• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.251-261
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• 2017

Initially, we screened 18 Aspergillus sojae-like strains from Aspergillus spp. isolated from meju (Korean traditional fermented soybean brick) according to their morphological characteristics. Because members of Aspergillus section Flavi are often incorrectly identified because of their phylogenetic similarity, we re-identified these strains at the morphological and molecular genetic levels. Fourteen strains were finally identified as A. sojae. The isolates produced protease and ${\alpha}-amylase$ with ranges of 2.66-10.64 and 21.53-106.73 unit/g-initial dry substrate (U/g-IDS), respectively, which were equivalent to those of the koji (starter mold) strains employed to produce Japanese soy sauce. Among the isolates and Japanese koji strains, strains SMF 127 and SMF 131 had the highest leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) activities at 6.00 and 6.06 U/g-IDS, respectively. LAP plays an important role in flavor development because of the production of low-molecular-weight peptides that affect the taste and decrease bitterness. SMF 127 and SMF 131 appeared to be non-aflatoxigenic because of a termination point mutation in aflR and the lack of the polyketide synthase gene found in other A. sojae strains. In addition, SMF 127 and SMF 131 were not cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) producers because of the deletion of maoA, dmaT, and pks/nrps, which are involved in CPA biosynthesis. Therefore, A. sojae strains such as SMF 127 and SMF 131, which have high protease and LAP activities and are free of safety issues, can be considered good starters for soybean fermentations, such as in the production of the Korean fermented soybean products meju, doenjang, and ganjang.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.632-643
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• 2022

Although probiotics have been shown to improve health when consumed, recent studies have reported that they can cause unwanted side effects due to bacterial-human interactions. Therefore, the importance of prebiotics that can form beneficial microbiome in the gut has been emphasized. This study isolated and identified bacteria capable of producing biopoymer as a candidate prebiotic from traditional fermented foods. The isolated and identified strain was named WCYSK01 (Wissella sp. strain YSK01). The composition of the medium for culturing this strain was prepared by dissolving 3 g K₂HPO₄, 0.2 g MgSO₄, 0.05 g CaCl₂, 0.1 g NaCl in 1 L of distilled water. The LMBP(low molecular weight biopoymers) produced when fermentation was performed with sucrose and maltose as substrates were mainly consisted of DP3 (degree of polymer; isomaltotriose), DP4 (isomaltotetraose), DP5 (isomaltopentaose), and DP6 (isomaltoheptaose). The optimization of LMBP (low molecular weight of biopolymer) production was performed using the response surface methodology. The fermentation process temperature range of 18 to 32℃, the fermentation medium pH in the range of 5.1 to 7.9. The yield of LMBP production by the strain was found to be significantly affected by q fermentation temperature and pH. The optimal fermentation conditions were found at the normal point, and the production yield was more than 75% at pH 7.5 and temperature of 23℃.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.260-269
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to develop higher-value added dyeing materials with the fermentation-dyeing -mordanting system using only the natural ingredients by integrating traditional fermentation techniques with traditional dyeing technique. Nuruk, which is used mainly to ferment traditional foods, was used as a fermenting agent to ferment 5 different types of materials. Acidic burnt alum and alkaline calcium hydroxide were used as natural mordants. The dyeability checked after fermentation showed that both cotton and silk mordanted with Gardenia jasminoides did not show notable changes, and 10 days of fermentation was found to be appropriate. Sophora japonica L. performed better on cotton materials mordanted with slaked lime, and alkaline mordants were found to be more effective than acidic ones. With Rheum coreanum, a fermentation period of more than 24 days ($5^{th}$ fermentation) worked best on cotton material, showing a 5 fold increase in the K/S value after the $5^{th}$ slaked lime fermentation than with no fermentation. Rhus javanica L. was found to increase the color fastness to gentle washing and the fastness to light was found to possess 4 means that natural dyed fabric have the highest level of durability, the grade 1 the lowest level of fastness.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.135-140
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• 2007

Antibacterial activities of the major phenolic components from Camellia sinensis L. were investigated against several pathogenic microorganisms including Gram-positive strains like Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and Streptococcus pyogens 308A; and Gram-negative strains like Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Escherichia coli 078, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 9027, and Enterobacter cloacae 1321E. The MIC values demonstrate that both (-)-epicatechin and (-)-epigallocatechin were more considerably toxic against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 than the other two catechins like (-)-epicatechingallate and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate. (-)-Epicatechingallate and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate were most inhibitory against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. As a result, (-)-epicatechin showed predominant antibacterial activities among tea varieties. The contents of major polyphenolic components such as four catechins, theaflavin, and quercetin were different according to fermentation processes. The total contents of four catechins were ranged from 13.81 to 1.33%, with (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate being dominant among tea varieties; theaflavin was found the characteristic pigment in fully-fermented black tea.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.884-888
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• 2017

In this study, we report the morphogenetic analysis and genome sequence of a new WCP30 phage of Weissella cibaria, isolated from a fermented food. Based on its morphology, as observed by transmission electron microscopy, WCP30 phage belongs to the family Siphoviridae. Genomic analysis of WCP30 phage showed that it had a 33,697-bp double-stranded DNA genome with 41.2% G+C content. Bioinformatics analysis of the genome revealed 35 open reading frames. A BLASTN search showed that WCP30 phage had low sequence similarity compared to other phages infecting lactic acid bacteria. This is the first report of the morphological features and complete genome sequence of WCP30 phage, which may be useful for controlling the fermentation of dairy foods.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.7
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• pp.377-389
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• 2012

Food fermentations have enhanced human health since the dawn of time and remain a prevalent means of food processing and preservation. Due to their cultural and nutritional importance, many of these foods have been studied in detail using molecular tools, leading to enhancements in quality and safety. Furthermore, recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technology are revolutionizing the study of food microbial ecology, deepening insight into complex fermentation systems. This review provides insight into novel applications of select molecular techniques, particularly next-generation sequencing technology, for analysis of microbial communities in fermented foods. We present a guideline for integrated molecular analysis of food microbial ecology and a starting point for implementing next-generation analysis of food systems.

• Hanyang Medical Reviews
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.130-136
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• 2014

Animals find nutritious foods to survive, while avoiding aversive and toxic chemicals through the chemosensory faculties of olfaction and taste. The olfaction is comparatively well characterized, but the studies of taste are only recently developing since after 2000. Genetic, immunohistochemistry, and electrophysiological studies with knock-out transgenic mice opened up the taste field in mammals. Taste in insects has been only recently been studied after mammalian taste receptors were identified. Flies also discriminate the differences of sweet, salty and sour food, while being able to detect and reject potential foods contaminated with toxins or detrimental chemicals. These discriminatory abilities indicate that flies house basic taste receptors in their taste organs like humans. For the last decade, the sweet and bitter gustatory receptors in Drosophila have been characterized. In this review, we compare the taste anatomy between humans and insects. We also introduce five canonical taste sensations in Drosophila. In addition, we introduce new taste repertoires, that fruit flies can sense water and fatty acids as well as the carbonation buffer in beverage. These studies on simple model organisms will open up a new potential for scientists to further investigate these characteristics in vertebrates.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.88-94
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• 2008

Three different protein extraction methods-phenol extraction, trichloroacetic acid (TCA) precipitation, and desalting/TCA precipitation-were compared to determine the optimal reproducible high resolution 2-dimensional (2-D) electrophoresis for each chungkugjang, doenjang, and kochujang samples. The soluble proteins from Chungkugjang extracted by phenol were separated with high reproducibility and resolution, and gained 1.75- to 3-fold more protein spots on 2-D gel than those from the other methods. On the contrary, the extracted proteins from doenjang and kochujang treated by desalting/TCA precipitation method showed about 1.5- to 3.3-fold more protein spots on 2-D gel. Using the established methods, the changes in the protein profiles of the fermented soy foods were monitored during the fermentation period by 2-DE. One of the major proteins in soy, $\beta$-conglycinin $\alpha$-subuint, and some proteins with unknown functions were localized on 2-D gel as the protease-resistant proteins throughout the fermentation period of doenjang. Changes in the protein profile monitored by the established methods can provide basic information on unfolding the mechanisms of the generation of biofunctional activity in the fermented soy foods.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.361-366
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• 2012

We investigated the anti-diabetic activity and enzymatic activity of 24 commercial doenjang samples certified for traditional foods. Twenty four doenjang samples showed the wide ranges in enzymatic activities (protease activities 0-50.45 unit/g, ${\alpha}$-amylase activities 0-675.9 unit/g, ${\beta}$-amylase 13.6-308.6 unit/g), and there were no difference in enzymatic activity by the producing region. To evaluate the potential anti-diabetic activity of 24 doenjang samples, we examined the effect of doenjang methanol extract (DME) on 2-[n-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1, 3-diazol-4-yl) amyno]-2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-NBDG) uptake. Ten samples among 24 samples significantly stimulated the uptake of 2-NBDG. When the cells were treated with DME at 400 ug/mL, No. 17 and 23 specially stimulated 2-NBDG uptake by 1.23-fold and 1.25-fold, respectively, compared with untreated control cell. And there were no cytotoxicity in the C2C12 cells treated with DME at concentration of 500 ug/mL. Among 24 samples, No. 6, 7, 12, 21 and 24 showed the ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitor activity at concentration of 10 mg/mL; however, they were less effective than acarbose which is a commercial ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitor.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.144-152
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• 2001

In order to improve functionality of kochujang which is one of the traditional foods of Korea, sea tangle powder(2, 4, 6 and 8% sea tangle powder on the glutinous rice weight basis) was added to the raw material of kochujang and then investigated the change of physiochemical properties with control kochujang during the fermentation at 3$0^{\circ}C$ for 120 days. During 120 days fermentation, moisture and crude protein contents were gradually decreased with fermentation time, whereas crude fat content NaCl were slightly increased with fermentation time. The contents of reducing sugar of sea tangle kochujang was rapidly increased until 60 days of fermentation after that it was increased slightly up to 90 days of fermentation to the highest value and then reduced slightly or not changed approximately until 120 days. pH was reduced up to 60 days of fermentation after that it remained 4.63~4.91 in 90~120 days. Acidity was increased with fermentation time, and it was the highest value of 11.5~12.4$m\ell$ in 120 days of fermentation. Viscosity was increased with increased with fermentation time. Especially a case of additional sample of 8% sea tangle powder was highly increased until 60 days. A case of color difference value, in initial time of preparation of kochujang was distinct difference of value for additional samples respectively but as the fermentation progressed, among the samples not found consistent change of color difference value. L value was gradually decreased during fermentation. A value was decreased up to 30 days of fermentation and it was increased again totally at 60 days of fermentation. B value was decreased totally at initial time of fermentation and a case of control was increased again at 90 days of fermentation, the other samples increased again 60 days earlier than 30 days.