Fried fish pastes containing different size and amounts of red ginseng powder (RGP) were manufactured, and their physico-chemical and biological properties, including color changes, preservation, weight loss after heating, lipid oxidation, and total colony count were analyzed to improve fish paste quality. Sensory evaluation of fish pastes containing RGP was carried out, and the results showed that 1% and 850 μm sized RGP additives were most preferred. In the color change test, decreased L * (lightness), increased a * (redness), and increased b * (yellowness) values were observed, which was similar to other additive-containing commercial fish pastes. In the physical properties test, hardness and chewiness significantly increased in the 90 μm sized RGP group. Weight loss of fish pastes containing RGP after heating was attenuated compared to commercial fish pastes. Fish paste containing RGP showed an inhibitory effect on lipid oxidation. Especially, the 10 μm sized RGP group showed the most significant inhibitory effect on lipid oxidation and reduced total microbes during storage. Therefore, 1% addition of RGP can give rise to high quality fish pastes through improvement of sensory evaluation and physico-chemical properties. Moreover, functionally and physiologically improved fish pastes can be produced by adding different amounts of RGP.

Ten major residual biogenic amines including toxic histamine and tyramine were investigated in the plant-based minor Korean fermented food. From the analyses of pickled vegetables, fermented vegetable extracts, fermented tea, black garlic and herbal rice wines, more than 100 mg/kg of histamine were found in pickled soy leaf and pickled mulberry leaf, and also over 1,000 mg/kg of total biogenic amines were found in pickled soy leaf. No sample was found over in black garlic, fermented tea, fermented vegetable extracts and herbal rice wine, less than 100 mg/kg of histamine and/or 1,000 mg/kg of total biogenic amines were observed. Interestingly, all the tested rice wines were found to be over 100 mg/kg of agmatine residue.