Buckwheat (Fagopyrum species) has long been an excellent functional food. Besides, buckwheat sprouts contain various functional substances. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant activity of buckwheat sprouts in the context of cultivars harvested after different cultivation periods (0, 3, 5, 7, 9, 13, and 15 days after planting). Buckwheat sprouts were cultivated at 25oC for up to 15 days and then extracted with ethanol. Antioxidant components were then extracted from sprouts and leaves using a freeze dryer. The total polyphenolic content, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity were then analyzed. The total polyphenol content increased from 32.26 mg GA eq/100 g for raw buckwheat to 114.75 mg GA eq/100 g after 7 days of cultivation. Also, the flavonoid content increased from 20.61 mg catechin eq/100 g (0 days) to 56.54 mg/g after 9 days of cultivation. The DPPH radical scavenging activity (concentration of extract at 0.25 mg/mL) increased from 7.89% at day 0 to 53.48% after 9 days of cultivation. Additionally, the ABTS radical scavenging activity increased from 10.26% at day 0 to 32.89% after 7 days of cultivation; of note, the activity decreased afterward. These results suggest that the best buckwheat sprouts with higher biological activities are those cultivated for 7-9 days. For a complete understanding of the potential of buckwheat sprouts as functional foods, we plan to further analyze their antioxidant activity in the future.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the fermentation characteristics of Yakju using fresh sprouts from common buckwheat, a Daisan cultivar, and a tartary buckwheat Daikwan 3-3 cultivar to develop a functional Yakju, which is a traditional Korean liquor. As fermentation time increased, alcohol concentration and total sugar content (expressed as Brix degrees) increased, whereas reducing sugar content decreased. In particular, alcohol formation capability was maximized from the fourth to the seventh days of the second mashing stage during the fermentation procedure, which corresponded to the abrupt rise in mashing body temperature. The pH increased slightly when the titratable acidity was kept from increasing as fermentation proceeded. Quercetin and rutin were not present in the control group but their presence in Yakju with added buckwheat sprouts continuously increased with an increase in the fermentation period. Quercetin and rutin contents were higher in the Yakju with added Daikwan3-3 buckwheat sprouts than Yakju with added Daisan buckwheat sprouts. In conclusion, adding buckwheat sprouts improved Yakju quality during fermentation. Particularly, Yakju with added Daikwan3-3 buckwheat sprouts had superior fermentation characteristics and quality.

To produce buckwheat sprouts, buckwheats were germinated at 23±2℃ up to 8 days in total darkness. In proximate analysis, moisture content increased from 13.87% of buckwheat groats to 93.75% of buckwheat sprouts on the 8th day of germination. On dry weight basis, lipid and ash contents increased like as protein content increased from 13.45% to 21.82% while carbohydrate content decreased due to enzyme hydrolysis. Amino acids were rich in glutamic acid, aspartic acids, and lysine, and also the ratio of the essential amino acids to total amino acids increased from 26.84% to 36.84%. Vitamin C did not exist in buckwheat groats but its content has continued to increase as far as 99.56 mg/100 g buckwheat sprouts. Rutin continued to increase by HPLC analysis from 4.71 mg/100 g buckwheat groats to 1,524 mg/100 g buckwheat sprouts. In analysis of organic acids, oxalic, maleic, and citric acids were commonly found in buckwheat sprouts. Fagopyrin was found almost none in buckwheat sprouts. In conclusion, the conversion of buckwheat seeds into sprouts through germination in darkness results in physically different final product with nutritional changes such as higher content of rutin, generation of vitamin C, abundance of the essential amino acids, and the existence of fagopyrin on very little.

With both common and Tartary buckwheat species, this study was aimed at producing new commercially useful bio-materials with higher nutritional and medicinal value due to higher components for health promotion and diseases care. In common buckwheat sprouts, it was found that root length at 20℃ was longer (5.93 cm) than at 25 and 30℃, whereas the hypocotyls length, fresh weight of each sprout, and whole fresh weight showed the highest value at 30℃. For Tartary buckwheat, the root length, hypocotyl length and fresh weight of each sprout and whole fresh weight were also the highest at 30℃. Common buckwheat (Suwon No.1) and Tartary buckwheat (KW45) sprouts cultured at 20℃ showed that hypocotyl length, fresh weight of each sprout, and whole fresh weight in the control were higher than those sprouts treated with 5% and 10% deep sea water (DSW), while the sprouts cultured at 30℃ showed were significantly longer hypocotyls than the control or 5% DSW treatment.

본 연구에서는 타타리메밀싹을 이용한 고부가가치 가공상품을 개발하기 위하여 타타리메밀싹 발효추출물의 영양성분과 생리활성을 검정하였다. 일반 영양성분분석에서는 메밀싹 발효추출물은 단백질, 나트륨, 아연, 마그네슘에서 약간 높은 함량을 보였으나, 메밀전초 발효추출물은 나머지 무기물과 비타민에서 높게 나타났다. 동물실험을 통한 항당뇨 및 혈중지질에 관한 생리활성 검정 결과, 메밀싹 발효추출물이 짧은 기간의 실험임에도 불구하고 혈중 LDL-cholesterol의 수치를 낮추고, HDL-cholesterol의 수치를 올려주어 혈중 total lipid를 낮추는 것을 알 수 있었다. 또한 동맥경화지수인 atherogenic index의 감소를 나타내었다. 이상의 결과를 종합해 볼 때 타타리메밀싹의 발효추출물은 혈중 지질의 개선을 통해 순환기 질환에 효과를 줄 수있다는 가능성을 제시하였다. 하지만 제품화하여 메밀의 새로운 수요창출 및 부가가치를 높이기 위해서는 장기적인 동물실험 및 제품이 갖추어야 할 조건에 대한 관능검사 등 추가적인 연구를 필요로 한다.

본 실험은 메밀새싹의 추출조건에 따른 수율, 총 페놀, -glucosidase 저해활성능, 및 ACE 저해활성능에 대해 반응표면 분석법을 이용하여 추출조건을 최적화하였다. 중심합성계획에 따라 추출온도(), 추출시간(0~12 hr) 및 에탄올 농도(0~100%)를 달리하였을 때 반응 표면 회귀식의 R2는 수율, 총 페놀, -glucosidase 저해활성능 및 ACE 저해활성능에서 각각 0.9461(p-glucosidase 저해활성능 및 ACE 저해

The aim of this study was to develop the tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) sprouts and to clarify the biological and chemical characteristics of the sprouts. At 7 days after seeding, hypocotyls length and thickness, and root length of tartary buckwheat sprouts were 137 cm, 1.4 mm, and 12.6 cm, respectively. Fresh weight, dry weight, and moisture contents of an individual sprout at 7 days after seeding were 202 mg, 5.4 mg, and 95.3%, respectively. Protein content in tartary buckwheat sprouts was 23.0% which relatively higher than that of seeds, while lipid and ash contents were 3.5% and 5.3%. Among 7 minerals, the content of phosphorus showed the highest level (1,383.5 mg/100 g), while the contents of sodium and potassium were 1,197.5 mg/100 g and 1,106 mg/100 g, respectively. The contents of other minerals were Mg (795.5 mg/100 g), Ca (149 mg/100 g), Zn (16.4 mg/ 100 g), and Fe (14.7 mg/100 g). The rutin content of tatary buckwheat sprouts including root parts was the highest (5644.9 mg/100 g) at 7 days after seeding. The concentration of catechin derivatives in tartary buckwheat sprouts was high in order of catechin (59 mg/100 g), epicatechin gallate (47 mg/100 g), and epicatechin (14 mg/100 g).