• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2003

To develop a functional chungkookjang; the anticancer effects of chungkookjangs prepared with different varieties of soybeans, starters, fermentation periods and seasoning additive ratios; were studied against AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells using the MTT assay, at different stages chungkookjang processing. The chungkookjang samples exerted different antiproliferative effects according to the variety of soybeans used. The chungkookjangs manufactured with soybean var. manrikong exhibited the highest cytotoxicity against AGS human cancer cells. The chungkookjangs fermented with rice straw and B. licheniformis strongly inhibited the growth of the AGS human cancer cells. All fermented chungkookjangs had a strong inhibitory effect on the growth of the cancer cells; however, the non-fermented soybean (chungkookjang) showed a low inhibition rate. The fermented chungkookjangs mixed with red pepper powder (RPP) and garlic exhibited strong antiproliferative effect against the cancer cells, and chungkookjang prepaved with 1.1 % RPP and 1.1 % garlic showed the highest cytotoxicity against the cancer cells. The functional chungkookjang fermented with soybean variety of manrikong and B. licheniformis for 3 days at 4$0^{\circ}C$ and then mixed with 7.9% salt, 1.l% RPP and 1.1% garlic, exhibited a higher antiproliferative effect than the chungkookjangs prepared by traditional or modified methods, according to the MTT assay. The functional chungkookjang exhibited a similar anticancer effect to the traditional doenjang. These results indicate that the fermentation period and the ratio of seasoning additives, as well as the variety of soybeans and starter cultures may affect the degree of the anticancer effect of chungkookjang.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.529-536
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• 2013

This study was carried out to investigate the characteristics of white soybean Chungkookjang fermented by Bacillus subtilis D7. The highest germination rate was obtained under $25^{\circ}C$ when water was supplied for 4 days at intervals of 2 hr. The total isoflavone content was 971.3 ${\mu}g/g$ before germination and 1023.8 ${\mu}g/g$ after germination. The amino type- and ammonia type-nitrogen contents of Chungkookjang were proportional to the fermentation time. The pH values of all Chungkookjang soybeans increased up to pH 7.8-8.0 during fermentation. The number of viable cells in all Chungkookjang soybeans increased significantly up to 24 hr. The protease activity of all Chungkookjang soybeans increased up to 30-36 hr. The ${\alpha}$- and ${\beta}$-amylase activities of Chungkookjang fermented by B. subtilis D7 were enhanced with increasing fermentation time. Analysis of the effect of Chungkookjang intake on the liver function of mouse showed that the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the Chungkookjang diet group were markedly higher than those in the control group. The asparatate aminotransferase (AST) activity in the germinated soybean Chungkookjang diet group was higher than that in the nongerminated soybean Chungkookjang diet group. Therefore, Chungkookjang soybeans fermented with B. subtilis D7 can be expected to have an increased content of functional components and improved quality characteristics.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.160-167
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• 2013

In order to investigate changes in quality and enzyme activity during Chungkookjang fermentation, germinated- and nongerminated yellow soybeans were fermented by Bacillus subtilis and traditional methods. When the soybean was soaked for 6 h and then watered for 4 days with 2 h-interval at $25^{\circ}C$, the highest germination rate was obtained. The germinated soybeans had a higher total isoflavone ($988.4{\mu}g/g$) than that of the nongerminated soybeans ($859.5{\mu}g/g$). Amino type nitrogen contents, protease and amylase activities were higher in germinated soybean Chungkookjang, which was fermented with B. subtilis, than nongerminated soybean Chungkookjang, which was fermented with B. subtilis and traditional methods. Reducing sugar and amino type nitrogen contents, the number of viable cells and protease and amylase activities, were higher for Chungkookjang fermented with B. subtilis, than Chungkookjang fermented by traditional methods. ALP and SOD activities in the Chungkookjang diet group were considerably higher than in the control group. AST activity in the germinated soybean Chungkookjang diet group was higher than in the nongerminated soybean Chungkookjang diet group. In conclusion, it is suggested that Chungkookjang prepared with germinated soybeans using B. subtilis D7 could be practically used as a functional product.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.355-358
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• 2004

Chunkookjang, Korean traditional fermented soybean food emerges as a functional food to improve intestinal function and blood circulation. During Chungkookjang fermentation, microorganisms, enzymes, and diverse bioactive compounds increase sharply. Chungkookjang contains diverse oligo-peptides. Formation of peptides was confirmed by SDS-PAGE. Solube fermented soybean in our sample contained Tyr, Gln-Lys, Trp, Gln, and Lys-Pro as major components. Lys-Pro (0.083 mg/100 g sample) was purified by HPLC analysis. Angiotensin I­converting enzyme (ACE) causes hypertension by converting angiotensin I to angiotension II. ACE inhibitory activity of Lys-Pro was determined to be $IC_{50}=32.1\;{\mu}M.$ Whether or not eating Chungkookjang can lower blood pressure was also determined. Sistolic blood pressure dropped by 15 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure by 8 mmHg 2 hr after a single administration of 20 g of fermented soybean. Chungkookjang might be helpful in improving blood circulation since it has ACE inhibitor and antihypertenisve effect.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1102-1109
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• 2014

Chungkookjang has several functional properties, such as fibrinolytic activity, anticancer effects, and antioxidant effects. However, children do not like Chungkookjang because of its foul odor. A mixed culture of Bacillus subtilis MC31 and Lactobacillus sakei 383 was used to improve the production of GABA in Chungkookjang and its flavor. Most of the foul odor of Chungkookjang was removed. The slime content and viscosity of Chungkookjang fermented in the mixed culture were similar to those of commercial Chungkookjang when B. subtilis MC31 and Lactobacillus sakei 383 were inoculated in a 1:1 ratio. The maximum GABA content was obtained when Chungkookjang was fermented with B. subtilis MC31 and L. sakei 383, which was fermented at $37^{\circ}C$ for 72 hr. During the period of fermentation, the viable cell number of B. subtilis MC31 reached a peak (log 9.13 CFU/g) at six days, and L. sakei 383 reached a peak (log 6.78 CFU/g) at two days. The moisture, crude ash, crude protein, crude fat, and crude fiber contents were 61.71%, 2.05%, 17.54%, 8.36%, and 1.95%, respectively. The amino-type nitrogen content of Chungkookjang fermented by B. subtilis MC31 and L. sakei 383 was less than Chungkookjang fermented by B. subtilis MC31 alone. The ammonia-type nitrogen and reducing sugar content of the Chungkookjang fermented by B. subtilis MC31 and L. sakei 383 were higher than that of steamed soybean. The glutamic acid and GABA content detected with an amino acid analyzer were 1.40 mg/g and 0.47 mg/g, respectively. These results suggest that fermentation with B. subtilis MC31 and L. sakei 383 in a 1:1 ratio removes more of the foul odor and increases the GABA content compared with single fermentation.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 2004

Barley, wormwood, sea tangle, and soybean were fermented by Bacillus licheniformis B 1 to make Chungkookjang with better flavor and aroma. Maximal protease activity in mixed grains was observed one day after inoculation. pH increased to 8.4 two days after inoculation. Browning material derived from interaction between sugar and amino acids increased 20-fold. Thus, it is proved that Chungkookjang can be made in the mixed grains. Antioxidant activities of mixed fermented grains dissolved in ethanol or methanol (0.2 and 1 %) increased depending on their concentrations. Antioxidant activities were determined using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). One % of powder Chungkookjang dissolved in methanol showed highest antioxidant activity. Systolic blood pressure of hypertensive volunteers who took 20 g of mixed fermented powder decreased on average by 10 mmHg in 2 h. Preference of mixed fermented soybean containing barley, wormwood, sea tangle to fermented soybean was demonstrated by t-test analysis. Mixed fermented grains can be developed as a functional food to lower hypertension.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.560-568
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• 2013

Chungkookjang was fermented by B. subtilis MC31, a ${\gamma}$-amino butyric acid (GABA) producing microorganism. The characteristics of Chungkookjang were investigated while fermenting. Twenty four amino acids were detected in Chungkookjang, leucine was the highest of them all. Total cell populations of B. subtilis MC31 phase were between log $9.52{\pm}0.5$ ~ log $9.049{\pm}0.5$ CFU/g at stationary phase. Contents of moisture, crude ash, crude protein, crude lipid and crude fiber are $61.07{\pm}0.01%$, $1.52{\pm}0.01%$, $17.66{\pm}0.04%$, $8.96{\pm}0.03%$ and 2.61%, respectively. Contents of ammonia type nitrogen, amino type nitrogen and reducing sugar were increased during fermentation at $40^{\circ}C$ for 72 hr, however those of titratable acidity and total sugar were decreased. pH was slowly alkalized during fermentation. Viscous substance and protease contents in Chungkookjang were $4.7{\pm}0.05%$ and $0.519{\pm}7.36$ g/l, apiece. When the fibrin plate and Robbin method for fibrinolytic activity were applied, B. subtilis MC31 showed high activity. These results suggested that B. subtilis MC31 is suitable to be used as a starter to enhance the quality of Chungkookjang.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.855-862
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• 2013

Although antioxidant activities of Korean traditional fermented foods were reported by many researchers, study on antioxidant activity of microorganism originated from Korean traditional fermented foods was little. Therefore, we improved condition for antioxidant production by a bacterium isolated from home-made Chungkookjang. We selected a bacterial strain, which showed the highest antioxidative activity, from Chungkookjang and then named GJ. The selected GJ strain was identified as Bacillus methylotrophicus by alignment data of 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences. Improved medium compositions for DPPH radical scavenging activity were 0.25% sucrose, 1% peptone, 0.01% $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$ and initial pH 6.5, respectively. Optimal culture conditions were $30^{\circ}C$, 200 rpm and 4% inoculum volume, respectively. In improved conditions, DPPH radical scavenging activity of GJ reached to 91% in a short time. The strain GJ also possessed ACE inhibition and other antioxidative activities; ACE inhibition activity (49.4%), ABTS radical scavenging activity (99.8%), metal chelating activity (67.9%), SOD-like activity (36.5%) and reducing power ($A_{700}$ = 5.982) were observed, respectively. Therefore, our results suggest that B. methylotrophicus GJ strain may be potential candidate for functional foods, cosmetic products for anti-aging and medicine for diseases caused by oxidative stress.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.171-178
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• 2017

This study evaluated the protective effect of Chungkookjang (CKJ) extract, a Korean traditional fermented soybean product made from Bacillus species in rice straw and boiled soybean, and one of its main flavonoids, genistein, against Trp-P-1 induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage in HepG2 cells. CKJ and genistein exhibited protective effect against Trp-P-1 induced cytotoxicity and Trp-P-1 induced DNA single strand breaks. CKJ and genistein inhibited Trp-P-1 induced CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 transcription in HepG2 cells. Our results indicated that CKJ and genistein have the protective effect against Trp-P-1 induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage. Via inhibiting expression of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2. CKJ can be used as a promising functional food material that prevents the genotoxicity induced by carcinogens produced by the heat treatment of foods such as heterocyclic amines (HCAs) that cause genomic instability.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.376-383
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• 2008

Chungkookjang (CKJ) is a fermented soybean product and one of favorite traditional foods in Korea. In this study, the alcoholic extract from Korean fermented soybean (CKJ) and its one of major flavonoids, genistein were evaluated for their protective effect against B(a)P induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage in HepG2 cells. CKJ extract and genistein decreased B(a)P-induced cell cytotoxicity. CKJ extract inhibited DNA single strand breaks evaluated by single cell gel electrophoresis. From RT-PCR study, it was revealed that CKJ extract decrease DNA damage induced in HepG2 cells expressing CYP1A1 and 1A2 by B(a)P. The metabolizing activities of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2, as measured by the 7-alkoxy resorufin O-deethylation (AROD) assay, showed that CKJ extract and genistein inhibited CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 activities. Genistein may contribute to these biological effects of CKJ extract at least in part. All these results indicate that CKJ extract and genistein may be useful for protection against B(a)P-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage. Therefore, the alcoholic extract of Korean fermented soybean (CKJ) is suggested to be promising functional food which can prevent the cellular genotoxicity of dietary and lifestyle related carcinogens.