Yu-Young Lee

This study evaluated the effects of mycelial inoculation from edible mushrooms on the protein quality and functional properties of oats. The oats were inoculated with mycelia of Sanghwang (SH), Chaga (CH), Shiitake (SI), and Yellow oyster (YO) mushroom under solid-state fermentation conditions. The amino acid composition, protein quality, total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activities were evaluated. Most amino acid contents increased following inoculation, with the YO treatment showing the highest total amino acids, branched-chain amino acids, methionine, and PDCAAS values, indicating improved protein quality. Tryptophan was identified as the first limiting amino acid in the SI treatment, resulting in the lowest PDCAAS value. SI and YO treatments resulted in increased extraction yields, TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity. The YO treatment showed the highest DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities, whereas the SI treatment exhibited the strongest ferric reducing antioxidant power. Conversely, the CH treatment demonstrated minimal functional enhancement. These results suggest that edible mushroom mycelial inoculation effectively improves the protein quality and functional properties of oats. Notably, YO-inoculated oats hold strong potential as a plant-based protein source tailored for elderly nutrition.

Hyun-Joo Kim, Narae Han, Samooel Jung, Jin Young Lee, Jung Hyun Seo, Mihyang Kim, Moon Seok Kang, and Yu-Young Lee. Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition 2026;55:729-35. https://doi.org/10.3746/jkfn.2026.55.8.729

The present study aimed to standardize germinated oat extracts (GOEs) by profiling avenanthramides (AVNs) and phenolic acids and evaluate their neuroprotective effects against Aβ_1-42-induced cytotoxicity in human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells. GOEs were standardized to contain 1652.56 ± 3.37 µg/g dry weight (dw) of total AVNs, including 468.52 ± 17.69 µg/g AVN A, 390.33 ± 10.26 µg/g AVN B, and 641.22 ± 13.89 µg/g AVN C, along with 490.03 ± 7.83 µg/g dw of ferulic acid, using a validated analytical method. Treatment with AVN C and GOEs significantly inhibited Aβ_1-42-induced cytotoxicity (p < 0.05). Furthermore, both AVNs and GOEs markedly reduced Aβ_1-42-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in SH-SY5Y cells, showing significant scavenging activity at concentrations of 25 μg/mL (AVNs) and 50 μg/mL (GOEs) (p < 0.05). RT-PCR analysis revealed that AVNs and GOEs effectively downregulated the expression of inflammation- and apoptosis-related genes triggered by Aβ_1-42 exposure. These findings suggest that GOEs rich in AVNs may serve as a potential functional ingredient for enhancing memory function through the inhibition of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress.

This study aimed to investigate the storage quality of Saegeumgang wheat under plasma storage with different packaging methods. Wheat was stored at 4°C with ozone concentrations of 350-500 ppb for 8 months using gunny sacks and vacuum packaging. Microbial analysis revealed that gunny sack packaging kept contamination below detectable levels (<101 CFU/g) for up to 5 months, while vacuum packaging was more effective at suppressing mold. Moisture content increased over time, likely due to high humidity, and fat acidity rose to 34.30 mg KOH/100 g, with no significant difference between packaging types. These findings suggest that vacuum packaging in a plasma storage environment effectively inhibits microbial growth in wheat. However, further research is required to optimize storage conditions to minimize moisture accumulation and lipid oxidation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of common household thermal processing methods, such as steaming, pressure rice cooking, and roasting, on the enhancement of bioactivities in sorghum and Italian millet, with a focus on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)–related functionality. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activities, lipase inhibitory activity, and lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells were evaluated. In sorghum, pressure rice cooking resulted in the highest total phenolic (110.90 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (46.83 mg CE/g) contents, whereas both pressure rice cooking and steaming improved antioxidant activities across all assays. However, steaming was the most effective in NAFLD‐related functionality, showing the most pronounced lipase inhibition (35.66%) and the greatest reduction in lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells (84.67%) under free fatty acid (FFA)–induced conditions. Although Italian millet showed lower baseline activity than sorghum, steaming consistently resulted in the highest phenolic content (ranging from 19.06 to 26.16 mg GAE/g), improved antioxidant activities, and enhanced lipase inhibition (from 8.00% to 9.70%) compared to all other treatments. Lipid accumulation inhibition was observed only in the steaming group, where lipid levels were reduced to 94.15% of those in the FFA‐induced control. Thermal treatments led to functional improvements that were associated with increases in bioactive compounds, such as arginine, branched‐chain amino acids, and sulfur‐containing amino acids, which have been associated with the regulation of lipid metabolism and hepatic function. These findings highlight the effectiveness of simple steaming for enhancing the health‐promoting properties of cereal grains, suggesting the potential of this method for application in the development of functional food ingredients aimed at NAFLD prevention.

In this study, changes in bioactive compound contents and the in vitro biological activity of mixed grains, including oats, sorghum, finger millet, adzuki bean, and proso millet, with eight different blending ratios were investigated. The total phenolic compounds and flavonoid contents ranged from 14.43–16.53 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract and 1.22–5.37 mg catechin equivalent/g extract, respectively, depending on the blending ratio. The DI-8 blend (30% oats, 30% sorghum, 15% finger millet, 15% adzuki bean, and 10% proso millet) exhibited relatively higher antioxidant and anti-diabetic effects than other blending samples. The levels of twelve amino acids and eight organic acids in the grain mixes were measured. Among the twenty metabolites, malonic acid, asparagine, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, and proline were identified as key metabolites across the blending samples. Moreover, the levels of lactic acid, oxalic acid, and malonic acid, which are positively correlated with α-glucosidase inhibition activity, were considerably higher in the DI-blending samples. The results of this study suggest that the DI-8 blend could be used as a functional ingredient as it has several bioactive compounds and biological activities, including anti-diabetic activity.

Peanut shells, rich in antioxidants, remain underutilized due to limited research. The present study investigated the changes in the functional compound content and skin aging-related enzyme inhibitory activities of peanut shells by electron-beam treatment with different sample states and irradiation doses. In addition, phenolic compounds in the peanut shells were identified and quantified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with ion mobility mass spectrometry–quadrupole time-of-flight and high-performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector, respectively. Total phenolic compound content in solid treatment gradually increased from 110.31 to 189.03 mg gallic acid equivalent/g as the irradiation dose increased. Additionally, electron-beam irradiation significantly increased 5,7-dihydroxychrome, eriodictyol, and luteolin content in the solid treatment compared to the control. However, liquid treatment was less effective in terms of functional compound content compared to the solid treatment. The enhanced functional compound content in the solid treatment clearly augmented the antioxidant activity of the peanut shells irradiated with an electron-beam. Similarly, electron-beam irradiation substantially increased collagenase and elastase inhibitory activities in the solid treatment. Mutagenicity assay confirmed the stability of toxicity associated with the electron-beam irradiation. In conclusion, electron-beam-irradiated peanut shells could serve as an important by-product with potential applications in functional cosmetic materials.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) shell, an abundant by-product of peanut production, contains a complex combination of organic compounds, including flavonoids. Changes in the total phenolic content, flavonoid content, antioxidant capacities, and skin aging-related enzyme (tyrosinase, elastase, and collagenase)-inhibitory activities of peanut shell were investigated after treatment in pressure swing reactors under controlled gas conditions using surface dielectric barrier discharge with different plasma (NO_x and O₃) and temperature (25 and 150 °C) treatments. Plasma treatment under ozone-rich conditions at 150 °C significantly affected the total phenolic (270.70 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g) and flavonoid (120.02 mg catechin equivalent (CE)/g) contents of peanut shell compared with the control (253.94 and 117.74 mg CE/g, respectively) (p < 0.05). In addition, with the same treatment, an increase in functional compound content clearly enhanced the antioxidant activities of components in peanut shell extracts. However, the NO_x-rich treatment was significantly less effective than the O₃ treatment (p < 0.05) in terms of the total phenolic content, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activities. Similarly, peanut shells treated in the reactor under O₃-rich plasma conditions at 150 ℃ had higher tyrosinase, elastase, and collagenase inhibition rates (55.72%, 85.69%, and 86.43%, respectively) compared to the control (35.81%, 80.78%, and 83.53%, respectively). Our findings revealed that a reactor operated with O₃-rich plasma-activated gas at 150 °C was better-suited for producing functional industrial materials from the by-products of peanuts.

Nanotechnology is currently applied in food processing and packaging in the food industry. Nano encapsulation techniques could improve sensory perception and nutrient absorption. The purpose of this study was to identify the sensory characteristics and consumer acceptability of three types of commercial and two types of laboratory-developed soy milk. A total of 20 sensory attributes of the five different soy milk samples, including appearance, smell (odor), taste, flavor, and mouthfeel (texture), were developed. The soy milk samples were evaluated by 100 consumers based on their overall acceptance, appearance, color, smell (odor), taste, flavor, mouthfeel (texture), goso flavor (nuttiness), sweetness, repeated use, and recommendation. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), principal component analysis (PCA), and partial least square regression (PLSR) were used to perform the statistical analyses. The SM_D sample generally showed the highest scores for overall liking, flavor, taste, mouthfeel, sweetness, repeated consumption, and recommendation among all the consumer samples tested. Consumers preferred sweet, goso (nuttiness), roasted soybean, and cooked soybean (nuttiness) attributes but not grayness, raw soybean flavor, or mouthfeel. Sweetness was closely related to goso (nuttiness) odor and roasted soybean odor and flavor based on partial least square regression (PLSR) analysis. Determination of the sensory attributes and consumer acceptance of soymilk provides insight into consumer needs and desires along with basic data to facilitate the expansion of the consumer market.

Yu-Young Lee, Yurim Son, Moon Seok Kang, Mihyang Kim, Jin Young Lee, and Hyun-Joo Kim. Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition 2021;50:1161-7. https://doi.org/10.3746/jkfn.2021.50.11.1161