Earticle

Formaldehyde (FA) is a carcinogenic compound present in cigarette smoke. In this study, the amount offormaldehyde was analyzed in 5 kinds of cigarettes and the inhibitory effect of plant volatile extracts on the formation of FAwas investigated. After extraction of the cigarette sample, FA was converted into its thiazolidine derivatives by reaction withcysteamine, and then measured using a gas chromatography-nitrogen phosphorus detector (GC-NPD). The concentrations ofFA in cigarette smoke were found between 138.24 and 217.82µmol/g cigarette smoke. Extracts isolated from Welsh onion(Allium cepa L.), garlic (Allium sativum L.), crown daisy (Chrylsanthemum coronarium L.), green pepper (Capsicum annuumL.), and sesame dropwort (Oenanthe javanica DC) were used for analyzing their inhibitory effects on the formation of FA.The inhibitory effects of extracts of Welsh onion, garlic, crown daisy, green pepper, and sesame dropwort on the formation ofFA were 64, 47, 38, 47, and 19%, respectively.

Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation provokes the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells and skin, whichinduce oxidative stress in the exposed cells, leading to photoaging and cancer. Using the human keratinocytes HaCaT cell line, weinvestigated the photoprotective effects of aucubin isolated from Eucommia ulmoides. Pretreatment with aucubin markedlysuppressed UVB-induced oxidative stress, which manifests as a decrease in intracellular lipid peroxidation, elevation of catalaseactivity, and reduced glutathione content. In addition, aucubin significantly reduced expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1(MMP-1) protein (54%) and mRNA. Taken together, these results suggest that aucubin may offer protection against UVB-induced oxidative stress and may be used as a potential agent in prevention of UVB-induced photoaging.

The compositional changes of wormwood (Artemisia princeps var. orientalis) essential oils were studied under 4different storage conditions i.e., being exposed to air at 20 and 40oC. Sixty-four volatile compounds consisting of 24 terpenehydrocarbons, 18 alcohols, 11 ketones, 6 esters, 1 aldehyde, 2 hydrocarbons, and 2 oxides were identified on the basis of theirmass spectra characteristics and retention indices in original wormwood essential oils. Identified compounds constituted80.53% of the total peak area. Borneol (12.13%) was the most abundant compound, followed by α-thujone (8.66%), T-cadinol(6.67%), and 1,8-cineole (6.21%) in original wormwood essential oils. Under the condition of 40oC of temperature with thecap being opened for 3 min everyday respectively during 6 months of storage, the total amount of functional groups inessential oil determined by peak area percent were decreased by 79.45%, at most. The total level of monoterpenehydrocarbons decreased markedly in the aerobic condition and high temperatures. Whereas the total level of esters increasedsignificantly. Wormwood essential oils were stored in experimental conditions, with the changes in the volatile compounds ofessential oils being accelerated by high temperatures and contact with the atmosphere.

A protein isolate was prepared from black soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) that possessed higher antioxidantactivity than ordinary white soy protein isolates. The isolate was partially hydrolyzed by alcalase to reduce the allergenicity ofblack soybean. Alcalase remarkably reduced the molecular mass of the major soybean allergens that have molecular weightsof 53, 38, and 24kDa. Hydrolytic breakdown occurred more effectively in Gly m Bd 30K than in Gly m Bd 60K or Gly m Bd28K. Alcalase hydrolysis increased the solubility and hydrophobicity of the black soybean protein isolate. The foamingactivity and stability of black soybean proteins were highly increased by the partial hydrolysis.

To improve phenylalanine ammonia lyase (E.C.4.3.1.5-PAL) activity in recombinant Escherichia coli, Someapproaches for improving phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity in recombinant E. coli were developed followingpreliminary studies by means of response surface method. The results shown that permeabilization with combination of TritonX-100, cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), and acetone enriched cellular recombinant PAL activity significantly,which improved over 10-fold as compared with the control (untreat cell), as high as 181.37 U/g. The optimum values for thetested variables were Triton X-100 0.108 g/L, CTAB 0.15 g/L, and acetone 45.2%(v/v). Furthermore, a second-order modelequation was suggested and then validated experimentally. It was indicated that addition of surfactants and organic solventsmade the cells more permeable and therefore allowed easier access of the substrate to the enzyme and excretion of theproduct, which increased the rate of transport of L-phenylalanine and trans-cinnamic acids. These improved methods of PALactivity enrichment could serve as a rich enzyme source, especially in the biosynthesis of L-phenylalanine.

The fibrinolytic enzyme, subtilisin D5, was purified from the culture supernatant of the isolated Bacillusamyloliquefaciens DJ-5. The molecular weight of subtilisin D5 was estimated to be 30kDa. Subtilisin D5 was optimallyactive at pH 10.0 and 45oC. Subtilisin D5 had high degrading activity for the Aα-chain of human fibrinogen and hydrolyzedthe Bβ-chain slowly, but did not affect the γ-chain, indicating that it is an α-fibrinogenase. Subtilisin D5 was completelyinhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, indicating that it belongs to the serine protease. The specific activity (F/C,fibrinolytic/caseinolytic activity) of subtilisin D5 was 2.37 and 3.52 times higher than those of subtilisin BPN’ and Carlsberg,respectively. Subtilisin D5 exhibited high specificity for Meo-Suc-Arg-Pro-Tyr-pNA (S-2586), a synthetic chromogenicsubstrate for chymotrypsin. The first 15 amino acid residues of the N-terminal sequence of subtilisin D5 areAQSVPYGISQIKAPA; this sequence is identical to that of subtilisin NAT and subtilisin E.

The antimicrobial activity of water and ethanol extracts from 30 species of algae was measured using the agardiffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test. In agar diffusion method, the 95% ethanol extracts from12 of the algae showed growth inhibition against the tested microorganisms. In particular, Ishige okamurai, Eckloniastolonifera, Sargassum siliquastrum, Sargassum thunbergii, Colpomenia bullosa, and Ecklonia cava had strong antibacterialactivities against Gram-positive bacteria at 4mg/mL. In the results of the MIC test, S. siliquastrum showed the mostantimicrobial activity, where its MIC values ranged from 0.005 to 0.0075% against Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridiumperfringens, and Basillus subtilis. In the thermal stability test, for the ethanol extracts of I. okamurai, E. cava, S. siliquastrum,S. thunbergii, and C. bullosa, the extracts proved to maintain high antimicrobial activities when they were treated at 121oC for15 min. In the pH stability test, the antimicrobial activity of the S. siliquastrum ethanol extract was stable from pH 2 to 10,whereas the activity of the other species ethanol extracts were weakened under pH 10 against several microbes.

This study was carried out to investigate the changes of yield, total phenolics, saponin content and composition,antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities of various fractions of fine ginseng root (Panax ginseng C.A. Mayer) by macerationmethod in the order of increasing polarity (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water). Butanol fraction showed thehighest total saponin content compare to other fractions. Hexane fraction could harvest significantly high ginsenoside Rg2,Rg1, and Rf (p<0.05). And the contents of ginsenoside Rh1, Rg3, and Rg1 showed relatively higher in the fraction of ethylacetate than other fractions. The system of hexane-chloroform-ethyl aceate-butanol showed relatively high content ofginsenoside Re, Rd, Rc, Rb3, and Rb1. However, the last fraction of water still remained lots of Rb2 content. The fraction ofwater was the highest phenolics. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazil, superoxide, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity ofwater fraction was higher than the other fractions. In antimicrobial activity, the fraction of hexane showed relatively highantimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, andEscherichia coli. And the fractions of the chloroform and ethyl acetate showed higher antimicrobial activities than the othersamples in against P. aeruginosa and S. typhimurium.

A bacterial strain (Strain N-08) capable of extracellularly producing high level of non-reducing oligosaccharide(NR-OS) isolated from soil. The strain was identified phylogenetically by 16S rDNA sequence analysis and found to be veryclose to Arthrobacter crystallopoietes. The high production of NR-OS was observed in the basal culture medium containingmaltose as a sole carbon source. The NR-OS in culture supernatant was purified by glucoamylase treatment and Dowex-1(OH−) ion exchange chromatography and its structure was characterized. This oligosaccharide consisted of only glucose.Methylation analysis indicated that this fraction was composed mainly of non-reducing terminal glucopyranoside. Matrix-assisted laser-induced/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS)/MSanalysessuggested that this oligosaccharide comprised non-reducing disaccharide unit with 1,1-glucosidic linkage. When thisdisaccharide was analyzed by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR, it gave the same signals with α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1,1)-α-D-glucopyranoside. These results indicated that the NR-OS produced by A. crystallopoietes N-08 was α1,α1-trehalose. This isthe first report of the trehalose which can be produced directly from maltose by A. crystallopoietes N-08.

Quenching mechanisms and kinetics of α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol in photosensitized oxidation of lard werestudied. Lard at 0.03, 0.07, 0.11, and 0.3 M in methylene chloride containing 4.4×10−6 M chlorophyll and 0, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.6mM α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol were stored under light for 4 hr, respectively. Oxidation was determined by headspace oxygenand peroxide value. Tocopherols prevented the photosensitized oxidation of lard (p<0.05). Steady state kinetic study showedthat α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol prevented the photosensitized oxidation of lard by quenching singlet oxygen. Singlet oxygenquenching rates of α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol by headspace oxygen depletion were 1.86, 2.39, 2.47, and 2.11×107/M/sec,respectively. The quenching rates of α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol by peroxide value were 1.42, 1.11, 0.97, and 0.42×107/M/sec,respectively. The quenching rates of tocopherols were slightly different depending on the measurements of oxidation.

Withdrawal time of erythromycin in the cultured black rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) was investigated to provideregulatory authority and fishery industry with full information needed to secure food safety of the fish treated witherythromycin. Medication was carried out using the experimental diet containing erythromycin of which concentration was200 mg/kg diet and its daily dose was about 40 mg/kg body weight. The withdrawal time needed to reduce antibiotic contentsaround 10.0 mg/kg accumulated during 9 days medication below 0.2 mg/kg was identified about 10 days. The antibiotic with13.7 mg/kg of fish on the 9th days of medication was completely depleted after 30 days from stop of medication.

Bactericidal efficacies of various sanitizers and disinfectants against 10 Bacillus cereus strains isolated fromKorean foods and 8 standard B. cereus strains were investigated. The sanitizing capabilities of ethanol, iodine, chloride,quaternary ammonium, hydrogen peroxide, and peroxide acetic acid were investigated using the EN 1276 method based onquantitative suspension testing. The resistance against sanitizers and disinfectants was higher for wild-type than standardstrains, and the bactericidal activities decreased in dirty conditions. Ethanol, chlorine, and iodine at the maximum levelallowed under Korean food sanitation laws showed a great effectiveness against B. cereus. Hydrogen peroxide at 1,100 ppmshowed the lowest bactericidal activity against B. cereus. These results indicate that the legally allowed maximumconcentrations of sanitizers and disinfectants in Korea do not reduce all B. cereus strains by at least 5 log10 CFU/mL.

Water and ethanol extracts were prepared from the haesongi mushroom (Hypsizigus marmoreus) to measurefunctional components. The ability of the extracts to inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and their hypoglycemiceffects were also determined; the latter was measured by α-amylase and glucosidase inhibition. Extraction yield, proteincontent, total phenol, and β-glucan in the water extracts were 55.86, 17.71, 1.89, and 21.93%, respectively. The respectivevalues for the ethanol extracts were lower than those for water extracts. Both water and ethanol extracts showed dose-dependent ACE inhibition, the effect of the former being greater. The water extract inhibited ACE activity by 95.34% at 40mg/mL. The IC50 values of the water extracts were 63.32 and 0.41mg/mL for α-amylase and glucosidase, respectively. Thus,the water extracts had a greater hypoglycemic effect than the ethanol extracts. From these results, water is a better solvent thanethanol to extract from the haesongi mushroom functional components that show ACE inhibition and have hypoglycemiceffects.

The objective of this study was to investigate Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry and the X-raydiffraction (XRD) characterization of melanoidins formed from glucose and fructose with amino acid enantiomers in theMaillard reaction. Before dialysis, FT-IR spectroscopy of all the samples showed that the characteristic absorption intensitiesappeared as a broad and intense band of the stretching vibration of the -OH group at 3,400/cm for a high pH. The absorptionbands of the melanoidins sharply decreased in intensity after dialysis as compared to those before dialysis. In particular, theabsorption bands at 992 and 575/cm disappeared. The XRD confirmed that the crystal structure of the melanoidinsdisappeared after dialysis and a new crystal structure was formed at 9 and 28o (2θ). In particular, broad diffraction peaks wereformed in the 10-21o (2θ) range for a high pH, while other sharp diffraction peaks disappeared.

This study investigated the proapoptotic effect of ethanol extracts obtained from dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)flower on human ovarian cancer SK-OV-3 cells. Cells were treated with dandelion flowers ethanol extract (DFE) ranging from1.5625 to 100µg/mL for 24hr. Significant antiproliferative effects of DFE were first observed from at 6.25µg/mL (p<0.05),and this inhibition showed in a dose-dependent manner. When cells were treated with more than 6.25µg/mL DFE, cell-cycleanalysis showed that DFE caused an increase in the percentage of sub-G0/G1 cells and arrested at the S and G2/M phase in adose-dependent manner. Moreover, apoptosis induction by DFE involved p53 activation and bax upregulation as well asdownregulation of bcl-2. Our findings indicate that DFE resulted in apoptotic cell death, suggesting that DFE possessespotential anticancer properties.

Xanthorrhizol, a sesquiterpene isolated from Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb., was used to investigate its effect onreducing the saliva and multi-species oral biofilms consisting of Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis, and Actinomycesviscosus by anti-biofilm and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) assays. Xanthorrhizol exhibited significant anti-biofilm activity in the dose- and time-dependent manners. Exposure to 2 and 5µg/mL xanthorrhizol for 30min remained<50% of saliva and multi-species biofilms formed for 24hr. In addition, exposure to 10µg/mL xanthorrhizol for 30minreduced 65 and 77% of 24hr saliva and multi-species oral biofilms, respectively. CLSM results visually demonstrated thatxanthorrhizol reduced bacterial viability in the saliva and multi-species oral biofilms. These results suggest that C.xanthorrhiza Roxb. containing xanthorrhizol with strong anti-biofilm activity can be employed as a plant source for oral carefunctional foods.

A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method has been developed for determination of 11ginsenosides in black ginseng (BG, white ginseng that is subjected to 9 cycles of 95oC for 3 hr). After eluted by gradientelution of water-acetonitrile without buffer in 70 min, 11 ginsenosides in BG were identified. The proposed method providedgood linearity (R2>0.9995), accuracy (92.2-106.6%), and intra- and interday precision (RSD<2.6%). In addition, ginsenosidescompositions in white, red, and black ginsengs were investigated using this method, respectively. Interestingly, in BG, thecontent of ginsenoside Rg3 which does not existed in white ginseng was 7.51 mg/g, approximately 20 times than that in redginseng.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different preparation methods on the recovery and quantificationof ginsenosides in raw Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer). Eight major ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf,and Rg1) were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), after which the recovery and repeatability of theextraction of those ginsenosides using 3 different preparation methods were compared [A. direct extraction (DE) method, hotMeOH extraction/evaporation/direct dissolution; B. solid phase extraction (SPE) method, hot MeOH extraction/evaporation/dissolution/C18 cartridge adsorption/MeOH elution; C. liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method, hot MeOH extraction/evaporation/dissolution/n-BuOH fractionation]. Use of the DE method resulted in a significantly higher recovery of totalginsenosides than other methods and a relatively clear peak resolution. Use of the SPE and LLE methods resulted in clearerpeak resolution, but lower ginsenoside recovery than the DE method. The LLE method showed the lowest ginsenosiderecovery and repeatability among the 3 methods. Given that the DE method employed only extraction, evaporation, and adissolution step (avoiding complicate and time consuming purification), this technique may be an effective method for thepreparation and quantification of ginsenosides from raw Korean ginseng.

The debranching enzyme of Nostoc punctiforme (NPDE) is a novel enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of α-1,6-glycosidic linkages in starch, followed by the sequential hydrolysis of α-1,4-glycosidic linkages. The debranching activity ofNPDE is highly specific for branched chains with a degree of polymerization (DP)>8. Moreover, the rate of hydrolysis of α-1,4-linkages by NPDE is greatly enhanced for maltooligosaccharides (MOs) with a DP>8. An analysis of reaction mixturescontaining various starches revealed the accumulation of maltooctaose (G8) with glucose and maltose. Based on the novelenzymatic properties of NPDE, an MO mixture containing more than 60% G8 with yield of 18 g G8 for 100g starch wasprepared by the reaction of NPDE with soluble starch, followed by ethanol precipitation and gel permeation chromatography(GPC). The yield of the G8-rich mixture was significantly improved by the addition of isoamylase. In summary, a 4-stepprocess for the production of a G8-rich mixture was developed involving the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch by NPDE.

To reduce the content of undesirable erucic acid in mustard oil (MO), it was enzymatically modified with capricacid using immobilized lipase TL IM to produce structured lipid (SL). After reaction, the content of erucic acid was reducedup to 21.7% under the performed reactions in this study. Meanwhile, unsaturated fatty acids existing at sn-2 position (oleicacid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid) in MO were not much changed.