Response surface methodology was applied to the processing conditions to investigate the physicochemical properties of ramie porridge. In the processing conditions based on the central composite design with the addition of ramie leaf powder (0-4 g) and water (700-1100 g), the coefficients of determination (R2) of the models were above 0.9141 for the physicochemical properties, above 0.7627 for the Hunter color parameters, and above 0.8975 for the rheological properties. The soluble solid content, viscosity, and gumminess of the sample decreased significantly with an increase in the water added, whereas the spreadability and adhesiveness increased significantly. The Hunter color L value of the sample decreased significantly with an increase in the amount of ramie leaf powder added, whereas the Hunter b value increased significantly. The estimated maximum viscosity of the ramie porridge was shown to be 24,643 cp when 1.90 g ramie leaf powder and 700.24 g water were added; the estimated maximum lightness of the ramie porridge was shown to be 59.11 when 0.02 g ramie leaf powder and 869.30 g water were added; and the estimated maximum gumminess of the ramie porridge was shown to be 21.46 g when 2.12 g ramie leaf powder and 700.35 g water were added.

For developing calcium supplement from the harmful marine organism starfish, the physiochemical property of the powdered starfish skeletal plate and the hydrolysis condition of the starfish digestive enzyme were studied. The optimal hydrolysis condition of the starfish digestive enzymes was at 55℃ for 12 h. The bulk densities of the powdered starfish skeletal plates of Asterias amurensis and Asterina pectinifera were 1.1±0.0 and 1.2±0.0 g/cm3, respectively. As for the median size, the values were 10.738 and 11.799 μm, respectively. According to the added concentration of sodium polyacrylate, the dispersibility rate of the powdered starfish skeletal plate was shown to be 6h at 0.0%, 3 days at 0.1%, 20 days at 0.2%, and until 30 days at 0.4%. The elementary composition of the powdered starfish skeletal plates from A. amurensis and A. pectinifera mainly consisted of calcium, and it formed 98.95 and 98.52% of the powdered starfish skeletal plates, respectively. The results of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that they were present in the form of CaCO3. Based on these results, it is suggested that starfish skeletal plate can be utilized as a functional material for a calcium supplement.

This study was conducted to investigate the quality and organoleptic properties of dehydrated onions with steaming and heating. Sliced onions were treated as follows: steaming time (X1, 5∼25 min); drying temperature (X2, 55∼70℃) and drying time (X3, 4∼20 hr). All the variables were modelled and analyzed using a central composite design and response surface methodology (RSM). The coefficients (R2) of the water content and water activity model induced from RSM were 0.9514 (p〈0.01) and 0.9455 (p〈0.01), respectively. The water content and water activity were affected by the drying temperature and time. The R2 on the models of Hunter's L, a, b values were 0.9419 (p〈0.05), 0.8818 (p〈0.01) and 0.9360 (p〈0.01), respectively. Hunter's L, a, b values were affected by the drying temperature and time, but Hunter's b value was not affected by the steaming time. In addition, the R2 on the models of overall palatability was 0.8867 (p〈0.05). The maximum palatability response was 5.92 when the steaming time was 13.14 min, the drying temperature was 63.11℃ and the drying time was 14.49 hr.

The fermentation and quality characteristics of Cheonggukjang with Chinese cabbage, which is produced as a by-product in the kimchi industry, were investigated. Cheonggukjang was prepared with cooked soybean without Chinese cabbage (control), with 10% Chinese cabbage (A10), and with 20% Chinese cabbage (A20), respectively. The A10 and A20 pH values did not show a significant difference compared with the control during fermentation for 72 h. The total aerobes of the Cheonggukjangs reached 8.65 (control), 8.73 (A10), and 9.11 (A20) log CFU/mL after fermentation for 72 h at 37°C, respectively. The numbers of lactic acid bacteria were found to be 5.62 (A10) and 5.87 (A20) log CFU/mL during fermentation for 72 h at 37°C, but lactic acid bacteria were not detected in the control. The amino nitrogen and viscous substance contents of A10 and A20 were lower than those of the control. The total polyphenol contents and DPPH radical scavenging abilities of the tested Cheonggukjang were increased by fermentation. The increasing ratio of polyphenol and the DPPH radical scavenging ability of A10 were higher than those of the control and of A20. The sensory quality of A10 was higher than that of the control and of A20 in taste, color, and overall acceptability.

We conducted a survey of actual using conditions of farm-made liquid fertilizers by investigating their formulation types, materials, making processes, using methods and various beneficial effects on 29 farms certified by National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service to produce environment-friendly agricultural products in 2009. Most of the materials used to make liquid fertilizers are those that can be easily obtained around the farms. Molasses or black sugar are added as an energy source of microorganism. And leaf mold, bacterial cultures supplied by agricultural extension centers of local governments, and cultures of native microorganisms were used as microbial sources for fermenting effective microorganisms. Types of the farm-made liquid fertilizers were fermented liquid fertilizers, fermented plant juices, amino acid liquid fertilizers, calcium-liquid fertilizers, and phosphoric acid liquid fertilizers. Effects of liquid fertilizers used by the farms were found to promote plant growth by supplying nutrition, to accelerate blooming and flower bud formation, to enhance the quality of agricultural products such as increase of sugar contents and improvement of storing conditions, to induce resistance against diseases and insect pests, and to cause endurance to high temperature stress. Chemical properties of the liquid fertilizers collected were analyzed. As a result, pH and EC range showed differences according to kinds of the liquid fertilizers. Amount of macro-nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphoric acid, in most of the collected liquid fertilizers, was found to be low. Even though the liquid fertilizers were made from same materials, their contents was found to be different depending on the making process.

This study developed a high-utility type of vinegar from Rubus coreanus by optimizing its fermentation conditions. In the alcohol fermentation process, the optimal conditions for the maximization of the alcohol contents were an initial sugar concentration of 15 °Brix, a temperature of 30℃ and 4 days. The optimal conditions for the acetic acid fermentation were 9 days of fermentation at 30℃ and 200 rpm, with 6% alcohol and 2% initial acidity. The sucrose, fructose, and glucose contents were 952.90, 491.01, and 386.62 mg%, respectively. The free organic acids were acetic, malic, succinic, malonic, oxalic, and lactic acids. The total free amino acid content was 104.33 μg/mL, with alanine, glutamic acid, γ-amino-N-butyric acid, and o-phospho-ethanolamine as the major amino acids. The K, Na, and Mg contents were 1,686.10, 172.50, and 69.33 ppm, respectively. The total phenolic and anthocyanin contents were 25.19 and 80.71 mg/100 mL, respectively. The DPPH- and ABTS.+ radical scavenging activities were approximately 65 and 94%, respectively. Moreover, the vinegar’s β-carotene bleaching activity and reducing power showed that it had strong anti-oxidant properties. These results show that Rubus coreanus vinegar has anti-oxidant properties and may be used as functional food.

Cheongkookjang that was prepared with three kinds of soybeans [non-germinated soybean (NG), soybeans germinated for 12 hr (GS12), and soybeans germinated for 24 hr (GS24)] were investigated. The changes in the pH, total aerobes, and slime content of Cheongkookjangs that were prepared with NG, GS12 and GS24 did not significantly differ during their fermentation for 48 hr at 40℃. The total aerobes of the Cheongkookjang variants reached 108~109 CFU/mL after theirfermentation for 48 hr. The total polyphenol content and DPPH-radical-scavenging activities the germionated and non-germinated soybeans did not significantly differ, but increased significantly according to the germination degree during the fermentation. The isoflavone content of the Cheongkookjang with the germinated soybean increased. The isoflavone content of Cheongkookjang variant were 0.141 mg/g (NG), 0.369 mg/g (GS12) and 0.569 mg/g (GS24); their free amino acid contents were 254.26 mg% (NG), 337.49 mg% (GS12) and 528.78 mg% (GS24); and their sensory characteristics such as their taste, color, flavor, bitter taste, texture, and overall acceptability did not significantly differ.

This study was conducted to develop a sauce prepared with sweet pumpkin and Korea Doenjang. The optimum conditions for manufacturing sweet pumpkin-doenjang sauce were investigated using the response surface methodology, based on the central composition design. The amount of stock added, the thickening agent, and doenjang were used as the independent variables, and the sensory characteristics (taste, flavor, color, and overall acceptability) were used as the dependent variables to evaluate the optimum conditions for the preparation of the sauce. The optimum conditions for the maximized-responses variables in the preparation of the sauce were 448.5 g of sweet pumpkin stock, 331.5 g of the thickening agent, and 20.0 g of doenjang. The quality characteristics of sweet pumpkin-doenjang sauce that was manufactured at optimum conditions were as follow: 89.55% moisture content, 0.70% crude protein, 0.10% crude lipids, and 0.71% crude ash. The pH of the sauce was 5.96; total acidity, 0.08%; and soluble solids, 6.80 °Brix. The total polyphenol content of the sauce was 5.70 mg/L. The electron-donating ability and reducing power of the sauce were, 14.24% and 1.64 OD, respectively.

Emission characteristics of gaseous odor compounds emitted from the charcoal manufacturing process were investigated, and evaluated the odor removal efficiency of odor control devices. It was found that the measured odor dilution ratio of emission gases ranged from 10,000 to 44,814, which exceed largely the emission standard in the stack. Methylmercaptan, trimethylamine, hydrogen sulfide, acetaldehyde were turned out as major odor compounds of the charcoal manufacturing process. It was revealed that the odor removal ratio of odor control devices were very low due to the its improper maintenance and wrong design.

The waste treatment cost and energy production benefit of Wonju city RDF plant, the first RDF manufacturing plant in Korea, were investigated in this study. All plant operation data, like total weight of received wastes, produced RDF and separated rejects in processes have been fully recorded for mass balance calculation of the plant. Also all consumed oil and electricity have been recorded for energy balance calculation. The results showed that the waste treatment cost not included the RDF sales price of 25,000 won/ton-RDF was 139,316 won/ton-MSW and it went down to 128,640 won when included the RDF price in 2011. Produced RDF was 42.7% of total received waste in weight. Three components analysis by mass balance calculation of total received waste showed that Wonju city's MSW was 34.0% of combustible, 35.0% of water and 31% of incombustible respectively. Energy effect was found that total amount of produced energy was about 4 times more than that of consumed energy. Analysis data for 5 years since 2007 were summarized and shown in this study.