount of gas outbreak and contents of amino type nitrogen and monitored these experimental results by response surface methodology of SAS program, so that we could observe the quality changes of Chungkookjang during shelf-life. Especially fungi, which are the biggest troublemaker in Chungkookjang shelf-life, couldn't be detected from the generally and vacuum-packed samples; also, viable cell numbers were highly influenced by sterilization temperature and in vacuum-packed samples. In the case of vacuum-packed samples, amount of gas outbreak was highly influenced by sterilization temperature of its storage conditions and it was higher in generally packed samples as compared to vacuum-packed samples even at any storage conditions. The changes of pH in generally and vacuum-packed samples were highly influenced by the storage temperature. As the temperatures of storage and sterilization were higher and the storage time was longer, so the amount of gas outbreak was accordingly lower. These results showed that amino type nitrogen contents in generally and vacuum-packed samples were systematically influenced by the temperature, storage time and sterilization temperature. Also the result showed that the change of amino type nitrogen contents during storage was less in vacuum-packed samples than in general ones. Based on the above results, we can produce Chungkookjang products with extended shelf-life of as far as 6 months without any quality change using sanitary manufacturing method, vacuumed packaging condition, sterilization in $70^{\circ}C$ for 60 minutes and storage under $10^{\circ}C$ during shelf-life. According to this research, we have the possibility to greatly increase the goods value of Chungkookjang by developing the manufacture processing and packaging.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Chungkookjang viscous biopolymer supplementation on blood glucose and serum lipid-lowering in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The rats were divided into three experimental groups; a normal group (N), diabetic control group (D), and a diabetic group with the supplementation of Chungkookjang viscous biopolymer (DCB). The groups were given experimental diets for four weeks. The normal group (C) was fed a casein-based diet, and the Chungkookjang viscous biopolymer group (DCB) received 3% biopolymer added to the casein-based diet. In the diabetic group (D), food intake increased significantly, but weight gain decreased significantly. The food efficiency ratio was significantly lower in the diabetic group. Liver weight increased significantly in the D group as compared to the N group. However, the DCB group showed a significant decrease in liver weight when compared to the D group. Blood glucose decreased significantly in the DCB group after receiving the experimental diet for four weeks, as compared to the diabetic control (p<0.05). Serum triglyceride levels were significantly lower in the DCB group than in the D group, whereas HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly higher (p<0.05). Total cholesterol was decreased in DCB group, but there were no significant differences. Also, LDL-cholesterol level was not significantly different among the experimental groups. Hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol were lower in the DCB group with no significant differences among groups. These results indicate that dietary supplementation of Chungkookjang viscous biopolymer improved glucose lowering and lipid metabolism in diabetic rats.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.233-237
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• 2004