Yong-Soon Kim

Biological Activity and Chemical Characteristics of Fermented Silkworm Powder by Mold

Five mold strains - Mucor racemousus, Rhizopus oryzae, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus kawachii, and Monascus purpureus - were used for the fermentation of both freeze-dried and air-dried silkworm powders. The concentrations of proteins and minerals, electrophoretical protein patterns, fatty acid composition and the activities of fibrinolytic and antioxidation with freeze-dried silkworm (FDSW) or air-dried silkworm powders (ADSW) fermented by the five molds were investigated. The concentrations of major minerals in fermented FDSW and ADSW powders were K by 72.0-76.3 and 77.1-78.9 ppm, Mg by 29.6-49.7 and 44.3-58.7 ppm, Ca by 1.9-14.9 and 9.8-21.6 ppm and Zn by 0.64-0.70 and 4.17-4.52 ppm, respectively. Major fatty acids in fermented FDSW and ADSW powders were linolenic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid. There were slightly varietal differences in electrophoretical protein patterns when total protein patterns of fermented FDSW and ADSW powders were analyzed by native-and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). DPPH radical scavenging activity was slightly stronger in fermented ADSW powders than that in fermented FDSW. Fibriolytic activity was only detected in the FDSW fermented by Aspergillus kawachi and Monascus purpureus. These results may provide the basic data to understand the biological activities and chemical characteristics of silkworm fermented by mold, which can be used for the development of functional foods.

Biological Activity and Biochemical Properties of Silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) Powder Fermented with Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus kawachii

Biological activities (-diphenyl--picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, fibrinolytic activity and reducing power) and biochemical properties (protein content and electrophoretical protein patterns) were examined in solid state fermentation with Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus kawachii using silkworm powder (SP) as substrate. The highest protein contents and free radical scavenging activities were seen in the SP fermented for 12 days with B. subtilis and A. kawachii, and these were in a time-dependent manner. The highest reducing power was seen in the SP fermented for 6 days with B. subtilis and for 12 days with A. kawachii, respectively. The highest fibrinolytic activities were seen in silkworm fermented for 6 days with B. subtilis and A. kawachii, but this activity was higher in the A. kawachii fermented SP than that of B. subtilis. When total protein patterns were analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), the proteins of the SP fermented with B. subtilis for 3 days were completely degraded, while the protein degradation in the SP fermented with A. kawachii occurred after 12 days and this degradation increased proportionally to culture time. As a result, the SP fermented with both B. subtilis and A. kawachii showed higher fibrinolytic activities after 6 days of fermentation and antioxidative activity after 12 days, indicating that physiological activities of the fermented SP using these strains were highly improved compared to the unfermented SP, and that this compound could be a candidate material as a dietary supplement of healthy functional foods.

Bioactive and Chemical Properties by Silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) Powder Degradation with Kiwifruit, Papaya, Pineapple and Pear Juice

Three mold strains, Aspergillus oryzae (A. oryzae), Aspergillus kawachii (A. kawachii), and Monascus purpureus (M. purpureus), were tested for fermentation of Acanthopanax senticosus (A. senticosus) leaf, root, stem, and fruit powders. The fermented A. senticosus materials were then tested for bioactive materials (phenolic compounds, flavonoids, mineral and fatty acid) and biological activities (DPPH free radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and tyrosinase inhibition activity). The highest concentrations of phenolic compounds and flavonoids were NFASL at 4.11% and MPASL at 2.30%, respectively. Major minerals were Ca, K, Mg and Mn. Major fatty acids in fermented A. senticosus powders were palmitic, linolenic, and stearic acids. DPPH radical scavenging activity was slightly stronger in non-fermented than in fermented A. senticosus. Tyrosinase inhibition activity was stronger in fermented A. senticosus than in NFAG. The Fe/Cu reducing powers were stronger in non-fermented A. senticosus than in any of the fermented A. senticosus materials. Overall, the study provides basic data for understanding the biological activities and chemical characteristics of A. senticosus fermented by molds for the development of functional foods.