Ho-Kyung Ha

Perennial ginseng (Panax ginseng) has long been valued for its medicinal properties. However, ginseng sprouts are gaining prominence as a versatile food source due to the high levels of bioactive compounds in their leaves and stems. To further enhance their functional value, this study investigated the effects of fermentation using lactic acid bacteria, specifically Lactobacillus and Enterococcus strains, on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of ginseng sprout extract (GSE). Chemical analyses revealed that fermentation significantly increased total phenolic content (TPC) and ginsenoside Rb₁ levels, which were associated with enhanced radical-scavenging activity and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, fermented GSE (FGSE) exhibited significantly greater anti-inflammatory effects than non-fermented GSE. This enhancement was evidenced by marked downregulation of pro-inflammatory mediators, including nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), along with their corresponding enzymes, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Notably, the anti-inflammatory profile of FGSE was distinguished by its ability to suppress specific cytokines that were not significantly affected by GSE. Although both GSE and FGSE attenuated interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), only FGSE achieved statistically significant inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). These findings indicate that fermentation is a critical process for surpassing the efficacy threshold of GSE against key inflammatory signals. Overall, the enrichment of bioactive metabolites during fermentation suggests that FGSE can serve as a potent functional ingredient for modulating inflammatory responses, with considerable potential for the development of advanced functional foods.

Peanut sprouts are known to increase their resveratrol content during germination, leading to cultivation in smart farms. Recently, peanut sprout oil extraction and sales have gained traction; however, processed foods utilizing peanut sprout oil have yet to be developed. In this study, water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion gels were structured with water, peanut sprout oil (PSO), sorbitan monostearate (SMS), and candelilla wax (CW) in different ratios, and their potential as shortening substitutes in muffins was evaluated on physicochemical and sensory properties. PSO comprised 67% unsaturated fatty acids and had higher phospholipid (17.97%) and resveratrol (15.95 µg/L) contents and antioxidant activity (71.52%) compared to peanut oil. The PSO emulsion gels were physically structured without changing their chemical compositions. The SMS and CW ratios were found to have a significant influence on the textural properties, solid fat content, rheology, and crystallization of the emulsion gels. The viscoelastic properties of the emulsion gels showed a higher storage modulus than loss modulus and increased with increasing gelator content. Muffins prepared with emulsion gels were characterized by a harder texture and larger pore size, while in the case of muffins mixed with a ratio of 25% SMS and 75% CW, there was no significant difference in overall preference of sensory evaluation compared to shortening muffins. Thus, these findings reveal the potential utility of PSO as a fat substitute and indicate that W/O emulsion gels are suitable for producing muffins without a loss of quality.

Food Science of Animal Resources (Food Sci. Anim. Resour.) is an international, peer-reviewed bimonthly journal publishing original research and reviews on basic and applied aspects of the use of animal resources including the meat, egg, dairy, and edible insect/worm products. Food Sci. Anim. Resour. is published and distributed by the Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources.

This study aimed to improve the physiological activity and processing properties of ginseng sprouts. We first determined the effect of extraction and fermentation conditions on the antioxidant activity of ginseng sprouts. The optimal extraction conditions were 2 h at 80°C, with water as a solvent. The fermentation strains used were Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus KCTC 3635 and Enterococcus faecalis KCTC 3206. We then analyzed the changes in the reducing sugar and alcohol content. In fermented samples, the reducing sugar content was lower and the alcohol content was higher than those in control sample. The cell counts of lactic acid bacteria were higher in the fermented samples than those in the control sample. Fermented samples contained more ginsenoside than the extract samples, and ginsenoside was not detected in the control sample. The total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents were relatively high in the fermented samples, particularly in the sample fermented by E. faecalis. Finally, sensory evaluation revealed that the Yakju prepared using ginseng sprouts fermented by lactic acid bacteria was preferable to other drinks control and ginseng sprouts extracted sample. Overall, it was confirme that the addition of fermented ginseng improved the physiological activity and palatability of yakju, there by improving the quality of yakju.

Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology (J. Dairy Sci. Biotechnol., ISSN 2384-0269; eISSN 2508-3635) publishes original papers or review articles covering topics of chemistry, biotechnology, processing and microbiology of milk and milk products since 1981

Journal of Animal Science and Technology (JAST) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing original research, review articles and notes in all fields of animal science. Topics covered by the journal include: genetics and breeding, physiology, nutrition of monogastric animals, nutrition of ruminants, animal products (milk, meat, eggs and their by-products) and their processing, grasslands and roughages, livestock environment, animal biotechnology, animal behavior and welfare.

Food Science of Animal Resources (Food Sci. Anim. Resour.) is an international, peer-reviewed bimonthly journal publishing original research and reviews on basic and applied aspects of the use of animal resources including the meat, egg, dairy, and edible insect/worm products. Food Sci. Anim. Resour. is published and distributed by the Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources.

Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology (J. Dairy Sci. Biotechnol., ISSN 2384-0269; eISSN 2508-3635) publishes original papers or review articles covering topics of chemistry, biotechnology, processing and microbiology of milk and milk products since 1981

Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology (J. Dairy Sci. Biotechnol., ISSN 2384-0269; eISSN 2508-3635) publishes original papers or review articles covering topics of chemistry, biotechnology, processing and microbiology of milk and milk products since 1981