한국에 널리 자생하는 식용 식물이자 약용 식물인 도라지의 가공식품으로서의 활용도를 높이고자 팽화 기술을 적용하여 사포닌 성분의 변화와 추출율의 변화, 그리고 외관상의 변화들을 관찰하였다. 팽화 압력이 증가할수록 그 갈변과 부피 팽창도가 증가하였고, 추출 수율은 약 1.5배, 조사포닌 함량은 약 2배, DPPH radical scavenging activity는 3배 이상 증가하는 것을 확인하였다. 그러나, 도라지 약리 작용 물질의 하나로 보고되고 있는 platycodin complex는 감소함을 나타내어, 약리 효능을 유지하기 위하는 팽화 조건을 설정하기 위해서는 추가의 연구가 필요하다고 판단하였다.
The changes of saponin components in Platycodon grandiflorus (jacqin) A.De Candle by puffing process were investigated. Major changes in appearance were browning and volume expansion, which were proportional to the increase of the puffing pressure regardless of moisture contents. Puffing has induced a porous structure in Platycodon so that the extraction yield increased by enhanced penetration of the extraction solvent into the inner portion. Not-puffed Platycodon showed the extraction yields of 35.3-42.1% and the puffed one did 56.3-60.6%. The changes in crude saponin contents showed the similar results that not-puffed Platycodon showed 18.8-21.7 mg/g dried sample and the puffed one did 26.2-60.4 mg/g dried sample. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of puffed Platycodon also increased three-fold compared to not-puffed one. The contents of platycodin complex of Platycodon, however, decreased with puffing pressure. The HPLC chromatogram implied that the breakage of the glycosidic bond and the ester bond in the saponin backbone could be a reason for the destruction of platycodin complex, which bound a glucose to 3 position carbon and arabinose-rhamnose-xylose-apiose to 28 position carbon of saponin backbone, respectively.