• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.64-70
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• 2012

Bacilli with fibrinolytic activities were isolated from traditionally-prepared Meju and some of these strains showed strong antifungal activities. One isolate, MJ1-4, showed the strongest antifungal activity. MJ1-4 and other isolates were identified as B. amyloliquefaciens strains by recA gene sequencing and RAPD-PCR results. B. amyloliqufaciens MJ1-4 efficiently inhibited an Aspergillus spp.-producing aflatoxin B1 ($AFB_1$) and a Penicillium spp.-producing ochratoxin (OTA) in addition to other fungi. Antifungal activity of B. amyloliquefaciens MJ1-4 culture reached its maximum (40 AU/mg protein) in LB or TSB medium around 48 hr at $37^{\circ}C$. Antifungal activity of the concentrated culture supernatant was not decreased significantly by protease treatments, implying that the antifungal substance might not be a simple peptide or protein. Considering its antifungal and fibrinolytic activities together, B. amyloliquefaciens MJ1-4 can serve as a starter for fermented soyfoods such as Cheonggukjang and Doenjang.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.959-968
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• 2014

The changes in the ${\beta}$-glucosidase activity, total phenolic contents, isoflavone contents, and antioxidant activities during the fermentation of cheonggukjang by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MJ1-4 with and without garlic were investigated. The levels of total phenolic and isoflavone-malonylglycoside, -acetylglycoside, and -aglycone contents increased, whereas the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay results increased, but isoflavone-glycoside levels decreased during cheonggukjang fermentation. The levels of total phenolic and total isoflavone contents and the antioxidant activities were higher in cheonggukjang fermented without garlic (CFWOG) than in cheonggukjang fermented with garlic (CFWG) after 24 h of fermentation, but they were lower in CFWOG than in CFWG after 72 h of fermentation. In particular, the highest levels of total phenolic, daidzein, glycitein, and genistein were present at concentrations of 15.18 mg/g, $264.4{\mu}g/g$, $16.4{\mu}g/g$, and $31.1{\mu}g/g$ after 72 h of fermentation in CFWG, showing 82.89% in DPPH radical scavenging activity, 106.32% in ABTS radical scavenging activity, and 1.47 ($OD_{593nm}$) in FRAP assay, respectively. From these results, we suggest that the high antioxidant activity of CFWG might be related to the markedly higher levels of total phenolic contents, isoflavone-malonylglycosides, -acetylglycosides, and -aglycones achieved during fermentation.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2016

A test meju (meju 1) was prepared by inoculating two strains of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (EMD17, MJ1-4), Pichia farinosa SY80, and Rhizopus oryzae into cooked soybeans. A control (meju 2) was prepared by inoculating Bacillus subtilis KACC16450 and Aspergillus oryzae. Another control (meju 3) was prepared using rice straw as the source of microorganisms. Three different mejus were fermented for 56 days outdoors. Meju 1 and meju 2 showed higher pH values than meju 3, whereas meju 3 showed higher titratable acidity than meju 1 and meju 2. Meju 1 showed the highest fibrinolytic activity. Bacillus cereus was not detected in any mejus, but various microorganisms were detected in meju 2 and 3. Histamine was detected in meju 2 and tyramine in meju 3 at lower concentration, which were not detected in meju 1. It was concluded that microbially safe, fermented soybean products could be produced from meju fermented with starters such as B. amyloliquefaciens EMD17 and B. amyloliquefaciens MJ1-4.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.254-260
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• 2016

Doenjang samples were prepared by inoculation of multiple starters consisting of two Bacillus spp., one yeast, and one fungus. Doenjang A was fermented with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens EMD17, B. amyloliquefaciens MJ1-4, Pichia farinosa SY80, and Rhizopus oryzae. Doenjang B and C were fermented with the same yeast and fungus but different Bacillus strains; namely, B. amyloliquefaciens EMD17 and B. subtilis CH3-5 for doenjang B, and B. amyloliquefaciens MJ1-4 and B. subtilis CH3-5 for doenjang C. Doenjang D was fermented with microorganisms present in rice straw (control). The doenjang samples were spiked with B. cereus ATCC14579 at two different levels, 10⁴ CFU/g doenjang (I) and 10⁷ CFU/g doenjang (II). All eight doenjang samples were fermented for 70 days at 25℃. Growth of B. cereus was inhibited in doenjang A, B, and C, with the bacterial cell count after 70 days being less than the initial 10⁴ CFU/g added, whereas B. cereus was not inhibited in doenjang D. Doenjang B showed the strongest inhibitory activity against B. cereus, with a cell count of less than 10³ CFU/g after 42 days, even when B. cereus was initially added at 10⁷ CFU/g. Some properties of the doenjang samples, such as pH, TA, and amino-type nitrogen content, were similar to those of doenjang fermented with starters only. The results indicate that carefully selected starters can effectively prevent the growth of B. cereus during doenjang fermentation.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.221-226
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• 2016

A new type of doenjang was manufactured by mixing soaked soybean, koji (Rhizopus oryzae), cheonggukjang (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MJ1-4 and B. amyloliquefaciens EMD17), and Pichia farinosa SY80 as a yeast, salt, and water, followed by fermentation with koji that was made by fermenting whole wheat with R. oryzae. The mixed culture doenjang was designed to have a more palatable flavor and stronger biological activities than the conventional product. The extract of mixed culture doenjang showed higher antioxidant activity than the commercial doenjang as evaluated by the ferric reducing antioxidant power assay although it was not significantly different from the commercial product in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical scavenging activities. Further, the mixed culture doenjang reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and protected cells from glutamate-induced cytotoxicity more efficiently in human hippocampal HT22 neuroblastoma cells than the commercial doenjang. In conclusion, a newly-developed mixed culture doenjang had a strong antioxidant activity in vitro and cultured cell model systems, exhibited a potential to prevent oxidative stress-associated disorders although animal and clinical studies are needed to confirm its in vivo efficacy.