Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) are getting attention as delivery system for nutraceuticals due to its low toxicity and higher loading efficiency of active ingredients. However, the cytotoxicity of NLC had not fully evaluated especially on neuroblastoma. In this study, cytotoxicity of NLC and curcumin-loaded NLC (C-NLC) were evaluated on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells investigating cell morphology, mitochondrial activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production compared to H2O2 treatment as a positive control. As a result, the metabolic activity was inhibited about 40% by 250ppm of NLC along with morphological change. C-NLC exhibited 50% inhibitory effect on mitochondrial activity at 500ppm, which was lower than NLC itself. Moreover, NLCs significantly induced ROS production which was recognized as one of the indicators of cytotoxicity generated by NLCs. In conclusion, lower cytotoxic effect was observed with NLC on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma based on ROS production and these investigation could be used for further application of NLC in food industry.

As the fruit and vegetable beverage market grows, a variety of foods are continually increasing. Therefore, when ingredients other than those indicated are added to achieve economic benefits, cases of adulteration and falsification concurrently follow. Among these, blueberry as expensive fruits, is one of the target for adulteration in juice production. This study was conducted based on the reports regarding the forgery of blueberry juice and grape juice; 32 kinds of blueberry juices, which are sold on the market, were collected and their metabolomics analysis was performed to screen out possible discriminants for blueberry juice adulteration. Metabolomes were extracted with 80% methanol and analyzed through LC-MS/MS followed by data processing with multivariate statistical analysis. Based on OPLS (orthogonal partial least squared) model, four metabolites were screened as significant discriminants among 209 metabolites found in blueberry juice and anthocyanin compounds occupied a main groups for discrimination. Marvidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside were identified as significant indicators for the existence of blueberry compared to grape juice which is main adulterates in blueberry juices. These candidates were assessed for monitoring commercial blueberry juices, which were proved as useful determinant for adulteration.

With increasing interests on health issues, whole grains are getting focus with their various beneficial effects along with unique characteristics. Studies on whole grains, however, are mostly focused on whole wheat grains, no systematic researches on whole rice grain has been attempted. In this study, we tried to characterize the starches in whole rice grain including morphology, molecular weight distribution and its side chain structures for further application. Early harvested whole rice grains, named as green whole rice (GWR) was coarsely grounded and starch fraction was separated through alkaline steeping method and dried for the analysis. Morphology of starch particles of GWR was investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and no significant differences was observed compared to the control rice starches. Pre-treatments such as dehulling and steaming also did not affect overall shape of starches in rice. Molecular weight distribution of GWR starch was analyzed with gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and compared with normal rice starch. GPC analyses revealed that the relative ratio of higher molecular weight fractions in GWR was significantly higher than normal rice. In addition, side chain structures of amylopectin molecules in GWR starch was analyzed with high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). The average number of DP in GWR was shorter with higher ratio of shorter side chain fractions than normal rice starch. These findings on GWR starch would be useful basement for following research and application of green whole rice.

Nuruk, a Korean fermentation starter for Makgeolli, contains a variety of microflora according to province and natural environment. However, the metabolites profiles in traditional Korean Nuruk were not defined yet. In this study, Nuruk were prepared with 20 different fungi originated from Gangwon province (Rhizomucor variabilis, Lichtheimia corymbifera, and Aspergillus species) and their metabolites were profiled / compared with commercial strains (Aspergillus kawachii) through metabolomics analysis. Metabolites were extracted with solvent mixture (Isopropanol: Methanol: Distilled water) and put into MS spectrometry analysis. After processing of full mass spectra data from LC-MS/MS, the characteristics of each strain were compared and analyzed by multivariate statistical analysis such as hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA).Interestingly, strain specific classification was observed by HCA and PCA among samples and significant differences were also indicated from commercial strain Aspergillus kawachii. As a results, 26 metabolites were successfully screened with a validity from a total of 189 metabolites by using of VIP plot through OPLS-DA. These results suggested the uniqueness of Korean traditional home brewed liquor compared to commercial liquor and could be useful information for Korean brewing industry.

Broccoli, one of Brassica vegetables, has been known to possess various health beneficial activities including anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation and anti-cancer etc. Various metabolites were indicated as active compounds in broccoli. Glucosinolates such as glucoraphanin, glucobrassicin, glucoerucin and isothiocyanates, i.e. sulforaphane, which is produced through the enzymatic action of myrosinase are getting focus as their bioactivities. In this study, we treated broccoli with pulsed electric field (PEF) processing and the metabolite profiles were investigated based on the metabolomics analysis. PEF process was applied to stem and floret of broccolis with three different levels; 500, 1000, 1500 pulses with 2 kV/cm, then metabolites were extracted with 70% methanol. Metabolomic analysis was carried out with mass spectrometry through multivariate statistical analysis based on the OPLS-DA model. Significant changes of metabolite profiles were observed by PEF treatment and specific metabolites were affected as dose dependent manner. Content of major glucosinolates compounds such as glucoerucin, glucoiberin, glucoraphanin, glucobrassicin, 4-hydroxy glucobrassicin, and 4-methoxy glucobrassicin were significantly reduced, while sulforaphane was distinctively increased in PEF treated broccolis. The results implied that myrosinase released from vacuole by PEF processing transformed glucosinolate into isothiocyanate, which would be useful findings for enhancing bioactivity of broccoli by simple PEF treatment.

Nanoparticles are widely used in various fields such as electronics, medicines and getting focus on the application in food industry for developing intelligent delivery system with bioactive ingredients or functional nutrients. Basic study on possible toxicological effect of food applicable nanoparticles is required for a practical application in food industry. In this study, size-controlled bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles were prepared by a desolvation method and their cytotoxicity was investigated. BSA nanoparticles were prepared with mean diameters as 115, 137, 159, and 299 nm, then cytotoxicity was evaluated with RAW 264.7 macrophages as in vitro model. Cell viabilities were significantly affected as increasing nanoparticle concentration. Smaller the sizes of nanoparticles, LD50 values were significantly reduced. LD50 values of BSA nanoparticles were 50, 65, 126, and 170 μg/ml, respectively. Nanoparticle was supposed to induce the apoptosis of RAW 264.7 marcrophages and underlying mechanism will be investigated in future. These findings will be used as valuable basement for nanofood development with BSA nanoparticles.

호박과피는 과육에 비해 매우 높은 16%의 식이섬유를 함유하고 있었고, 이로부터 분리된 호박과피펙틴은 53%의 galactuonic acid를 함량을 나타내었으나, 타 펙틴에 비해 매우 높은 메틸기를 함유한 high methoxyl pectin(HMP)로 확인되었다. 또한 0.34%의 낮은 수준이나, 일부 아세틸기를 함유하고 있어, 기존의 펙틴질과 차별화될 수 있는 구조적 특징을 보유하고 있었다. 담즙산과의 결합능에 있어서는 다른 펙틴질에 비해 비교적 높은 9%의 결합능을 보여, 식품 소재로서의 우수한 특성을 보유하고 있어 향후 식품 소재로서의 개발이 가능할 것으로 판단되었다.