Screening of Bacillus subtilis strains capable of producing extracellular hydrolases, including lipolytic enzyme was carried out. Within the scope of this study, total 61 strains were isolated from various domestic specific environmental samples such as seawater, soil, Jeju ranch, hot spring, salt farm, and fermented food and identified as Bacillus subtilis based on 16S rRNA sequences. Among the isolates, 4 strains had extracellular lipase activity. The growth profile of the strains revealed that 4 strains showed well growth at 50℃, 3 strains at 55℃, and pH 7.0. All strains could tolerate salinity up to 5%(w/v), 3 strains up to 10%(w/v), and only one strain showed growth at 15%(w/v). Additionally, amylolytic and proteolytic activities were detected in these strains. The highest lipolytic, amylolytic, and proteolytic activity was detected in Bacillus subtilis YS-YR 5A. These results demonstrate the potential application of extracellular hydrolase-producing Bacillus subtilis strains, especially strain YS-YR 5A, as fermentation starter to enhance the functionality and multiplication of functional natural products in the food/medicine/cosmetics/bio industries.

This study aimed to isolate and identify the new strains which can be utilized in fermentation process for the production of functional materials. Isolation of the new microorganism in wood vinegar, natural liquid material generated from the carbonization of various trees was studied. Marine agar medium was used for the isolation of halo-tolerant bacteria. Using a sterilized toothpick, transfer same shape colonies to agar plates and continuous cultivation of colonies at 37℃ for several days, 2 colonies were isolated. Through the 16S-based ID service, isolated strains were identified as Cytobacillus species. Verifying the industrial values of the two isolated strains, the productivities of various enzymes such as amylase, lipase, and protease were confirmed. As a result, isolated 2 strains showed amylase and protease activities which means the possibility of applying to biological processes in the food and cosmetic industries.

This study investigated the effect of natural and chemical food additives on the oxidative quality and shelf life of fried-balls used in Udong. Specifically, we evaluated the antioxidant activity of hot water extracts from broccoli added to fried-balls. When treated with antioxidants, fried-balls exhibited lower acid and peroxide values than that of the control group (untreated fried-balls). In addition, the analysis of GC/MS revealed that the contents of unsaturated fatty acids in the fried balls treated with antioxidants were higher than that of the untreated fried-balls, suggesting that the antioxidants slowed the oxidation. Our results showed that broccoli extract was effective in inhibiting oxidation of fried balls used in Udong. Therefore, these antioxidants might be used as food additives to preserve fried balls and consequently extend the shelf-life.

A lot of research about applications of natural extracts to both food and medicine is in progress. In this paper, we tested the applicability of Rubus crataegifolius leaf extract in functional materials including its anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the effects of Rubus crataegifolius leaf extract on the LPS-induced production of inflammatory cytokines and mediators in RAW264.7 macrophage cell line. The protein expression of COX-2, iNOS, IL- 4, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, phosphorylation of MAPKs (ERK, JNK, p38) and the activation of NF-κB with Rubus crataegifolius leaf extract were assayed in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Pre-treatment with Rubus crataegifolius leaf extract significantly inhibited the protein expression of iNOS and COX-2 in a dose-dependent item and the secretion of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-4, TNF-α, and IFN-γ. Rubus crataegifolius leaf extract significantly reduced the phosphorylation of MAPKs. The NF-κB was strongly suppressed by extracts. Moreover, the pathological phenotypes of contact dermatitis such as erythema, edema, and scabs were significantly decreased in Rubus crataegifolius leaf extract-treated mice. These results indicated that Rubus crataegifolius leaf extract have an antiinflammatory effect, and that this might be used as a supplement for the functional materials.

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)-containing salt was prepared by crystallization of a mixture of salt water from deep sea and fermentation broth by lactic acid bacteria that contained GABA converted from glutamic acid. Salt from deep sea water has a lower sodium content but higher calcium, potassium and magnesium contents than commercial salt. Instead of monosodium glutamate (MSG), glutamic acid was used for solving the residual MSG problem. Fermentation by a lactic acid bacterium converted 90% of added glutamic acid (5%, w/v) to GABA, and continuous production of colorless fermentation broth containing more than 3% (w/v) GABA was achieved by using an activated carbon. Mixtures of salt water and fermentation broths with various GABA concentrations were co-crystallized and the GABA content was analyzed. This analysis showed that more than 90% of GABA from broth was adsorbed to salt. The appearance and surface of this prepared GABA-containing salt were examined with an image analyzer and scanning electron microscope. No difference was found with commercial sun-dried salt and no separated particles were detected, which indicates that the co-crystallization process used is suitable for the production of GABAcontaining salt.

This study was conducted to evaluate the biopreservative potential of a bacteriocin-containing cell-free culture from Lactococcus lactis A164 on tofu. In order to increase the shelf-life of tofu, cell-free culture of A164 was added to tofu coagulant agent for coagulation process. Compared with tofu treated with distilled water, lactic acid, or cell-free culture from Lactobacillus plantarum P23, the tofu treated with a bacteriocin-containing cell-free culture from A164 could significantly suppress the number of total bacteria and extend the shelf-life of tofu. The antibacterial activity of tofu treated with cell-free culture from A164 was further evaluated by using modified agar diffusion method with Weissella paramesenteroides ATCC33313, as an indicator strain. The cell growth of the indicator strain was significantly inhibited by tofu treated with cell-free culture from A164. These results indicate that a bacteriocin-producing strain, L. lactis A164, can be used as a biopresevative for extending the shelf life of fresh-processing foods such as a tofu.

옥수수전분을 원료로, water-slurry process를 이용하여 다양한 치환도의 양이온성전분을 제조하였다. 호화억제제인 Na2SO4를 4%(w/w)첨가한 후 반응시약인 3-chloro-2-hydroxyprophyl trimethyl ammonium chloride(CHTAC)와 반응촉매인 NaOH의 양을 조절하여 치환도 0.02-0.06 범위의 양이온성전분을 제조한 후 물리화학적 특성을 조사하였다. 치환도의 증가에 따라 water holding capacity는 일반전분의 3배 이상 증가하여 전분입자의 integrity를 감소시킴을 알 수 있었으며 이는 치환도에 비례하는 swelling power의 값으로도 확인할 수 있었다. Solubility와 swelling power 모두 천연 옥수수전분의 경우에는 그 값이 상승하지 않는 60oC 이하의 온도에서도 급격히 증가하는 모습을 보였다. 요오드 흡착특성은 일반 옥수수전분과 비교하여 차이를 나타내지 않아 치환기의 결합이 무정형 영역에 집중되는 것을 알 수 있었으며 이는 X-ray diffractogram으로도 확인할 수 있었다. Amylograph pattern은 치환도에 비례하여 최고 점도와 50oC에서의 점도가 증가하였으며 호화개시온도와 최고점도 온도는 일정하게 감소하는 경향을 나타내었다. 1% 전분 용액의 유동 특성을 관찰한 결과 일반 옥수수 전분은 Newtonian fluid의 형태를 보인 반면, 양이온성전분은 pseudoplastic fluid의 거동을 나타내었고 치환도 증가에 따라 점도가 증가하는 양상을 나타내었으나 용액의 전기 전도도가 증가함에 따라 양이온성전분 고유의 유동특성이 감소하는 것을 알 수 있었다.

양이온기를 운반할 수 있는 반응시약과의 화학적 결합에 의하여 제조되는 양이온성전분은 표면에 음이온기를 보유한 펄프의 결합력을 강하게 해주는 특성을 보유하여 제지산업에서 점차 사용량이 증가하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 양이온성전분 중에서도 가장 생산량이 많은 양이온성 옥수수 전분의 water-slurry process에 의한 반응을 최적화하였다. 현재 가장 많이 사용되고 있는 치환도 0.03이하의 저치환 양이온성전분과 향 후 사용량이 증가할 치환도 0.04이상의 고치환 양이온성전분으로 분류하여 실험을 진행하였으며 천연 옥수수전분 현탁액의 알칼리호화가 시작되는 NaOH 농도를 알칼리 첨가량의 최저 기준으로 하여 NaOH의 첨가량을 조절하고, 반응온도, Na2SO4의 농도를 종속변수로 하고, 반응효율을 독립변수로 하여 중심합성계획법에 따라 실험을 진행하여 반응표면 회귀분석을 이용한 양이온반응 최적화를 수행하였다. 저치환 양이온성 옥수수전분의 제조를 위하여 8%(w/w-starch, 65% active monomer)의 양이온화 시약을 첨가한 경우 반응온도 38.48oC, Na2SO4 1.89%의 농도에서 알칼리호화 예상 농도보다 6.75 meq/g-starch의 NaOH를 추가로 첨가한 경우 최적의 양이온화 반응이 진행되었으며 이때의 반응효율은 67.28%이며 최종 양이온성 전분은 0.03022의 치환도를 나타내어 동일한 양의 반응 시약으로 산업적으로 생산되는 양이온성 옥수수전분의 치환도를 20%정도 증가시킬 수 있었다. 반응시약 첨가량을 20%로 증가시킨 경우에는 실험구에서 설계한 4%(w/w)의 Na2SO4 첨가량 및 24시간의 반응범위 내에서 양이온화 반응의 최적점을 찾을 수 없어 water-slurry process에 의한 고치환 양이온성전분의 생산은 산업화에 문제점이 있음을 입증하였다. 설계된 실험군내에서 찾은 최적 반응 조건은 호화억제제를 1.99%(w/w) 첨가하고, 추가로 첨가하는 NaOH를 알칼리호화개시농도(AGIC)보다 5.73 meq/g-starch 만큼 높게 조절할 경우 가장 높은 반응효율을 얻을 수 있었으며 이때의 예상 반응효율은 57.37%로 치환도로 환산할 경우 0.0642의 값이다.

Ginsenosides, ginseng saponin, are the principal components responsible for the pharmacological and biological activities of ginseng. In order to improve absorption and biological activities, the biotransformation of major ginsenoside to minor ginsenoside, as the more active compound, is required. In this study, we isolated Lactobacillus brevis THK-D57, which has high β-glycosidase activity, from Kimchi. The major ginsenoside Rb₁ was converted to the minor ginsenoside ‘compound K’ during the fermentation of L. brevis THK-D57. The results propose that the biotransformation pathway to produce compound K is as follows: ginsenoside Rb₁→ginsenoside Rd→ginsenoside F₂→ginsenoside compound K.

For the purpose of production of GABA-rich tomato paste, this study was carried out to investigate GABA producing lactic acid bacteria from Korean traditional fermented food, Kimchi and optimize the culture conditions. As a result of fermentation, Lactobacillus brevis B3-20 among lactic acid bacteria isolated at the pre-experiments was the best producer of GABA at the tomato paste medium with 50%(wet-base) levels of dionized water. At the result of fermentation on the tomato paste medium with 0.5%(w/w) yeast extract, as a source of nitrogen, 3%(w/w) MSG(monosodium glutamate) and dionized water(the ratio of tomato paste and water was 2:8), Lb. brevis B3-20 produced the maximum GABA concentration, 143.38 mM. GABA-rich tomato paste showed the activity of free radical scavenging. Because GABA-rich tomato paste have functional ingredients such as ascorbic acid, lycopene, carotenoid, as well as GABA by lactic acid bacteria fermentation, GABA-rich tomato paste can be considered high functional materials.

피부는 신체에서 가장 크고 육중한 기관 중 하나로 인간의 생리 및 병리 과정에 참여한다. 피부는 자기 유지 및 치유, 기계적 및 화학적 손상 방어, 자외선 과 외부 병원성 미생물로부터의 방어, 비타민 D 합성 그리고 사회 심리적 기능을 한다고 알려져 있다. 이 연구의 목적은 한국 여성의 부위와 연령에 따라 피부 생물학 인자와 연관된 생물리학 인자의 변화를 평가하는 데 있다. 20 ∼ 49세의 약 70명의 건강한 성인 여성이 이 실험에 참여 하였다. 측정부위는 하박 내측과 뺨으로 진행하였다. 인체 피부의 생물리학 인자를 측정하기 위하여 여러 가지 비침습적인 방법으로 진행하였다. 피부의 생물학 인자를 분석하기 위하여 코티졸, 파이브로넥틴, 케라틴-1, 10, 11, 인보루크린, 케라틴 6를 인체의 얼굴과 하박내측으로 비교하였다. 또한 비침습적 방법으로 피부 생물리학 인자는 피부 부위와 연령에 따른 차이를 측정하였다. 측정 부위에 따른 결과, 각질층 수분량, 경피수분손실량과 피부색(L과 a값)은 유의적인 차이가 나타났다. 연령에 따른 결과, 오직 피부색에서만 연령에 따른 차이가 유의 적으로 나타났다. 코티졸, 케라틴-6, 파이브로넥틴, 케라틴-1, 10, 11 은 연령과 부위간 유의적 차이가 없지만 인볼루크린은 30 ∼ 39세 연령대에서 다른 연령대보다 유의적으로 가장 높았다. 이러한 결과는 개인의 피부 환경에 대한 상세한 피부 상태 변화로 설명할 수 있을 것이다.

여성의 얼굴에 과색소침착이 발생하는 것은 불안감, 특히 미적인 요소에 있어서 많은 고민을 유발한다. 피부의 흑화는 자외선(UV)에 대하여 이를 방어하기 위한 기작으로 멜라닌의 양과 밀접한 관계가 있다. 이러한 피부의 구성성분을 관찰하기 위해, confocal scanning laser microscope (CSLM)은 피부에 직접 현미경 검사를 실시하여 어떠한 조직의 변화 없이 피부를 실시간으로 관찰할 수 있는 비침습적 이미지 장치이다. 본 연구에서는 자외선 조사를 통해 유도된 하박 내측 피부의 과색소침착을 유도하여, 다른 피부색을 평가하는 측정기기와 상관성을 분석하여, CSLM을 이용한 새로운 미백 평가방법을 제시하였다. CSLM을 활용한 미백 효능 평가법은 소비자가 보다 이해하기 쉽도록 미백 제품을 평가하는데 유용할 것으로 생각된다.

Tocopherols (α-, β-, γ- and δ-tocopherols) represent a group of lipophilic antioxidants which are synthesized only by photosynthetic organisms. It is widely believed that protection of pigments and proteins of photosynthetic system and polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidative damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is the main function of tocopherols. In the present study, NtTC, which encodes a tobacco tocopherol cyclase ortholog, was cloned and characterized. Compared with control plants, NtTC transgenic rice showed higher tolerance to drought stress, and total tocopherol content increased by 52 % in leaf. Additionally, total antioxitant activity of NtTC transgenic lines was increased significantly by 19%. These results demonstrate that over-expressing NtTC could improve the tolerance to abiotic stress in rice, and tocopherols play a crucial role in the protection of oxidative stress.