• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.647-655
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• 2018

Someone said Chongkukjang(淸麴醬) might be a Jang(醬) that made it possible to eat quickly at the time of war, and it is called Jonkukjang(戰國醬), or it might have been learned from the Qing Dynasty, and it was also called Chongkukjang(淸國醬) or Jonsijang(煎?醬). It is not true. Even more they say the first appearance of Chongkukjang in the Korean ancient documents is in "Jeungbosallimgyeongje(增補山林經濟)" of the 1700s. Other argument is that Chongkukjang is also known as the Three Kingdoms since it was in the records of 'Shi(?)' which means Meju and chongkukjang written in "The Chronicles of the Three States(三國史記)". It is not clear whether Chongkukjang was introduced from the Qing Dynasty (1600s) or from the Three kingdom period. In this article, the history of Chongkukjang was studied through the records of ancient documents. There was a Chongkukjang(?) in Goguryeo and Silla era. Chongkukjang was called as Jyonkuk(젼국), Chyonkuk(쳔국), Chyongkuk(?국), and it was written as '?' as the Chinese character. Chongkukjang began to be perceived as Jang such as Doenjang and Gochujang at some time, and it was used as Jonsijang, Jonkukjang, but now it was unified as Chongkukjang(淸國醬). The meaning of '?' also means Chongkukjang until the 1500s, and after 1600, it happened to be it's meaning is changed to Meju and Doenjang. There is no evidence that Chongkukjang has history of war or food related to the Qing Dynasty. Chongkukjang has more than 2200 years of history, but since it was there before it recorded, it had a history of thousands of years earlier than this.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.684-692
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• 2007

This study was performed to investigate the effect of chongkukjang intake on lipid metabolism and liver function in ethanol consumed rats. Twenty one Sprague-Dawley male rats aging 4 weeks old were used as experimental animals, which were divided into three dietary groups; casein diet(CA), soybean diet(SB) and chongkukjang diet(CJ). Alcohol was consumed with water as 25%(v/v) ethanol solution. After 4 weeks of experimental period, rats were sacrificed to get blood and liver samples for analysis of lipids, lipid peroxides, antioxidative enzymes and biochemical indices of liver function. The mean body weight, food intake and liver index were not significantly different among three groups. Serum level of total lipid, triglyceride and total cholesterol of chongkukjang diet group was the lowest among three groups although the difference was not significant. HDL-cholesterol level was significantly(p<0.05) higher in chongkukjang diet group than that of casein diet group. LDL-cholesterol level of chongkukjang and soybean diet group was significantly(p<0.05) lower than that of casein diet group respectively. Liver TBARS of chongkukjang and soybean diet group was significantly(p<0.05) lower than that of casein diet group respectively. The superoxide dismutase activity of chongkukjang diet group was significantly(p<0.05) higher than that of casein diet group. Catalase activity was not significantly different among three groups. As indices of liver function, glutamic oxaloacetic transminase(GOT), glutamic pyruvic transminase(GPT), $\gamma$-glutamyl transpeptidase($\gamma$-GTP) and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) were not significantly different among three groups. Serum alcohol concentration and activities of alcohol dehydrogenase(ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase(ALDH) were not significantly different among three groups. The chongkukjang diet seems to give a beneficial effect for improving lipid metabolism by increasing HDL-cholesterol level and SOD activity while reducing liver TBARS level. However, effect on liver function has to be investigated further.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.813-817
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• 2005

We investigated the effect of a viscous substance from chongkukjang (chongkukjang mucilage) on immunohistochemical reactions in rat gastrointestinal (GI) tracts, Rats fed a steady diet of chongkukjang mucilage showed an increase in the immunoreactive densities of gastrin and serotonin in the pyloric region of their stomachs and duodenal villi, The number of gastrin and serotonin immunoreactive cells was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. Feeding on dietary chongkukjang mucilage increased the immunohistochemical densities of $CD4^+$ and $CD8^+$ lymphocytes in the mucosa and submucosa of the rats' gastroduodenal region. The universal nitric oxide synthase (uNOS)-immunoreactive neurons and nerve fibers were strongly stained in the vascular walls of the submucosa and myenteric plexus in rats fed the test diet. The results indicate that the intake of chongkukjang mucilage could increase mucosal immune activity, gastrointestinal motility, and blood circulation in the GI tract.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.899-905
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• 2003

The effects of cooked soybean and a traditional fermented soy product, chongkukjang, on blood pressure and lipid metabolism were studied in spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). SHRs were divided into 3 groups (n=10, male), and fed casein, powders of cooked soybean, and chongkukjang as dietary protein sources for 6 weeks. Body weight gain was not different among experimental groups, but food efficiency was increased in groups fed cooked soybean and chongkukjang diets compared to control group. Consumption of cooked soybean and chongkukjang for 6 weeks in SHR significantly suppressed blood pressure rise with aging (p<0.05). Feeding of cooked soybean and chongkukjang to SHR decreased plasma triacylglycerols (p<0.05) by 21.6% and 30.2% and LDL-cholesterol by 30.0% and 27.5%, respectively. Addition of cooked soybean and chongkukjang to the diet resulted in reduction of total lipids and triacylglycerols of liver, while consumption of cooked soybean and chongkukjang resulted in the increase of fecal cholesterol and bile acid excretions, respectively (p<0.05). Cooked soybean and chongkukjang diets down-regulated the activity of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase by 56.4% and 94.5%, compared to control, respectively. From the above-mentioned results, it can be concluded that consumption of cooked soybean and chongkukjang might be helpful in preventing cardiovascular disease by suppressing blood pressure rise and hyperlipidemia.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.477-482
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• 1997

To investigate the cytotoxicity of Korean traditional fermented soybean products using the MTT assay, we extracted soybean, Kanjang, Doenjang, Kochujang, and Chongkukjang with water, methanol, and hexane. Primary testing of cytotoxicity of 14 extracts was done for P388D1(mouse lympoid neoplasm) and L1210(mouse leukemia) cell lines. Doenjang methanol extract, Kochujang hexane extract, Chongkukjang methanol extract, and Chongkukjang hexane extract showed cytotoxicity of 86.1, 94.3, 83. 6, and 81.1%, respectively against P388D1, and showed cytotoxicity of 69.4, 96.9, 51.4, and 95.1%, respectively against L1210. All the other extracts showed less than 50% cytotoxicity. Methanol extracts of Doenjang and Chongkukjang showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity against P388DI, L1210, SNU-16 (human stomach cancer), HepG2(human hepatic cancer), WiDr(human colon cancer) cell lines, and IC$_{50}$ of Doenjang methanol extract was 67.7, 90.4, 1338.0, 706.4, and 371.2 $\mu$g/ml, respectively, and IC$_{50}$ of Chongkukjang methanol extract was 107.1, 228.3, 756.2, 1346.0, and 327.0 $\mu$g/ml, respectively.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2006

Bacillus sp. strain K-l, which produces a strong fibrinolytic enzyme, was isolated from chongkukjang, a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste. The fibrinolytic enzyme was purified from chongkukjang base by using ammonium sulfate fractionation and chromatographic techniques. Purified enzyme, CK K-1 was demonstrated to be homogeneous by SDS-PAGE and isoelectric focusing electrophoresis, and has molecular mass of a 12.4 kDa and a pI of 8.0. The optimal reaction pH value and temperature were 8.0 and $40^{\circ}C$, respectively. Phenyl-methyl-sulfonyl-fluoride (PMSF; serine protease inhibitor), ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid (EDTA; metallo protease inhibitor), copper ion, ferric ion and lead ion inhibited the enzyme activity. These results indicated that the fibrinolytic enzyme is a metallo-serine protease and different from nattokinase and chongkukjangkinase.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.188-193
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• 2001

To evaluate antimicrobial activities of chongkukjang slime fermented by different strains, growth characteristics were compared using various standard microorganisms with addition of chongkykjang slime. Chonghkjang slime was prepared by fermenting cooked soybean after inoculating with Bacillus circulans K-1, Baciilus spp N-1 and Bacillus subtilis CH-1, respectively. Significant antimicrobial activity was observed by chongkukjang slime on gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus), gram negative bacteria(Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, Pseudomonas fluorescens), and yeast (Pichia membranaefaciens, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans). In case of B. cereus growth inhibition of 80% was achieved by the addition of chongkukjang slime; on the contrary, to Escherichia coli O157:H7 only 20% inhibition was observed. Slime from Bacillus subtilis CH-1, in particular, inhibition of 40% toward bacteria and yeast, whereas slime from Bacillus circulans K-1, Bacillus spp N-1 showed only 20% inhibition.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.277-277
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• 2005

• Food Industry And Nutrition
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.40-46
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• 1999

• Proceedings of the Korean Nutrition Society Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.151-151
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• 2002