Adenophora triphylla is commonly used in food materials and oriental medicine as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antitussive. In the present study, the leaves and roots of A. triphylla were extracted with water and ethanol, respectively, to examine the extracts' in vitro antioxidant activities and total phenolic contents, as well as A. triphylla's potential as a new functional food source and safe and inexpensive supply of antioxidants. Different antioxidant tests were employed and the results were compared with ascorbic acid as a standard antioxidant. The total extractable contents of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, which relate to antioxidant activity in medicinal plants, were also measured. The leaf extracts had notable levels of total phenolics and flavonoids and showed high radical and nitrite scavenging activities as well as inhibition activity against enzymes that induce oxidation. These results suggest that A. triphylla leaves are a potential ingredient for food supplements and a natural source of antioxidants.

This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the hot-water and methanol extracts of raw and black Doraji to increase its utilization. In order to prepare the black Doraji, it was steamed for 15 days at a temperature of 60℃ and then it was dried at a temperature of 30℃ for 3 hr. The methanol extract from the black Doraji (BM) contained the highest levels of total polyphenols among the extracts, and the total polyphenol content of the extract from a black Doraji was higher than that of the extract from a raw Doraji. The total flavonoid contents of the hot-water extract from a black Doraji (BW) was the highest (7.94 mgQE/g) among the samples. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities increased according to the increase in the concentrations of the Doraji extracts. The BM has the highest radical scavenging activity among the extracts. Each extract showed a slight difference in the antibacterial activity according to the tested strains. The Black Doraji showed a higher antimicrobial activity compared to the raw Doraji. The hot-water extracts demonstrated higher activities than the methanol extracts, and the BW revealed the strongest activity. In this study, the black Doraji showed more effect of the antioxidant and anti-microbial activities than the raw Doraji. These results will provide fundamental data for improving the sitological value and the black Doraji can be used as a valuable resource for the development of nutraceutical foods.

The physicochemical properties and nutritional components of fermented black jujube (FBJ) were compared with those of dried jujube (DJ) to improve their utilization as food materials. The moisture contents and brix of the DJ and FBJ were 22.6% and 6.07 brix, and 10.36% and 7.23 brix, respectively. Their L values were 34.78 and 31.82, and the a and b values of DJ were higher than those of FBJ. DJ had a lower water activity level (0.75) than FBJ (0.45), but FBJ had a higher amount of reducing sugar and soluble protein than DJ. The major free sugars in the two types of jujube were fructose and glucose, and their potassium content was highest (about 90%) among minerals. Their unsaturated fatty acid contents were 51.0% and 59.83%, respectively, and the major fatty acids myristoleic acid, palmitic acid, and palmitoleic aid were detected in them.

This study was conducted to investigate the physicochemical properties of raw and blanched Haetsun vegetables.The proximate composition, reducing sugar, free amino acid, organic acid, vitamin C and mineral composition were compared between raw and blanched Haetsun vegetables. After blanching treatment, the moisture content of Haetsun vegetables was increased, but the crude ash, crude fat, crude fiber, and crude protein content decreased in all samples. C. sinensis contained the highest level of reducing sugar with 1,518.16 mg% among all samples, and the content of the reducing sugar was decreased after blanching in all samples. Raw and blanched Haetsun vegetables contained all essential amino acids except tryptophan. The vitamin C content of blanched samples was reduced 29～88% compared with raw samples. All Haetsun vegetables contained high levels of potassium and calcium regardless of blanching. From these results, even though this study confirmed that Haetsun vegetables were rich in vitamin C and minerals, their high amount of nutrient was reduced by blanching.Therefore, blanching conditions which can keep food value of Haetsun vegetables must be established, because most of the nutrient composition of Haetsun vegetables decreases by blanching.

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