• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.171-177
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• 2015

Sodium butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid derivative found in foods, such as Parmesan cheese and butter and is produced by anaerobic bacteria fermentation of dietary fibers in the large intestine. There have been reports that butyrate prevented obesity, protected insulin sensitivity, and ameliorated dyslipidemia in dietary obese mice. This study investigated the effects of sodium butyrate on fasting blood glucose level and serum lipid profile in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed AIN-93G for four weeks prior to intraperitoneal injections with STZ (100 mg/kg body weight). Diabetic mice had supplements of 5% sodium butyrate for four weeks. The 5% sodium butyrate diet significantly improved fasting blood glucose level and lipid profile in STZ-induced diabetic mice. Inflammation has been recognized to decrease beta cell insulin secretion and increase insulin resistance. Circulating cytokines can directly affect beta cell function, leading to secretory dysfunction and increased apoptosis. Thus, anti-inflammatory therapies represented a potential approach for the therapy of diabetes and its complications. In this animal study, the 5% sodium butyrate supplementation also inhibited inflammatory cytokine production in STZ-induced diabetic mice. These results suggested that sodium butyrate can be a potential candidate for the prevention of diabetes and its complications.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.846-853
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• 2019

Phytochemical compounds of Ligusticum striatum Makino are used as traditional medicinal herbs in Asia. These compounds are reported to have pain relief and antioxidant activities in gynecological and brain diseases. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant effects of Ligusticum fermented ethanol extract from Lactobacillus plantarum BHN-LAB 129 isolated from Kimchi, a Korean traditional food. The total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents increased by about 116.2% and 281.0% respectively, in the fermented Ligusticum extract as compared with those in the nonfermented Ligusticum ethanol extract. Superoxide dismutase-like (SOD), DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging, and reducing power activities increased by around 139.9%, 199.6%, 301.0%, and 137.1%, respectively, in the fermented Ligusticum ethanol extract as compared with these parameters in the nonfermented Ligusticum ethanol extract, respectively. In conclusion, the fermented Ligusticum ethanol extract with L. plantarum BHN-LAB 129 was effective in increasing the antioxidant effects. The bioconversion process in this study points to the potential of using Ligusticum to produce phytochemical-enriched natural antioxidant agents with high added value. The findings may prove useful in the development of improved foods and cosmetic materials.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2021

Recent gut microbiota studies have revealed the important roles of gut microbiota for our health. Increasing numbers of health functional foods have been developed every year. Development of functional food often includes ex- and in-vivo experiment to verify the beneficial effects of the functional food. To investigate effects of functional food on gut microbiota, animal models were often conducted. Beneficial effects of food can be evaluated based on how gut microbiota was shifted by food, which results in either increase in beneficial bacteria, decrease in potentially pathogenic bacteria or both. As animal experiments are generally time-consuming and laborious, we investigate how well in-vitro investigation of fecal microbiota may reflect dietary health benefits. Here, we tested 15 kinds of diets using two human subjects' fecal materials. Our results showed varying gut microbiota shifts according to diets, which suggested generally known beneficial diets (i.e. Kimchi, Chunggukjang) increased Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Therefore, we suggest that in vitro fecal microbiota analysis could be used to evaluate beneficial effects of diets. Moreover, this method may be ideal to establish personalized diet.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.67 no.4
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• pp.305-318
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• 2022

To minimize the effects of aging-related comorbidities and to maintain a good quality of life and physical independence for a longer period, the improvement of lifestyle and dietary habits is essential, and healthy foods can be helpful. Among them, medicinal plant such as ginseng (Panax ginseng) and bellflower (Platycodon grandiflorum) contain natural functional substances and have been used for disease treatment and prevention since ancient times. This review summarizes the scientific of these treatments basis by investigating the pharmacological and pharmacokinetic effects of major functional substances on the aging-related health effects of Panax ginseng and Platycodon grandiflorum. The main functional substances of Panax ginseng and Platycodon grandiflorum are saponins, which have a similar molecular structure and confirmed anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, anticancer, and anti-metabolic syndrome effects (improvement of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and obesity). Both types of saponins in Panax ginseng (Ginseonside) and Platycodon grandiflorum (Platycoside) have very low absorption profiles in their purified state, but methods to increase absorption in the body through extraction or fermentation have been studied.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.506-511
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• 2023

The purposes of this study were to isolate and characterize lactic acid bacteria with antibacterial activity against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from fermented food and to confirm the antibacterial activities of fermented rice products using the isolated lactic acid bacterium. Three bacteria, namely, Weissella sp. ISF-1, ISF-2, and ISF-3, were selected from fermented squid based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence. All three strains grew well in an MRS medium containing 5% (w/v) NaCl and showed antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and MRSA. Their growth was excellent at 0% ~ 5% (w/v) NaCl and relatively good up to 7% (w/v) NaCl. The initial pH of 8 was optimal for their growth, and good growth was also observed at pH 6, 7, and 9. The lyophilisates of the fermented rice using Weissella sp. ISF-1 showed antibacterial activities against B. cereus, S. aureus, and MRSA. We inferred that isolated lactic acid bacteria could be useful in the development of probiotics and biopreservatives for foods and in the treatment of MRSA and may increase the value of rice products.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.695-702
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• 2017

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of seed vinegar on antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activities of concentrated blueberry vinegar (CBV). Of the nine strains of yeast and six strains of acetic acid bacteria provided by the Microbial Institute for Fermentation Industry, each strain of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae SRCM 100610, showing the highest ethanol content) and acetic acid bacteria (Acetobacter pasteurianus SRCM 101342, showing the highest total acidity) was selected for production of CBVs. Sugar content, pH, total acidity, total phenolic content (TPC), and browning intensity (280 nm and 420 nm) in CBVs using concentrated blueberry juice were $11.05{\sim}12.70^{\circ}Brix$, 2.63~2.98, 1.65~5.72%, 3.03~4.24 mg/mL, 0.95~1.50, and 0.11~0.20, respectively. Sugar content and total acidity of CBVs increased upon addition of seed vinegar, whereas pH, TPC, and browning intensity decreased. Of all CBVs with various additions of seed vinegar, the control showed the lowest $EC_{50}$ values in DPPH radical scavenging assay, ABTS radical scavenging assay, and reducing power (23.80, 19.48, and 79.21 dilution factor, respectively), whereas the 40% seed vinegar group showed the highest clear zone diameter values for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus cereus (4.31, 4.59, 5.81, and 3.97, respectively). Antioxidant activities of CBVs were closely correlated with their TPC, browning intensity at 280 nm, pH, and total acidity values, showing correlation determination coefficient ($R^2$) values higher 0.82. However, antimicrobial activities of CBVs were closely correlated with their pH and total acidity values, showing higher $R^2$ values more than 0.92. These results suggest that CBVs using concentrated blueberry juice, S. cerevisiae SRCM 100610, and A. pasteurianus SRCM 101342 may be useful as potentially functional foods for enhancing health.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 1985

This study was attempted to investigate the effect of fermentation of soybean on protein and mineral bioavailability. The traditional, oriental fermented soybean foods, Meju and Tempeh, and isolated soybean protein( ISP ) and cooked soybean were prepared and fed to rats as sources of protein. The C-PERs of ISP, cooked soybean, Meju and Tempeh were 1.82, 1.98, 2.11, and 2.36, respectively C-PERs of fermented soybean products, Meju and Tempeh were higher than ISP and cooked soybeans. However, they were not significantly different The percent retention of protein of rats fed with casein, ISP, cooked soybean, Meju and Tempeh were 47.44%, 51.83%, 47.67%, 50.90% and 45.97%, respectively, showing no significant differences among the diets. The rates of calcium retention percent were 62.26%, 59.22%, 61.59%, 55.78% and 67.09 % in rats fed with casein, ISP, cooked soybean, Meju and Tempeh, respectively, demonstrating no significant differences. Rats fed with cooked soybeans did show significantly higher iron retention rate than other samples. However, this study failed to any significant increase in iron availability. The percent of fine retained in rats fed with ISP was significantly lower than those of rats fed with other diets, however, significantly high amounts of zinc were retained in rats fed with Tempeh compared with other diets. The percents of zinc, iron, calcium retained in the bones of rats were not significantly different among the diets.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.812-813
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• 1995

Lactococcal cells are nutritionally fastidious and thus, generally cultured either in milk or M17 medium (Terzaghi and Sandine, 1975). In this study, Lactococcus cremoris wild-type (KH) and its less­proteolytic mutant (KHA1) cells were grown on the M17 medium or with modified M17 medium by replicated parallel experiments. The modified M17 medium had the same composition as M17 medium, except that lactose was replaced by glucose. Analyses of culture-broth samples, in which the M17 and the modified M17 media were used, were conducted by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). But, working with these media created noisy problems in analyses of samples. Therefore, a new semi-synthetic medium was developed on the basis of nutritional requirements (Morishita et al., 1981). The composition of the semi-synthetic medium determined on the basis of the nutritional requirements and the composition of milk, is presented in Table 1. The composition of M17 medium is also presented and compared in the table. L. cremoris KH and KHA1 cells were grown again on the new synthetic medium containing glucose or lactose. The broth samples were then drawn and analyzed by HPLC. Clearer separations of fermented products were achieved from the new medium than those with the M17 and the modified M17 media. In comparison with the M17 or the modified M17 media, growth on the new medium was good (Kim et al, 1993). Additional fermentations were also carried out at a controlled pH of 7.0, where enhanced growth of lactococcal cells was obtained. In the fermentations, samples were also analyzed for the concentrations of sugar and lactic acid. The results showed that the new synthetic medium was as good as or better than the M 17 and the modified M 17 media. This is because casein hydrolysate in the synthetic medium provided a ready supply of amino acids and peptides for L. cremoris KH and KHA1 cells. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) including Lactococcal cells have been known to be an effective means of preserving foods, at the same time as giving particular tastes in fields of dairy products. LAB also have always occupied an important place in the technology of sea products, and marine LAB have known to be present in traditional fermented products (Ohhira et al, 1988). To apply the new synthetic medium to marine LAB, two different LAB were isolated from pickled anchovy and pollacks caviar and were grown on the new media in which various concentrations of NaCl $(3, 5, 7 and 10\%)$ added. They were also grown on the medium solution in natural seawater $(35\%o\;salinity)$ and on the solution of natural seawater itself, too. As seen in Fig. 1, Marine LAB were grown best on the synthetic medium solution in natural seawater and the higher concentrations of NaCl were added to the medium, the longer lag-phase of growth profile appeared. Marine LAB in natural seawater were not grown well. From these results, the synthetic medium seems good to cultivate cells which are essential to get salted fish aged. In this study, it showed that the new synthetic medium provided adequate nutrition for L. cremoris KH and KHA1 cells, which have been used as cheese starters (Stadhouders et al, 1988). Using this new medium, the acid production capability of starter cultures could be also measured quantitatively. Thus, this new medium was inferior to the M17 or the modified M17 medium in culturing the cheese starters and in measuring fermentation characteristics of the starter cells. Moreover, this new medium found to be good for selected and well-identified marine LAB which are used in rapid fermentations of low-salted fish.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.121-128
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• 2014

This study was conducted in order to investigate the change of isoflavone composition (glycoside and bio-active aglycone), and to evaluate the quality characteristics of Cheonggukjang, which was prepared by different bacillus strains. After the 48-hour fermentation, the contents of daidzein, genistein, and glycitein in the Bacillus subtilis HJ18-3 have significantly increased up to approximately $89.06{\pm}3.59$, $10.36{\pm}0.28$, and $101.37{\pm}3.67ug/g$, respectively. The contents of daidzein, genistein, and glycitein in the Bacillus subtilis KACC 15935 were $38.88{\pm}5.39$, $12.58{\pm}2.14$, and $80.13{\pm}0.71ug/g$, respectively. The original content of daidzein was 3.96 ug/g, while genistein and glycitein were not measured. However, the contents of daidzen and genistein in HJ18-3 and in KACC 15935 were decreased. The ${\alpha}$-Amylase and cellulase activities of Chungkookjang in HJ18-3 were higher than in the KACC 15935. The contents of Chungkookjang in HJ18-3 were $29.70{\pm}11.66$ and $4861.3{\pm}388.07unit/g$, respectively. The amino type nitrogen contents and ammonia type nitrogen contents of Chungkookjang in KACC 15935 were higher than in the HJ18-3. These results suggested that it could be used to increase the bioactivity via fermentation with the Bacillus subtilis possessing a ${\beta}$-glucosidase activity with a view towards the development of functional foods.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.1640-1646
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• 2008

In the current food sanitation regulation, food additives are under controlled by the Food Code. The naturally derived preservatives such as benzoic acid and propionic acid can be naturally carried over or produced as metabolites during manufacturing process such as fermentation. To monitor naturally formed benzoic acid and propionic acid levels, a total of 145 samples were classified into berries (prune, cranberry), functional foods (propolis liquid, ginseng product), vinegars (vinegar-based drink, vinegar beverage, vinegar), and salted and pickled products (olive, pickled cucumber, salted/pickled product) and analyzed by HPLC-PDA and GC-FID. From the results, benzoic acid and propionic acid were each detected and identified in 144 samples and 64 samples respectively. The amount of benzoic acid ranged from $4.1{\sim}478.4\;ppm$ in cranberry, from $49.7{\sim}491$ in propolis liquid, and from $2.5{\sim}10.2\;ppm$ in ginseng, and other tested samples contained very small quantity. Also, the amount of propionic acid ranged from $179.8{\sim}951.9\;ppm$ (av. 553.6 ppm) in vinegar (persimmon vinegar 100%), which was the highest level among fermented foods, from $13.7{\sim}247.0$ ppm in propolis liquid, from $2.0{\sim}180.7\;ppm$ in vinegar-based drink, and from $1.6{\sim}76.6\;ppm$ in olive. Vinegar beverage and pickled cucumber each showed 24 and 18 ppm of propionic acid; in contrast, propionic acid was not detected in prune, cranberry, ginseng, and picked/salted products.