• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.210-224
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• 2018

Warqe (Ensete ventricosum) has been traditionally fermented in an earthen pit to yield a carbohydrate-rich food product named kocho, for generations. A fermentation enhancer (gammaa) was added to this fermenting mass to enhance the fermentation process. The objectives of this study were to assess the physicochemical properties and microbiota of the kocho fermentation enhancer culture to reduce losses. Cross-sectional study design was implemented to collect 131 gammaa samples on the first day of fermentation. The samples were further classified into four groups according to the duration of fermentation (14, 21, 30, and 60 days) practised in various households traditionally. The results showed that the fermentation time significantly affected the physicochemical properties and microbial load of gammaa (p < 0.01). As the fermentation progressed from day 1 to 60, the pH decreased and the titratable acidity increased. The total coliform, Enterobacteriaceae, aerobicmesophilic bacteria (AMB), yeast, and mould counts were significantly reduced at the end of fermentation. In contrast, the number of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) increased significantly until day 30 of fermentation, because of the ability of the LAB to grow at low pH. Lactobacillus species from LAB isolates and Enter obacteriaceae from AMB isolates were the most abundant microorganisms in gammaa fermentation. However, the Enterobacteriaceae and Lactobacilli species count showed decreasing and increasing trends, respectively, as the fermentation progressed. These isolates must be investigated further to identify the species and strain, so as to develop gammaa at the commercial scale.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.469-476
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• 2016

This study was undertaken to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of dead nano-sized Lactobacillus plantarum (nLp) in RAW 264.7 cells and murine primary splenocytes. nLp is a dead, shrunken, processed form of L. plantarum nF1 isolated from kimchi (a traditional Korean fermented cabbage) and is less than 1 μm in size. It was found that nLp treatment stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production more in RAW 264.7 macrophages than pure live L. plantarum (pLp), and that the stimulatory properties were probably largely derived from its cell wall. In addition, nLp induced murine splenocyte proliferation more so than pLp; in particular, a high dose of nLp (1.0 × 10¹¹ CFU/ml) stimulated proliferation as much as lipopolysaccharide at 2 μg/ml. Moreover, according to our cytokine profile results in splenocytes, nLp treatment promoted Th1 (TNF-α, IL-12 p70) responses rather than Th2 (IL-4, IL-5) responses and also increased Th17 (IL-6, IL-17A) responses. Thus, nLp stimulated NO release in RAW 264.7 cells and induced splenocyte proliferation more so than pLp and stimulated Th1 and Th17 cytokine production. These findings suggested that dead nLp has potential use as a functional food ingredient to improve the immune response, and especially as a means of inducing Th1/Th17 immune responses.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.1051-1059
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• 2020

Overproduction and accumulation of melanin in the skin will darken the skin and cause skin disorders. So far, components that can inhibit tyrosinase, a melanin synthase of melanocytes, have been developed and used as ingredients of cosmetics or pharmaceutical products. However, most of existing substances can only inhibit the biosynthesis of melanin while melanin that is already synthesized and deposited is not directly decomposed. Thus, their effects in decreasing melanin concentration in the skin are weak. To overcome the limitation of existing therapeutic agents, we started to develop a substance that could directly biodegrade melanin. We screened traditional fermented food microorganisms for their abilities to direct biodegrade melanin. As a result, we found that a kimchi-derived Pediococcus acidilactici PMC48 had a direct melanin-degrading effect. This PMC48 strain is a new strain, different from P. acidilactici strains reported so far. It not only directly degrades melanin, but also has tyrosinase-inhibiting effect. It has a direct melanin-decomposition effect. It exceeds existing melanin synthesis-inhibiting technology. It is expected to be of high value as a raw material for melanin degradation drugs and cosmetics.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2010

Poly-gamma-glutamic acid ($\gamma$-PGA) is a mucilaginous and biodegradable compound produced by Bacillus subtilis from fermented soybeans, and is found in the traditional Korean soy product, cheongkukjang. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of $\gamma$-PGA from a food source on the concentration of the neurotransmitter GABA and its metabolic precursor glutamate in diet-induced obese rats. Eight-week old male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=60) were used. The rats were divided into two groups and obesity was induced by providing either a 10% control fat or 45% high fat diet for 5 weeks. The rats were then blocked into 6 groups and supplemented with a 0.1% $\gamma$-PGA diet for 4 weeks. After sacrifice, brain and serum GABA and glutamate concentrations were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection. The rats fed the high fat diet had significantly increased body weights. $\gamma$-PGA supplementation significantly increased serum concentrations of glutamate and GABA in the control fat diet groups while this effect was not found in the high fat groups. In the brain, glutamate concentrations were significantly higher in the $\gamma$-PGA supplemented groups both in rats fed the normal and high fat diets than in the no $\gamma$-PGA controls. GABA concentrations showed the same tendency. The results indicated that $\gamma$-PGA intake increased GABA concentrations in the serum and brain. However, the effects were not shown in obese rats.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 2018

In this study, the traditional takju was manufactured using the finger root, which was recognized as a health functional ingredient, and analyzed the physicochemical and sensory quality characteristics according to the period of fermentation. The pH was significantly low(p<0.05) in all samples until the second day of fermentation, and the pH tended to increase again from the third day of fermentation. The pH value was decreased as the amount of finger root was decreased(p<0.05). The acidity of takju was significantly lower at 0.17~0.21 immediately after fermentation(p<0.05). The acidity of FR0 showed significantly the highest value(p<0.05). The sugar content of takju was significantly increased in all the samples until the 2nd day of fermentation(p<0.05). On the 7th day, it showed the lowest value at $11.01{\sim}12.63^{\circ}Brix$. The sugar content of FR0 was significantly lowest value(p<0.05). The alcohol content of takju was significantly increased as the fermentation proceeded, and the highest value was 11.90~13.50% at 7 days(p<0.05). The alcohol content of RF0 was significantly higher than other samples(p<0.05). As a result of organic acid analysis of finger root takju fermented for 7 days, citric acid(3.35%) showed the highest content of FR3(p<0.05). The content of fructose increased with increasing finger root amount (p<0.05). As a result of sensory evaluation of finger root takju, FR1 and FR2 samples tended to be lower in score than FR0, and FR3 showed the highest score. The overall acceptance value of FR0 was 7.5 and FR3 was 7.57.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2015

Onggi, described as a 'breathing' type of pottery' has significantly influenced the traditional food culture of Korea. It is known that Onggi is an optimal type of storage for fermented foods such as soy sauce, salted seafood, and Kimchi, as air or liquid can penetrate through the body of this material. These foods gain flavor due to the breeding of aerobic bacteria at the beginning of the fermentation process. In this study, Onggi materials from five regions, Gangjin, Yeoju, Ulsan, Yesan, and Jeju, were collected and analyzed to determine their chemical and physical properties before and after sintering. The differences in the raw materials of other mining regions are examined in terms of their chemical and mineralogical compositions, specific surface area, particle size, and particle distribution. Among them, the Gangjin raw material has the greatest mean particle size of $92.29{\mu}m$, as well as the widest particle size distribution. Differences in the levels of $SiO_2$ and $Fe_2O_3$ are shown among Onggi raw materials. However, the crystalline phases formed after sintering are identical, except for the Jeju samples. At all sintering temperatures tested here, Gangjin Onggi showed the greatest porosity, leading to complete air permeation through the body within 90 minutes. These results taken together indicate that air permeation is strongly related to the pore structures in the Onggi body. This is assumed to affect the fermentation behavior.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.671-676
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• 2015

The ripening durations and ingredients for the Salchichon sausages were modified to increase pork rear leg consumption by Korean consumers. The salchichon, a ripened pork sausage, was produced to evaluate the efficacy of two different ripening durations with and without rosemary powder on salchichon sausage quality, and the treatments were: i) 45 days of ripening without rosemary, ii) 60 days of ripening without rosemary, iii) 45 days of ripening with 0.05% rosemary, and iv) 60 days of ripening with 0.05% rosemary. Significant differences were observed in both moisture and fat content for ripening durations, with the highest moisture and least fat content observed in salchichon modified sausage (SMS) ripened for 45 days. Ripening duration and rosemary addition appeared to influence water activity ($a_w$) of salchichon sausages. The $a_w$ of SMS ripened for 45 days was 0.80, whereas the other had $a_w$ values <0.80. Lactic acid bacteria were predominant, as Korean traditional fermented red pepper paste was added to sausages; however, the Bacillus cereus population was significantly affected by rosemary powder addition. Chewiness and gumminess decreased significantly due to the addition of rosemary powder compared to SMS without rosemary powder, and both 45 days of ripening and rosemary powder addition influenced the hardness of SMS. In conclusion, ripening duration of SMS for 45 days in the presence of rosemary powder provided superior SMS quality with an economical ripening duration compared to that of ripening with rosemary powder or ripening for 60 days.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.72-79
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• 2005

A new Bacillus peptidase, bacillopeptidase DJ-2 (bpDJ-2), with molecular mass of 42 kDa and isoelectric point (pI) of 3.5- 3.7, was purified to homogeneity from Bacillus sp. DJ-2 isolated from Doen-Jang, a traditional Korean soybean fermented food. The enzyme was identified as an extracellular serine fibrinolytic protease. The optimal conditions for the reaction were pH 9.0 and $60^{\circ}C$. The first 18 amino acid residues of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of bpDJ-2 were TDGVEWNVDQIDAPKAW, which is identical to that of bacillopeptidase F (bpf). However, based on their Nterminal amino acid sequence, molecular size, and pI, it is different from that of bpf and extracellular 90 kDa. The whole (2,541 bp, full-bpDJ-2) and mature (1,956 bp, mature-bpDJ-2) genes were cloned, and its nucleotide sequence and deduced amino acid sequence were determined. The expressed proteins, full-bpDJ-2 and mature-bpDJ-2, were detected on SDSPAGE at expected sizes of 92 and 68 kDa, respectively.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.572-574
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• 2006

The Dangguibohyel-tang (DBT) was used to treat anemia in traditional Korean medicine. Acute oral toxicity of DBT was studied in ICR mice. ICR mice were administered orally with dosages of 100 mg/kg (low dosage group), 200 mg/kg (middle dosage group), and 400 mg/kg (high dosage group) of DBT. We daily examined number of deaths, clinical signs, body weights and gross findings for 14 days. DBT did not show any toxic effect in ICR mice and oral LD50 value was over 400 mg/kg in ICR mice.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.333-338
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• 2002

This study was targeted to isolate and characterize a bacterium producing lactic acid in a large amount. Lactic acid bacteria of about fifty strains were isolated from kimchi, a Korean traditional fermented vegetable food. Strain KH-1 of them was most effective in the lactic acid production and showed 99% homology with Lactobacillus casei from analysis of 16S rRNA sequencing. The conversion ratio of lactic acid from glucose by 1. casei KH-1 was 98% in anaerobic condition, and the lactic acid was composed as racemic mixture of D(-)-and L(+)-lactic acid, 7% and 93%, respectively. This result indicated that L. casei KH-1 was a homofermentative bacterium mainly producing L(+)-lactic acid. The strain KH-1 used glucose as a preferential substrate but not utilized lactose. In investigation of more inexpensive nitrogen source for cultivation of strain KH-1 using industrial MRS medium, when yeast extract and corn steep liquor were used at the ratio of 1 to 1, the molar yield of lactic acid produced per mole of glucose(Yp/s) was 1.09.