• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.169-174
• /
• 2015

Nuruk has been used as fermentation starter in the alcohol industry for some time in Korea. Various bioactivities, such as antiproliferative and anti-obesity, of R4 nuruk made from Rhizopus oryzae KSD-815 have been previously reported. In this study, the hot water and ethanol extract of R4 nuruk and their subsequent organic solvent fractions were prepared, and their antithrombosis activities were evaluated. The ethylacetate fraction showed strong anti-coagulation activity, and the ethylacetate and butanol fraction from hot water extract demonstrated platelet aggregation inhibitory activity, without hemolysis against human RBC. Our results suggest that R4 nuruk has the potential to act as a new anti-thrombosis agent.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.573-580
• /
• 2014

The enzymatic activity of Nuruk and the quality properties of Yakju were investigated according to different fungi. The fungi that were used in this study were Aspergillus kawachii KCCM 32819, Aspergillus niger KCCM 32005, Rhizopus japonicus KCCM 11604, Rhizopus oryzae KCCM 11272, Rhizopus oryzae KCCM 11273, Rhizopus oryzae KCCM 11276, and Mucor rouxii KCCM 60148. The study results are as follows. The saccharogenic power of Rhizopus oryzae KCCM 11272 Nuruk was the highest (3,647.72 SP/g) among all the samples. The ${\alpha}$-amylase production and protease activities were highest (3.76 DU and 4.7 tyrosine mg/min, respectively) in the Rhizopus japonicus KCCM 11604 Nuruk. The pH levels of the Yakju made with commercial Nuruk and Rhizopus japonicus KCCM 11604 Nuruk were 4.14 and 4.07, respectively. The total titratable acid content of the Yakju made with Rhizopus oryzae KCCM 11273 Nuruk was the highest (0.56%) among all the samples. Rhizopus japonicus KCCM 11604 and Rhizopus oryzae KCCM 11272 had the highest ethanol yields (15.18% and 15.10%, respectively). In the sensory evaluation carried out in this study, the panel preferred the Yakju made with Rhizopus japonicus KCCM 11604 Nuruk. Overall, however, the panel did not like the Yakju made with Aspergillus niger KCCM 32005 Nuruk.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.20 no.9
• /
• pp.1322-1330
• /
• 2010

Three types of nuruk were made from rice, wheat, and a rice-glasswort (6:4) mixture. Nuruk, makgeolli, and vinegar were manufactured with rice nuruk (RN), wheat nuruk (WN), and rice-glasswort nuruk (RGN). The variable region of 18S or 16S rDNA amplified with genomic DNA extracted directly from nuruk-, makgeolli-, and vinegar-making cultures was analyzed via temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE). The sequence of the 18S rDNA variable region extracted from the TGGE gel for nuruk was 99% homologous with Aspergillus sp. and that for the makgeolli-making culture was 99% homologous with Saccharomyces sp. and Saccharomycodes sp. The sequence of the 16S rDNA variable region extracted from TGGE gel for the vinegar-making culture was 98% homologous, primarily with the Acetobacter sp. The eukaryotic and prokaryotic diversities in the nuruk-, makgeolli-, and vinegar-making cultures was not significantly altered by the addition of glasswort. Prokaryotic diversity was higher than eukaryotic diversity in the nuruk, but eukaryotic diversity was higher than prokaryotic diversity in the makgeolli-making culture, on the basis of the TGGE patterns. No 18S rDNA was amplified from the DNA extracted from the vinegar-making culture. The diversity of the microbial community in the process from nuruk to vinegar was slightly affected by the type of raw material utilized for nuruk-making. The saccharifying activity and ethanol productivity of nuruk, polyphenol content in makgeolli, and acetic acid and polyphenol content in the vinegar were increased as a result of the addition of glasswort. In conclusion, the glasswort may be not simply an activator for the growth of microorganisms during the fermentation of nuruk, makgeolli, or vinegar, but also a nutritional supplement that improves the quality of vinegar.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.223-230
• /
• 2016

We investigated the fermentation characteristics of yakju made with nuruk extracts. Alcoholic fermentation was performed in an incubator set at $25^{\circ}C$ for 14 days. The study results are as follows: the alcohol content of yakju made with modified nuruk (18.67%) was higher than that made with other nuruk extracts (14.80-17.50%). The pH value of this modified nuruk (4.13) was higher than that of traditional nuruk (3.70-4.00). The yakju containing modified nuruk showed the highest acidity (3.64 mL/10 mL), amino acidity (4.72 mL/10 mL), soluble solid ($1.20^{\circ}Bx$), and color difference (39.78). The concentration of organic acids in traditional nuruks was 212.25-312.97 mg/100 mL, whereas that in modified nuruk was 295.92 mg/100 mL. Nitrogen compound concentrations in modified nuruk (2285.89 mg/L) were 2-14 times higher than that in traditional nuruk. Nitrogen compound concentration and amino acidity are the physiochemical characteristics with the highest impact on off-flavor and browning of yakju. In order to reduce these unfavorable characteristics, material with a lower protein content should be used.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.191-200
• /
• 2014

Nuruk samples collected from various regions in Korea were investigated in terms of fungal contents and diversity. In measurement of colony forming unit (CFU) in Nuruk suspensions on DRBC agar, Nuruk samples MS4, MS8, and MS10 were among the highest fungal density, with $1,278.9{\pm}21.6$ (${\times}10^4$), $1,868.0{\pm}27.7$ (${\times}10^4$), and $775.1{\pm}19.2$ (${\times}10^4$) were among the samples showing the highest fungal density. CFU per 20 mg Nuruk, respectively. The majority of fungal components were yeasts, including Pichia anomala, P. kudriavzevii, Kluyveromyces marxianus, and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, whereas Aspergillus oryzae and Rhizopus oryzae, the representative Nuruk fungi, were predominant only in the low fungal density Nuruks (MS2, MS5, and MS11). Saccharification capability of the fungal isolates was assessed by measurement of amylase activity in the culture broth. The highest amylase activity was found in A. niger and A. luchuensis, followed by S. fibuligera. A. oryzae and R. oryzae showed fair amylase activity but significantly lower than those of the three fungal species. R. oryzae was suggested to play an additional role in degradation of ${\beta}$-glucan in crop component of Nuruk since R. oryzae was the only fungus that showed ${\beta}$-glucanase activity among the fungal isolates. To confirm the safety of Nuruk, aflatoxigenicity of the isolated Aspergillus was estimated using the DNA markers norB-cypA, aflR, and omtA. All of the isolates turned out to be non-aflatoxigenic as evidenced by the deletion of gene markers, norB-cypA and aflR, and the absence of aflatoxin in the culture supernatants shown by TLC analysis.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.376-382
• /
• 2016

The amylolytic enzyme activities of nuruks collected or produced in this study were examined. A maximum α-amylase activity of 24,747.1 ± 777.7 units/mg protein was obtained for a nuruk incubated at a relative humidity of 40% at 30℃. A nuruk matured at a relative humidity of 50% at 25℃ showed the highest glucoamylase acitivity. Among the 98 fungal strains isolated from the nuruk exhibiting the highest amylolytic enzyme activities, 26 strains of Aspergillus oryzae and 18 strains of Rhizopus oryzae were identified. Rhizopus oryzae MBF345 showed an α-amylase activity of 36,724.9 ± 10.2 units/mg protein and a glucoamylase activity of 4,911.8 ± 48.1 SP. These values were 1.7-fold and 1.4-fold greater, respectively, than those of the control strain. Strain MBF345 was deposited as KCTC46312 in the Korean Culture Type Collection.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.40-46
• /
• 2013

A variety of nuruk were collected from various provinces in Korea, and their microflora profiles were analyzed at the species level. A total of 42 nuruk samples were collected and when the viable cell numbers in these nuruk were enumerated, the average cell numbers of bacteria, fungi, yeast, and lactic acid bacteria from all nuruk were 7.21, 7.91, 3.49, and 4.88 log CFU/10 g, respectively. There were no significant differences in viable cell numbers of bacteria or fungi according to regions collected. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and B. subtilis were the predominant bacterial strains in most samples. A significant portion, 13 out of 42 nuruk, contained foodborne pathogens such as B. cereus or Cronobacter sakazakii. There were various species of lactic acid bacteria such as Enterococcus faecium and Pediococcus pentosaceus in nuruk. It was unexpectedly found that only 13 among the 42 nuruk samples contained Aspergillus oryzae, the representative saccharifying fungi in makgeolli, whereas a fungi Lichtheimia corymbifera was widely distributed in nuruk. It was also found that Pichia jadinii was the predominant yeast strain in most nuruk, but the representative alcohol fermentation strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was isolated from only 18 out of the 42 nuruk. These results suggested that a variety of species of fungi and yeast were distributed in nuruk and involved in the fermentation of makgeolli. In this study, a total of 64 bacterial species, 39 fugal species, and 15 yeast species were identified from nuruk. Among these strains, 37 bacterial species, 20 fungal species, and 8 yeast species were distributed less than 0.1%.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.577-583
• /
• 2014

In this study, we evaluated fermentation characteristics of microorganism with antimicrobial activity in makgeolli made from various kinds of koji and nuruk during fermentation. The pH of nuruk groups decreased compared to the koji groups after 3 days of fermentation. Acidity and alcohol contents of nuruk groups significantly increased compared to the koji groups. The total sugar contents of the koji groups were significantly higher than those of the nuruk groups after 15 days of fermentation. Sensory scores of koji groups (DKB) were higher than those of other samples. Antimicrobial activities of nuruk group (GND and ANF) against Salmonella enterica, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus cereus were significantly higher compared to the koji group. ST-1, isolated from (Geumjeonggu nuruk D), showed the highest antimicrobial activity and was identified as Paenibacillus polymyxa strain RCP6 based on 16S rRNA sequencing. Our result suggest that Paenibacillus polymyxa from nuruk group produces a bacteriocin-like substrate with antimicrobial activity.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.348-363
• /
• 2017

We analyzed the mixed culture characteristics of isolated brewing fungi obtained from Korean traditional nuruk for their development as fermentation starters. In a previous study, we selected appropriate fungi strains based on their large fungi bodies and strong enzyme activities. These fungi strains were mixed cultured under various combination of ratios, pHs and temperatures. As a result, total acidities of R. delemar mixed culture media were higher than those of A. oryzae cultured at $20^{\circ}C$ and $37^{\circ}C$. The pHs of A. luchuensis 34-1 and A. oryzae 37-7 as well as R. delemar 58-8 and A. oryzae 37-7 mixed culture media gradually increased with the culture period. On the contrary, total acidities of the mixed culture media gradually decreased. ${\alpha}-Amylase$ activities of R. delemar 26-4 and R. oryzae 82-7 mixed culture media were strong at $20^{\circ}C$ and pH 4, glucoamylase activities of R. delemar 58-8 and A. oryzae 37-7 were strong at $37^{\circ}C$, pH 3 and 1:2 ratio, and acidic protease activities of R. delemar 26-4 and A. oryzae 78-5 were strong at $20^{\circ}C$, pH 4 and 1:4 ratio. This study provides the optimal mixed culture conditions for fermentation starters based on changes in pH and total acidity, favorable enzyme activities, and fungi varieties.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.26 no.4 s.87
• /
• pp.478-486
• /
• 1998

The isolates of Rhizopus collected from Korean traditional fermented food meju and nuruk, were compared with the well known species of Rhizopus donated. The isolates of Rhizopus were identified with the numerical analyses calculated from RAPD-DNA bands, and confirmed with the microscopic observations of morphological features on PDA. The isolates of R. oryzae purchased were segregated through the results of RAPD or the morphological features. The species of R. nigricans, known as an illegitimate species, were different from those of R. stolonife and it is estimated that they are species of Rhizopus, again. According to microscopic observations and the result of RAPD, Some isolates of R. oryzae purchased belong to R. nigricans and are completely different from R. oryzae in their growth. The isolates of R. nigricans included with several isolates of R. oryzae identified for the different phenotypes and were heterogenous. The isolate of R. oligosporus were speculated to be different from morphological features of Rhizopus, but to be similar to the species of Absidia on the apophysis of sporangium. Its sporangiophore or mycelium was observed to be dark black, but the sporangia were not in those of R. oligosporus. The isolates collected from Korean traditional nuruk showed genetic diversity, and also considered to be different tastes in Korean rice wines.