• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.196-201
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• 2022

Insects have been proposed as new protein sources for human nutrition, and protein availability is affected by insect characteristics. Fermentation can be used to obtain a variety of insect-based ingredients and products with unique properties, but its effect on protein availability is unknown. Fermented cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus) powder consists mainly of protein, and its oral administration has been reported to improve hair growth in androgenetic alopecia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hair-promoting activity of fermented cricket powder in an animal model using male C57BL/6 mice (25-30 g). The abdominal hair of the mouse (2x2.5 cm) was gently removed, and the groups fed as follows: Intact controls (no cricket powder); cricket powder only; and fermented cricket powder only. Food was applied daily for 11 weeks. Observational and physical examinations were performed and the results of the different groups compared. The application of fermented cricket powder significantly (p<0.01) promoted hair growth compared to the intact controls. The C57BL/6 results confirmed increased growth after seven weeks when the proportion of anagen follicles had increased by about 125% and 120% in the control and cricket powder groups, respectively. In conclusion, fermented cricket powder can be seen as a promising alternative alopecia treatment because it promotes hair growth, and, given the powder's composition, trace elements such as amino acids may have contributed to these effects.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.831-837
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• 2015

Insects have gained increasing attention as an alternative protein and nutrient rich food source for humans. This study was conducted to investigate the physicochemical characteristics and harmful components of edible crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus) in the 6 districts of Yeonggwang (YG), Jeongseon (JS), Wonju (WJ), Hwaseong (HS), Geochang (GC), and Chungju (CJ). The average crude protein and crude lipid contents on a dry basis were 64.34% and 16.60%, respectively. The crude protein content of CJ was the highest (67.40%), whereas YG (59.42%) had the lowest content. On the other hand, the crude fat content of YG was the highest (20.61%), whereas CJ (14.04%) had the lowest content. The unsaturated fatty acid contents were 57.97-63.93 g/100 g of the total fatty acid content in the crickets of the 6 districts. The major fatty acids of the crickets in the 6 districts were palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. Among the essential amino acids, valine, leucine, and lysine were the most abundant. GC had the highest total amino acids (57.93 g/100 g), whereas YG (48.65 g/100 g) had the lowest. Major mineral contents included potassium (K, 0.92~1.01 mg/100 mg) and phosphorus (P, 0.74~0.88 mg/100 mg). The mineral composition was fairly similar among the crickets. Crickets in the 6 districts were verified to have safe levels of residual heavy metals according to the Korea Food & Drug Administration (KFDA) advisory levels.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.544-551
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• 2020

Background: Previous studies have shown the insecticidal efficacy of ginsenosides. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the metabolic mechanism related to the inhibitory effect of panaxadiol saponins (PDSs) against the Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenee). Methods: Third instar larvae of O. furnacalis were fed normal diets with different concentrations of PDSs for 4 days. The consumption index, relative growth rate, approximate digestibility, and conversion of ingested and digested food were recorded. A targeted gas chromatographye-mass spectrometry assay was performed to detect the profiles of amino acids, fatty acids, and carbohydrates in larvae of O. furnacalis. In addition, the activity of detoxification-related enzymes was determined. Results and Conclusions: PDSs decreased the consumption index, relative growth rate, approximate digestibility, and conversion of ingested and digested food in the 3rd instar larvae of O. furnacalis in a dose-dependent manner. PDSs decreased 15 free amino acids, 16 free fatty acids, and 5 carbohydrates and increased the levels of palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid, and 9-octadecenoic acid in the 3rd instar larvae. The activity of detoxification-related enzymes, such as acetylcholinesterase, glutathione S-transferase, cytochrome P450, carboxylesterase, trehalase, acid phosphatase, and alkaline phosphatase, was reduced in a dose-dependent manner in the 3rd instar larvae exposed to PDSs. These data confirmed the inhibitory effect of PDSs against growth, food utilization, and detoxification in the 3rd instar larvae of O. furnacalis and the potential for using PDSs as an efficient tool for insect pest management for O. furnacalis larvae.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.222-226
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• 2013

This study was performed to confirm physiological activities according to parts of new pear cultivars (Gamcheonbae, Manpungbae, Chuwhangbae, Hanareum) and Niitaka pear. The total polyphenol compound contents of pear peel, flesh and core were 178~235, 95~113, 177~229 mg/100 g as tannic acid equivalent, respectively. There were differences in the contents by cultivars, Chuwhangbae and Hanareum cultivars showed high contents. The total flavonoid contents of the pear peel, flesh and core were 29.2~40.2, 24.3~34.3, 26.9~38.8 mg/100 g, respectively and those of Chuwhangbae and Gamcheonbae cultivars showed comparatively high values. The electron-donating ability was high in Chuwhangbae, Gamcheonbae and in the pear peel (29.7~57.7%), core (29.1~38.2%), flesh (7.6~17.7%), in that order. The nitrate scavenging activity was highest in that pear peel (21.0~49.8%), followed by the core (11.8~16.2%) and flesh (7.8~9.7%), but there was little difference by cultivar.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.615-628
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• 2023

Purpose: Increasing levels of domestic fine dust (DFD) have emerged as a serious problem that threatens public health by causing chronic respiratory diseases and skin aging. The present study was performed to investigate the inhibitory effects of Gryllus bimaculatus (the two-spotted cricket), which has recently attracted attention as an edible insect in South Korea, on DFD-induced aging and inflammation. Methods: To verify that DFD causes skin aging and investigate the anti-aging effect of an aqueous ethanolic-Gryllus bimaculatus extract (AE-GBE), human diploid fibroblasts (HDF) were treated with 100 ㎍/mL of European reference material (ERM)-CZ100 dust for 24 hrs in the presence or absence of 100 ㎍/ml AE-GBE. Aging and cellular toxicities were assessed by measuring reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, DNA fragmentation, and β-galactosidase activity. The protein levels of cyclooxygenase (COX) 2, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, and collagen were measured by western blot, and the mRNA expressions of inflammation-related genes were assayed by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results: Treatment with ERM-CZ100 induced an aged phenotype in HDF cells, as evidenced by increased ROS levels, DNA fragmentation, and senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, but cotreatment with AE-GBE significantly reduced these inductions. The mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, induced by ERM-CZ100 were also reduced by AE-GBE cotreatment, which also reduced COX2 expression. Moreover, ERM-CZ100-induced MMP-1 expression and reduced collagen type I expression were recovered by AE-GBE treatment. Conclusion: These results suggest that AE-GBE is a potential treatment for domestic fine dust-induced skin inflammation and inflammaging.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.236-243
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• 2023

Platelets act a fundamental role in primary- and secondary-hemostasis, however, platelet activation may cause thrombosis simultaneously. Therefore, control of platelet aggregation is crucial in preventing thrombosis-mediated diseases. Recently, the development of insect materials is attracting attention. Among the highly nutritious functional food sources, insects such as two-spotted cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus). Gryllus bimaculatus (G. bimaculatus) contains high protein and unsaturated fatty acids and has been registered as a food material September 2015 by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of Korea. In this study, we examined whether G. bimaculatus extract (GBE) inhibits platelet aggregation, intracellular calcium mobilization, thromboxane A₂ production and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (integrin αIIb/β3) activation. We investigated whether GBE can regulate signaling molecules, such as 1, 4, 5-triphosphate receptor type I, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, cytosolic phospholipase A₂, mitogen-activated protein kinases p38, vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, Akt, glycogen synthase kinase-3α/β, and SYK. Taken together, GBE is a potential therapeutic drug candidate to prevent platelet-related thrombosis and cardiovascular disease.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.211-217
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• 2016

This study was carried out to determine the shelf-life of cricket powder and investigate the changes in its quality during storage. To determine the shelf-life, cricket powder was stored at temperatures of 25, 35, and $40^{\circ}C$ for 6 months. The changes in quality parameters of the cricket powder, such as moisture content, color, acid value, volatile base nitrogen (VBN), fatty acid, growth of microorganisms, and sensory appeal were investigated. The moisture content of the cricket powder increased during storage but did not show any significant difference at 6 months of storage. L value was increased at $25^{\circ}C$ storage but decreased at 35 and $40^{\circ}C$. However, there were no significant different in a and b values. The acid value decreased more rapidly at higher temperatures, while the VBN content was not changed. The major composition of fatty acids of cricket powder were palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. Their content was not changed at various the storage temperatures. No aerobic and coliform bacteria grew in the powder during the whole storage period. Cricket powder stored at $25^{\circ}C$ and $35^{\circ}C$ showed similar scores in sensory evaluation, but it storaged at $40^{\circ}C$ showed the significant difference (p<0.05). Moisture content, acid value, oleic acid, and flavor were selected as the criteria for shelf-life establishment of cricket powder. Based on these parameters, especially the moisture content, the shelf life of cricket powder was likely to be 18 months when stored at $25^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.435-441
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• 2017

The present study was carried out to evaluate the applicability of Tenebrio molitor larvae (mealworm) as a health functional food material in order to contribute to the development of the domestic insect industry and health functional food industry. Protein hydrolysates were prepared from mealworm powder by enzymatic hydrolysis using five different proteases (alcalase, bromelain, flavourzyme, neutrase, and papain), and the hydrolysates were then tested for their antioxidant activities. Based on available amino group contents and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses, mealworms treated with alcalase ($4,781.39{\mu}g/mL$), flavourzyme ($5,429.35{\mu}g/mL$), or neutrase ($3,155.55{\mu}g/mL$) for 24 h showed high degree of hydrolysis (HD) value, whereas HD values of bromelain ($1,800{\mu}g/mL$) and papain-treated ($1,782.61{\mu}g/mL$) mealworms were much lower. Protein hydrolysates showing high HD values were further separated into > 3 kDa and ${\leq}3kDa$ fractions by a centrifugal filter system and then lyophilized, and the production yields of the low molecular weight protein hydrolysates (${\leq}3kDa$) by alcalase, flavourzyme, and neutrase were 42.05%, 26.27%, and 30.01%, respectively. According to the RC_{50} values of the protein hydrolysates (${\leq}3kDa$) obtained from three different antioxidant analyses, all three hydrolysates showed similar antioxidant activities. Thus, alcalase hydrolysates showing the highest production yield of low molecular weight protein hydrolysates were further tested for their inhibitory effects on peroxidation of linoleic acid by measuring thiobarbituric acid values, and the results show that peroxidation of untreated linoleic acid increased dramatically during 6 days of incubation. However, pretreatment with the hydrolysates ($100{\sim}800{\mu}g/mL$) significantly inhibited linoleic acid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner over 6 days.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.264-270
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• 2013

Imidacloprid is a systemic insecticide which act as an insect neurotoxin. It used for control of pest such as aphids and other sucking insects in fruits and vegetables. Systemic pesticides move inside a crop following absorption by the plant, and these were converted into a variety of metabolites. Sometimes these metabolites make a problem about safety of agricultural products. So a simultaneous determination method of pesticide and its metabolites is needed, to monitor their presence in agricultural product and study on the fate of pesticide in a plant. This study's aim is to investigate simultaneous analysis method of imidacloprid and its metabolites, imidacloprid guanidine, imidacloprid olefin, imidacloprid urea, and 6-chloronicotinic acid in red pepper using QuEChERS method and LC-MS/MS systems. QuEChERS method was modifed beacuase $MgSO_4$ salts decreased the recoveries of 6-chloronicotinic acid in extraction procedure. Imidacloprid and its metabolites were extracted by acetonitrile with 1% glacial acetic acid and the extracts were purified through QuEChERS with primary secondary amine (PSA) and $C_{18}$ and analyzed with LC-MS/MS in ESI positive mode. Standard calibration curves were made by matrix matched standards and their correlation coefficients were higher than 0.999. Recovery studies were carried out on spiked pepper blank sample at four concentration levels (0.01, 0.04 and 0.1, 0.4 mg/kg). The average recoveries of imidacloprid and its metabolites were in the range of 70~120% with < 20% RSD. This result indicated that the method using QuEChERS and LC-MS/MS was suitable for the simultaneous determination of imidacloprid and its metabolites in red pepper.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2011

To work out quality control methods of environmental-friendly organic materials (EFOMs), the reason and basis for EFOM-selection and farmer's favorite formulation type of EFOMs, etc were investigated on farmers who had been practicing environmental-friendly agriculture. EFOMs used were soil amendments, control agents of plant diseases and insect pests, plant growth promotion formulations, in turns. In EFOMs application time, 22.7% of farmers sprayed EFOMs without delay after they were bought, in other hand, 77.3% of farmers used EFOMs which had been bought and stored for some period. Microbial density on seventeen environmental-friendly microbial formulates (EFMFs) including microbial pesticides, a microbial fertilizer, and environmental-friendly organic materials was investigated at different storing temperature and shelf life. When the microbial density of EFMFs was investigated without delay after they were bought, all used microbial pesticides and a microbial fertilizer was confirmed to be optimal for the certified density but two of environmental-friendly organic materials was confirmed not to be optimal. When microbial density of 17 EFMFs were investigated after storing them for six months at $4^{\circ}C$, only one of 9 microbial pesticides was confirmed not to be optimal, the other hand four of seven environmental-friendly organic materials not to be optimal, which each of their microbial density was less than the certified density. Population dynamics of microbial agents was much more influenced in fluctuated temperature (room temperature) than in static temperature condition ($5^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$). Shelf life of microbial agents according to microbial formulation type were high in granule type, liquid wettable type and liquid type in turns.