• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.439-447
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• 2008

There is a limitation to estimate vitamin $B_{12}$ intake due to lack of data on vitamin $B_{12}$ content in many Korean foods. In this study, vitamin $B_{12}$ content was determined in some soybean or vegetable-fermented foods, edible seaweeds and other frequently consumed foods in Korea by microbioassay using Lactobacillus delbruecki ATCC 7830. The traditional type of Doenjang and Chungkookjang contained 1.85 ${\mu}g/100$ g and 0.69 ${\mu}g/100$ g of vitamin $B_{12}$, respectively, while the factory-type of Doenjang and Chungkookjang contained 0.04-0.86 ${\mu}g/100$ g and 0.06-0.15 ${\mu}g/100$ g. Vitamin $B_{12}$ was not detected in steamed soybeans and Tofu which is a not-fermented soybean product, indicating that vitamin $B_{12}$ in Doenjang and Chungkookjang might be produced during the fermentation process. The Korean-style soy sauce contained 0.04 ${\mu}g$ vitamin $B_{12}$/100 mL, but vitamin $B_{12}$ was not detected in Japanese-style soy sauce and white miso. Commercial Kimchi, a representative Korean vegetable- fermented food, made of Korean cabbage, Yeolmu, or Mustard leaves contained 0.013-0.03 ${\mu}g$ vitamin $B_{12}$/100 g, while Kimchi without red pepper and fermented fish sauce (White Kimchi) did not. Vitamin $B_{12}$ content was very high in some edible seaweeds such as laver (66.76 ${\mu}g/100$ g dry weight) and sea lettuce (84.74 ${\mu}g/100$ g dry weight), and it was 17.12 ${\mu}g/100$ g of dried small anchovy, 1.07 ${\mu}g/100$ g of whole egg, and 0.02 ${\mu}g/100$ g of coffee mix. From these results, it is assumed that Koreans take substantial amount of vitamin $B_{12}$ from plant-origin foods. And, with these data, we will be able to calculate dietary vitamin $B_{12}$ content more correctly than before. In conclusion, soybean-fermented foods, Kimchi, laver and sea lettuce are recommendable as good sources of vitamin $B_{12}$ for vegetarians or Korean elderly on grain and vegetable based diet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.418-428
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• 2022

Research on the birth (起源) and names (語源) of foods such as kimchi is important to understand traditional food culture. kimchi, an 'add flavored, fermented, pickled, vegetable food' was initially prepared with the simple purpose of increasing storage capabilities, but later, through a complex process of change, morphological diversification occurred. In addition to the basic name of 'kimchi', each variety has its unique name and history. This study was conducted through qualitative research using various research methods, such as oral records and interviews, as well as investigation of data from literature, including ancient literature, modern cookbooks, newspapers, magazines, papers, and videos. The study sought to investigate the context and the meaning of the name Chonggak kimchi. In addition, it is a compilation of how the name spread through the ages and evolved to its current name. The name Chonggak kimchi did not exist during the Joseon Dynasty and Japanese occupation and first appeared in the records in the late 1950s. Nevertheless, the original name of 'Altarimu kimchi' evolved and finally became a part of the standard Korean language (標準語) in 1988. In the process of the name spreading and becoming popular, the movie "Chonggak kimchi (1964)," starring Shin, S.I., and Eom, A.R. played a significant role. It was also confirmed that this was a meaningful and valuable case of contentization of traditional food culture, regardless of the intention behind the same.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2009

As consumption of kimchi has increased, factories have begun to produce this traditional Korean fermented vegetable dish on a large scale. Following the rise in manufacturing, the hygienic conditions under which commercial kimchi is being made have become an issue. We isolated 17 coliform bacteria from commercial kimchi that had not been fully fermented. These bacteria were partially identified as one of seven different species from three genera by 16S rDNA sequence analysis as follows: Enterobacter intermedius, Ent. cloacae, Ent. amnigenus, Klebsiella terrigena, K. ornithinolytica, K. oxytoca, and Hafnia alvei. Lactobacillus paraplantarum KNUC25 has been isolated from over-fermented Chinese cabbage kimchi and its antimicrobial activity reported in the literature. In our study, the KNUC25 strain showed antibacterial activity against isolated coliform bacteria and some pathogenic coliform bacteria through spot-on-the-lawn tests and viable cell tests. Through development and use of a cell-free supernatant of L. paraplantarum KNUC25, we effectively controlled coliform bacteria in commercial kimchi.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2008

Kimchi is a representative traditional food in Korea and a type of vegetable product that is the unique complex lactic acid fermentation in the world. It can be considered as a unique fermented food generated by various flavors, which are not included in raw materials, that can be generated by mixing and fermenting various spices and seasonings, such as red pepper powder, garlic, ginger, and salted fish, added to Chinese cabbages. Functionalities in Kimchi have been approved through several studies and the probiotic function that is mainly based on lactic acid bacteria including their physical functions in its contents has also verified. Studies on the verification of the safety of Kimchi including its physiological functions have been conducted. In particular, the function of lactic acid bacteria, which is a caused of the fermentation of Kimchi. Although the lactic acid bacteria contributed to the fermentation of Kimchi is generated from raw and sub-materials, the lactic acid bacteria attached on Chinese cabbages has a major role in the process in which the fermentation temperature and dominant bacteria are also related to the process. The salt used in a salt pickling process inhibits the growth of the putrefactive and food poisoning bacteria included in the fermentation process of Kimchi and of other bacteria except for such lactic acid bacteria due to the lactic acid and several antimicrobial substances generated in the fermentation process, such as bacteriocin and hydrogen peroxide. In addition, the carbon dioxide gas caused by heterolactic acid bacteria contributes to the inhibition of aerobic bacteria. Furthermore, special ingredients included in sub-materials, such as garlic, ginger, and red pepper powder, contribute to the inhibition of putrefactive and food poisoning bacteria. The induction of the change in the intestinal bacteria as taking Kimchi have already verified. In conclusion, Kimchi has been approved as a safety food due to the fact that the inhibition of food poisoning bacteria occurs in the fermentation process of Kimchi and the extinction of such bacteria.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.219-223
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• 1999

Various bacterial strains that secret extracellular fibrinolytic enzyme were screened from kimchi, a traditional vegetable fermented food in Korea. Three microbes of them were identified to be Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus brevis and Micrococcus luteus strains according to Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology. It was found that B. amyloliquefaciens, B. brevis and M. luteus produced 2.58, 1.48 and 2.03 plasmin unit/mL of fibrinolytic enzyme, respectively. All extracellular proteases showing the fibrinolytic activity were confirmed by SDS-PAGE and fibrin zymography assay and we propose that some of the fibrinolytic enzymes from this work are novel enzymes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.684-692
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• 2016

Acute respiratory virus infectious diseases are a growing health problem, particularly among children and the elderly. Much effort has been made to develop probiotics that prevent influenza virus infections by enhancing innate immunity in the respiratory tract until vaccines are available. Lactobacillus plantarum GB-LP2, isolated from a traditional Korean fermented vegetable, has exhibited preventive effects on influenza virus infection in mice. To identify the molecular basis of this strain, we conducted a whole-genome assembly study. The single circular DNA chromosome of 3,284,304 bp was completely assembled and 3,250 protein-encoding genes were predicted. Evolutionarily accelerated genes related to the phenotypic trait of anti-infective activities for influenza virus were identified. These genes encode three integral membrane proteins, a teichoic acid export ATP-binding protein and a glucosamine - fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase involved in host innate immunity, the nonspecific DNA-binding protein Dps, which protects bacteria from oxidative damage, and the response regulator of the three-component quorum-sensing regulatory system, which is related to the capacity of adhesion to the surface of the respiratory tract and competition with pathogens. This is the first study to identify the genetic backgrounds of the antiviral activity in L. plantarum strains. These findings provide insight into the anti-infective activities of L. plantarum and the development of preventive probiotics.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.428-433
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• 2005

A bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacterium with inhibitory activity against the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum was isolated from kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented vegetable. For the identification of the isolate, its 16S rDNA was sequenced. As a result, the sequence showed $99\%$ homology with those from Lactobacillus paraplantarum, Lb. plantarum, and Lactobacillus pentosus. For further identification of the isolate, the sequence of its 16S/23S rDNA spacer region was determined, and the sequence matched perfectly with that of Lb. paraplantarum. SDS­PAGE fingerprinting of whole-cell proteins of the isolate was almost identical with that of Lb. paraplantarum. The isolation and identification of Lb. paraplantarum suggest that Lb. paraplantarum is one of the lactic acid bacteria involved in kimchi fermentation.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.333-338
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• 2002

This study was targeted to isolate and characterize a bacterium producing lactic acid in a large amount. Lactic acid bacteria of about fifty strains were isolated from kimchi, a Korean traditional fermented vegetable food. Strain KH-1 of them was most effective in the lactic acid production and showed 99% homology with Lactobacillus casei from analysis of 16S rRNA sequencing. The conversion ratio of lactic acid from glucose by 1. casei KH-1 was 98% in anaerobic condition, and the lactic acid was composed as racemic mixture of D(-)-and L(+)-lactic acid, 7% and 93%, respectively. This result indicated that L. casei KH-1 was a homofermentative bacterium mainly producing L(+)-lactic acid. The strain KH-1 used glucose as a preferential substrate but not utilized lactose. In investigation of more inexpensive nitrogen source for cultivation of strain KH-1 using industrial MRS medium, when yeast extract and corn steep liquor were used at the ratio of 1 to 1, the molar yield of lactic acid produced per mole of glucose(Yp/s) was 1.09.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.15-15
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• 2010

Ginseng contained many different kinds of saponin which was the most valuable for people, but its yield cannot satisfy the demand using traditional extract methods. Enzyme transformation is a conformable and highly performed method which was fit for today. A ${\beta}$-glucosidase producing bacterium ($DCY51^T$) was isolated from Korean fermented-vegetable food kimchi. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the strain $DCY51^T$ belongs to the genus Lactobacillus. The highest sequence similarity was found with Lactobacillus paracollinoides LMG $22473^T$ and Lactobacillus collinoides LMG $9194^T$ with levels of 16S rDNA similarity of 97.4% and 97.3%, respectively. Based on the above results the strain $DCY51^T$ placed in the genus Lactobacillus and proposed a new species, Lactobacillus kimchicus sp. nov. $DCY51^T$ (= KCTC $12976^T$ = JCM $15530^T$). It was culture solution reacted with Red Ginseng extract and $Rb_1$, respectively. The medium of bacteria was the liquid of MRS, the temperatures of growing and reacting between bacteria liquid and saponin were samely $37^{\circ}C$, there spective reacting time were 12 hours and 48 hours. Thus we got different saponins, and TLC and HPLC analysis showed that: enzyme respectively reacted with $Rb_1$ and Red Ginseng extract got the transformed saponin, respectively. The polarity position in TLC was a little higher than Rd; and the polarity position was the same as that of Compound K's, the saponin obtained from HPLC and other experimental results was not Compound K. The constitution of its saponin was hoped to be further confirmed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1586-1592
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• 2017

Some promoters were isolated and characterized from the genome of Leuconostoc mesenteroides SY2, an isolate from kimchi, a Korean traditional fermented vegetable. Chromosomal DNA of L. mesenteroides SY2 was digested with Sau3AI and ligated with BamHI-cut pBV5030, a promoter screening vector containing a promoterless cat-86. Among E. coli transformants (TFs) resistant against Cm (chloramphenicol), 17 were able to grow in the presence of $1,000{\mu}g/ml$ Cm and their inserts were sequenced. Transcription start sites were examined for three putative promoters (P04C, P25C, and P33C) by primer extension. Four putative promoters were inserted upstream of a promoterless ${\alpha}$-amylase reporter gene in $pJY15{\alpha}$. ${\alpha}$-Amylase activities of E. coli TFs containing $pJY15{\alpha}$ (control, no promoter), $pJY03{\alpha}$ ($pJY15{\alpha}$ with P03C), $pJY04{\alpha}$ (with P04C), $pJY25{\alpha}$ (with P25C), and $pJY33{\alpha}$ (with P33C) were 66.9, 78.7, 122.1, 70.8, and 99.3 U, respectively. Cells harboring $pJY04{\alpha}$ showed 1.8 times higher activity than the control. Some promoters characterized in this study might be useful for construction of food-grade expression vectors for Leuconostoc sp. and related lactic acid bacteria.