• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.744-750
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• 1999

Forty alcohol yeast strains were isolated from the main mashes (10 strains from each mash) for brewing of 4 different kinds of Korean traditional liquor (3 different types of Yakju and 1 Takju). Thirty-eight out of 40 strains were identified to be the same strain, Saccharomyces boulardii, by the Automated Bacteria, Yeast, and Fungi Identification System (Biolog Co., U.S.A.) based on the metabolic fingerprints. One strain that showed the highest ethanol production among the 38 strains in YPD medium, designated SHY 111, was selected and used for differentiating from other yeast type strains using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplified DNA, from transcribed internal spacers of SHY 111 chromosomal DNA, was found to be the same in both size and sequence as those of S. cerevisiae KCCM 11215 (formerly S. coreanus) and S. boulardii along with that of S. cerevisiae AB 972, which was used as a type strain for the yeast genome project. However, when PCR was carried out with the intron splice site primer, it resulted in the amplification of the SHY 111-specific DNA fragment which was about 200 bp in size. When PCR was carried out using the primer to test diversity of 40 isolated yeast strains, it was found that the PCR patterns were similar to each other except for the 200 bp bands derived from all the 10 strains from one Yakju, and 2 strains from another Yakju. These results suggest the strain identified as S. boulardii by the Automated Identification System to be a dominant strain for the fermentation of Korean traditional liquors.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2013

Ethyl carbamate (EC) is a contaminant generated in the fermentation processes of various fermented foods. In this study, residue levels of EC in 95 alcoholic beverage samples were determined by using Gas Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS/MS). All the samples were purified by a liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method using dichloromethane. The LLE method enables an improvement in time and cost to detection and specificity over the conventional extraction methods. The limits of detection and quantification (LOD and LOQ) to analyze EC were 1.3 and 4.0 ng/mL, respectively. The recovery rates of EC were ranged from 90.0 to 97.5% at the levels of 50, 100, and 500 ug/L. Among traditional grain-based alcoholic beverage samples (n = 34), the average residue levels of EC in takju, yakju, and cheongju were 0.63, 7.01, and 14.11 ug/L, respectively. Among fruit-based alcoholic beverage samples (n = 48), those of EC in japanese apricot spirits, bokbunjaju, grape wines, and other fruit wines were 79.18, 1.66, 2.64, and 2.39 ug/L, respectively. Among distilled or diluted alcoholic beverage samples (n = 13), those of EC in soju (distilled or diluted), general distillates, liquors, and brandies were 0, 3.30, 8.20, and 8.52 ug/L, respectively. Therefore, this study reports that the residue levels of EC in the alcoholic beverages, distributed in the current domestic markets, did not reach its maximum allowed levels of 30 and 400 ug/L established for grape and fruit wines in Canada, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.50-58
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• 2014

Makgeolli, known as takju, is a traditional alcoholic beverage which is native in Korea. It is made from various rice and other cereals. This study is carried out to compare the physicochemical characteristics and functional quality of makgeolli from various rice cultivars according to different amylose contents and amylopectin compositions. The 'Goami2', 'Goami3', and 'Goami4' have high amylose contents and lower proportional degrees of polymerization (DP) 6~12 and higher proportions of DP 13~24 in amylopectin of milled rice. Various variations are shown in pasting properties (viscosities) and gelatinization characteristics, and it is supposed to be related to both the amylose contents and the amylopectin compositions of raw rice. The makgeolli is being manufactured by using the 2-step-brewing method. The makgeolli is analyzed for alcohol contents, pH levels, total acids, Hunter color values and organic acid compositions. The makgeolli of 'Goami2', 'Goami3', and 'Goami4' have showed higher makgeolli yields, lower ethanol contents and less sweetness than other cultivars, and they also have high non-digestible carbohydrates contents which are derived from their high non-digestible carbohydrates contents in milled rice. Therefore, we are able to suggest that it is necessary to improve the makgeolli fermentation processes of 'Goami2', 'Goami3', and 'Goami4'.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.238-244
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• 2007

To identify the useful biological activities and the superiority in quality of Korean traditional liquors, we prepared the alcohol-free concentrates from different types of commercial traditional liquors, Takju ($T1{\sim}T3$), Yakju/Cheongju ($Y-1{\sim}Y-5$), Fruit wine (F-1) and Soju (S-1, S-2), respectively. We investigate their compositions as well as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-thrombosis activity. Among the 11 traditional liquors, Y-3, Y-4, Y-5 and F-1 showed higher total-polyphenol, total-flavonoids and reducing sugars than the others. The strong antibacterial and anti-thrombosis activities were identified in Y-3, Y-4, Y-5 and F-1, and a minor antioxidant activity was found in F-l. The antibacterial activity of the Y-3, Y-4, Y-5 and F-1 alcohol-free concentrates showed a broad-spectrum, and growth inhibition was found in gram-positive, gram-negative, and ampicillin-resistant bacteria. The sequential solvent fractionation of Y-3, Y-4, Y-5 and F-1, and following analysis showed that ethyl acetate fractions of Y-3, Y-4, Y-5 and F-1 possess strong antibacterial and anti-thrombosis activity. Especially, the ethyl acetate fractions of Y-3, Y-4 and F-1 showed superior anti-thrombosis activity compared than that of aspirin. Our results suggest that the useful substances are produced from substrates and edible plant added during the fermentation, and the Korean traditional liquors could be developed as strong antibacterial and anti-thrombosis agents.