This study examined the quality characteristics of ‘Ganjang’
prepared with ‘Meju’ containing roasted rice additives (0%,
10%, 30%, 50%) for improving the flavor of traditional
‘Ganjang’. The differences between the flavor-enhanced
‘Ganjang’ and their traditional counterparts were also analyzed.
The total nitrogen and amino acid nitrogen contents of the
‘Ganjang’ prepared using ‘Meju’ containing roasted
rice additives decreased with increasing amount of roasted rice additives.
Reducing sugar content was the highest in ‘Ganjang’ in which
30% roasted rice was added to ‘Meju’ Analysis of the free
amino acids in ‘Ganjang’ showed that contents of the amino acids
with a bitter tastes during ‘Ganjang’ production decreased upon
the addition of roasted rice; among the amino acids with a sweet taste,
threonine content was high, and the glutamic acid content with a savory taste
was similar. Additionally, E-nose and E-tongue analyses showed that there were
differences between ‘Ganjang’ prepared using ‘Meju’
with roasted rice additives and the existing ‘Ganjang’. E-nose
analysis suggested that such differences originated due to the fruity odors of
ethyl acetate and tert-butyl acetate and the roasting odor of
pyrazine in ‘Ganjang’ with roasted rice additives. E-tongue
analysis exhibited high SWS sensor values, which responds to sweetness.
Therefore, this study confirmed the use of roasted rice for taste improvement,
which increased the sweet tastes and, fruity and roasting odors during the
production of traditional ‘Ganjang’.
Since the global shock caused by COVID-19, interest in immune-enhancing materials is rapidly increasing, therefore, the development of novel materials is necessary from the industrial and health perspectives. In this study, we selected Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner Seed Extract (NSE) and evaluated immune enhancement effect by using RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. NSE significantly up-regulated production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species without affecting cell viability in RAW 264.7 cells. Additionally, NSE exhibited an increase of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in RAW 264.7 cells. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results showed that NSE-treatment significantly enhanced production of interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, we observed that NSE significantly up-regulated phosphorylation of p65, I kappa B kinase α/β, and I kappa B (IκB) α as well as down-regulation of IκB α expression in RAW 264.7 cells. Our findings indicate that NSE could be the potential health-functional food material with capacity of improving immunity via Nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the immuneenhancing health functional food market that protects our bodies from pathogens such as viruses continues to grow. In this study, we aimed to prove the Cheonggukjang, a high-nutrient food with high protein, fat, and dietary fiber content, as an immuneenhancing nutraceutical. Cheonggukjang water extract (CWE) increased the production of nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species, and cytokines such interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α without affecting viability in RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, CWE significantly upregulated the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in RAW 264.7 cells. CWE enhanced the phosphorylation of I kappa B kinase α/β and I kappa B (IκB)α, as well as the degradation of IκBα. CWE also induced increased phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappa B p65 and facilitated the redistribution of p65 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in RAW 264.7 cells. These findings suggest that CWE has potential as a health functional food material that can enhance the innate immune response.
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