Maca roots (Lepidium meyenii) are an important medicinal herb that have long been used by the Andes-indigenous peoples and South Americans. In Korea, recently, it has attracted attention as a health food material because of nutritional values and physiological activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the industrial applicability of maca (red and golden varieties; R&G) as immunostimulating materials. In the macrophage stimulating assay using RAW 264.7 cells at 125~500 μg/mL of non-cytotoxicity doses, G-HW showed the most potent production of TNF-α, IL-6 and nitric oxide compared to red maca or the other extracts. The general component analysis results showed that all extracts comprised more than 90% neutral sugars with small amounts of uronic acid and protein. Meanwhile, component sugar analysis showed the difference in the content of uronic acids of cold- and hot-water extract. Additionally, the further fractionation of G-HW into crude polysaccharide (G-CP) greatly enhanced the macrophage stimulating activity, and G-CP contained macromolecules over 144 kDa, comprised mainly of glucose and galacturonic acid (51.0 and 34.9%). In conclusion, crude polysaccharide from maca showed industrial applicability as immunostimulating material, and especially golden maca showed higher macrophage stimulating activity than red maca.

This study was conducted to find out the bakery processing suitability of maca and to develop rice-based processed foods. We investigated the antioxidant activity and physicochemical properties of rice cookies prepared with the addition of maca (Lepidium meyenii) powder (1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% of the total materials). We observed an increase in the total polyphenol and flavonoid content, and DPPH-ABTS+ radical scavenging activity of the rice cookies as the proportion of added maca powder increased (p<0.05). The quality characteristics such as the “a” value, “b” value, and the hardness of the cookies increased with an increase in the proportion of maca powder (p<0.05) in the cookie, whereas the moisture content, pH of the dough, spread ratio, loss rate, leavening rate, and “L” values showed a significant decrease (p<0.05). In the sensory evaluation results, consumer acceptability showed a significantly higher value in the 2% maca cookie group (p<0.05), and the characteristic intensity rating (color, flavor, bitterness) increased as the proportion of maca added to the cookie increased (p<0.05). Therefore, this suggests that adding 2% maca powder as the functional ingredient in rice cookies can result in rice bakery products with excellent qualities.

The purpose of this study was to establish the best optimized extraction condition for the optimal development of fresh maca beverage using low temperature extraction and enzyme treatment. Low temperatures were applied to prevent heatrelated nutritional loss during the extraction process. Best extraction conditions were investigated based on the ratio of maca to water, the ratio of enzymes, extraction temperature and time, and agitation. The optimal enzyme conditions were also examined after the treatment of cellulase:pectinase mixture to maintain the original color and flavor, as well as to increase the extraction yield. When cellulase:pectinase was 1:1, the extraction rate ranged from 77.84 to 79.29%. In addition, the best extraction rate was found when maca was mixed with twice volume of water and incubated at 45°C (84.05±0.32%) with 90 rpm (87.13±0.46%) agitation for 3 hours (84.73±0.29%). Furthermore, sensory evaluation showed a high score in flavor, sweetness, and overall acceptability after adding 3% jujube concentrate into a fresh maca beverage.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Maca water and/or ethanol extract on the nitric oxide (NO) production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells HUVAC and on erectile dysfunction in rats. Maca was extracted due to both solutions, which are water and ethanol. Each Maca extract was applied to HUVAC, and NO production was checked. Additionally, three different dosages (250, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg) of Maca ethanol extract was administered to Sprague-Dawley rats for 4 weeks. All rats were sacrificed and each sample was collected for analysis. The control rats received only the saline vehicle. The NO production of HUVAC was significantly increased by domestic and homemade Maca water extracted at 60℃ group. Both NO generation and testosterone release were not influenced due to the oral administration of Maca. In the EtOH group rats, the number of sperm was reduced compared to that of the control group. All Maca groups had a high number of sperm and each sperm count had increased as a result of the Maca extract dose. The results of this research suggest that Maca has a positive effect on male erectile dysfunction, which need to be examined further in future studies.

The objective of this study was to examine the quality characteristics and antioxidant activity of yogurt containing hot water extract from maca. Four different levels (0, 4, 8, 12%) of maca extract were added to milk followed by fermentation with lactic acid bacteria at 37℃ for 12 hrs, and then the physicochemical properties of the samples were investigated. During 7 days of storage at 4±1℃, the acid production (pH and titratable acidity) of the yogurt increased with the addition of maca extract. The Hunter L value (lightness) decreased, while the b value (yellowness) increased as the maca extract level in the yogurt increased. Viable cell counts were not significantly different among the samples. The results of consumer acceptance tests showed that no significant differences in overall acceptability were observed between the yogurts containing 4% and 8% of maca extract and a control yogurt. The yogurt containing maca extract exhibited higher DPPH radical and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities than the control yogurt over the storage period.

Lepidium meyenii, known as Maca, is traditionally employed in the Andean region for its supposed properties to improve energy and fertility. In the present study, we investigated the effects of gelatinized and fermented Maca on improvement of physical stamina and epididymal sperm counts, and on blood biochemical parameters related to fatigue and tissue injury: creatine phosphokinase, aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, blood urea nitrogen, glucose, total cholesterol and total proteins. Adult male mice was divided at random into two main groups (resting and excercise groups). The excercise group was separated into three subgroups (exercise only, exercise with gelatinized Maca and fermented Maca-treatment groups). Gelatinized or fermented Maca (800 mg/kg) were orally administered for 30 days. All animals in exercise groups were subjected to daily 30-min swimming for 28 days 30 min after Maca treatment. Daily exercise decreased the body weight gain, and fermented Maca further attenuated the body weight increase. Gelatinized and fermented Maca significantly increased the maximum swimming time on 14 and 28 days of treatment (p<0.05), respectively, suggestive of a long-term stamina-enhancing effect of fermented Maca. Both Maca fully or significantly recovered blood parameters of energy as well as muscular and hepatocytic injuries changed by repeated exercise and maximum swimming performance (p<0.01). Moreover, gelatinized and fermented Maca increased epididymal sperm counts 22.0% and 32.0%, respectively. In conclusion, the results indicate potential benefits of Maca for improving both physical stamina by minimizing muscular and hepatic damage and preserving energy during swimming exercise and male reproductive function by increasing epididymal sperm counts.

본 연구에서는 마카 열수 추출액을 다양한 수준(0%, 8%, 16%, 24% 및 32%)으로 첨가하여 음료를 제조한 후 품질 특성을 살펴보고 및 에서 4주간 저장하면서 항산화능의 변화를 분석하였다. 마카 음료의 pH는 마카 추출액 첨가군이 대조군보다 낮게 나타났고 는 높게 나타났다. 색도측정 결과 마카 추출액 첨가량이 증가할수록 명도는 감소하였고 적색도는 증가하였다. 소비자 기호도 검사결과 대조군과 비교하여 24% 첨가군까지 전반적인 바람직성에

음료 베이스용 시럽을 개발하기 위하여 마카 추출액을 다양한 수준(0%, 7%, 14%, 21%, 28%)으로 첨가하고 품질 특성 및 항산화활성을 측정하였다. pH는 대조군보다 첨가군이 낮았고 시럽의 당도는 시료간에 유의적인 차이가 없었으며 점도는 마카추출액의 농도가 증가할수록 증가하였다. 명도를 나타내는 L값은 마카 추출액의 첨가비율이 증가할수록 감소하였고 b값은 증가하였다. 기호도 검사 결과 향, 단맛 및 전반적인 기호도면에서 시료간에 유의적인