Fermented grain products, production, properties and benefits to health

Fermented foods such as Japanese traditional food “miso (fermented soy bean paste)” have been shown to be rich source of micronutrients with the potential to prevent various human diseases. We have introduced effects of a new dietary supplement of fermented grain foods mixture containing extracts from wheat germ, soybeans, rice bran, tear grass, sesame, wheat, citrus lemon, green tea, green leaf extract and malted rice under the trade name of antioxidant biofactor (AOB). Chemical analysis of AOB shows the presence of various phenolic compounds (catechins, rutin, genistin, daidzin, etc.). AOB has strong antioxidant properties and additional biological effects, which might be of importance in context with the prevention of degenerative diseases. This paper focuses on the effect of supplementing AOB in various animal models and humans.     

Development of a lyophilized soybean paste certified reference material for the analysis of ochratoxin A

A certified reference material (CRM) [²KRISS CRM # 108-10-018] for the analysis of ochratoxin A (OTA) in doenjang (fermented soybean paste and popular food in Korea) was produced to ensure the reliability of analytical results in testing laboratories. A home-made doenjang was chosen as a raw material after testing its OTA level. The raw material was freeze-dried, pulverized, sieved and homogenized. An isotope-dilution-liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric method (ID-LC/MS/MS) which was previously developed and validated in this laboratory was used as a higher-order reference method for characterization, homogeneity studies, and short-term stability studies. The CRM had good between-bottle homogeneity with 0.56% relative standard deviation among 10 selected units. The stability of the CRM at −70 °C (the storage condition in our laboratory) and at −20 °C (the possible storage temperature at user sites) were tested for up to 8 months. No change in the OTA content was observed within the measurement uncertainty. The stability of the CRM at room temperature (for regular use and transportation) was also tested and confirmed. The certified value was (49.50 ± 1.17) μg/kg, where the expanded uncertainty was in the confidence level of 95%.     

Inhibitory Effects of Fermented Brown Rice on Induction of Acute Colitis by Dextran Sulfate Sodium in Rats

Although the pathogenic mechanisms of inflammatory bowel diseases are not fully understood, colonic microbiota may affect the induction of colonic inflammation, and some probiotics and prebiotics have been reported to suppress colitis. The inhibitory effects of brown rice fermented by Aspergillus oryzae (FBRA), a fiber-rich food, on the induction of acute colitis by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) were examined. Feeding a 5% and 10% FBRA-containing diet significantly decreased the ulcer and erosion area in the rat colon stained with Alcian blue. In another experiment, 10% FBRA feeding decreased the ulcer index (percentage of the total length of ulcers in the full length of the colon) and colitis score, which were determined by macroscopic observation. It also decreased myeloperoxidase activity in the colonic mucosa. Viable cell numbers of Lactobacillus in the feces decreased after DSS administration and was reversely correlated with severity of colitis, while the cell number of Enterobacteriaceae increased after DSS treatment and was positively correlated with colitis severity. These results indicate that FBRA has a suppressive effect on the induction of colitis by DSS and suggest FBRA-mediated modification of colonic microbiota.     

Comparison of the Virome of Quarantined Sugarcane Varieties and the Virome of Grasses Growing near the Quarantine Station

Visacane is a sugarcane quarantine station located in the South of France, far away from sugarcane growing areas. Visacane imports up to 100 sugarcane varieties per year, using safe control and confinement measures of plants and their wastes to prevent any risk of pathogen spread outside of the facilities. Viruses hosted by the imported material are either known or unknown to cause disease in cultivated sugarcane. Poaceae viruses occurring in plants surrounding the quarantine glasshouse are currently unknown. These viruses could be considered as a source of new sugarcane infections and potentially cause new sugarcane diseases in cases of confinement barrier failure. The aim of this study was to compare the plant virome inside and outside of the quarantine station to identify potential confinement failures and risks of cross infections. Leaves from quarantined sugarcane varieties and from wild Poaceae growing near the quarantine were collected and processed by a metagenomics approach based on virion-associated nucleic acids extraction and library preparation for Illumina sequencing. While viruses belonging to the same virus genus or family were identified in the sugarcane quarantine and its surroundings, no virus species was detected in both environments. Based on the data obtained in this study, no virus movement between quarantined sugarcane and nearby grassland has occurred so far, and the confinement procedures of Visacane appear to be properly implemented.     

Protective effect of fermented Red ginseng on a transient focal ischemic rats

Red ginseng and fermented red ginseng were prepared, and their composition of ginsenosides and antiischemic effect were investigated. When ginseng was steamed at 98-100 degrees C for 4 h and dried for 5 h at 60 degrees C, and extracted with alcohol, its main components were ginsenoside Rg3> ginsenoside Rb1 > ginsenoside Rb2. When the ginseng was suspended in water and fermented for 5 days by previously cultured Bifidobacterium H-1 and freeze-dried (fermented red ginseng), its main components were compound K > ginsenoside Rg3 > or = ginsenoside Rh2. Orally administered red ginseng extract did not protect ischemia-reperfusion brain injury. However, fermented red ginseng significantly protected ischemica-reperfusion brain injury. These results suggest that ginsenoside Rh2 and compound K, which was found to be at a higher content in fermented red ginseng than red ginseng, may improve ischemic brain injury.     

Transovarial transmission of sugarcane white leaf phytoplasma in the insect vector Matsumuratettix hiroglyphicus (Matsumura)

White leaf is a serious disease of sugarcane caused by phytoplasma. The disease is transmitted to the plant by the leafhopper Matsumuratettix hiroglyphicus (Matsumura). The reservoir of phytoplasma was suspected to be weeds that grow in sugarcane farming areas because they can be infected with phytoplasma and show symptoms similar to sugarcane white leaf. However in previous work we have demonstrated by RFLP and sequencing that this is not the case. Here we have reared M. hiroglyphicus through two generations by feeding them phytoplasma free sugarcane grown from tissue culture. By nested-PCR followed by sequencing, we demonstrated the presence of the phytoplasma in eggs, nymphs and adults of the first and second generations thereby showing transovarial transmission. We have also shown by in situ PCR that phytoplasmas were widely distributed throughout the body of the insect. RFLP and sequencing showed that the same phytoplasma was present in the vector and in the plant. Together, these data point to the leafhopper M. hiroglyphicus as the reservoir of phytoplasma that cause sugarcane white leaf disease.     

红曲提取物对体外培养成骨细胞的作用研究

目的：研究红曲不同提取物对体外培养大鼠成骨细胞（ROB）增殖、分化的影响。方法：采用新生大鼠颅骨分离培养ROB,MTT法测定细胞增殖,碱性磷酸酶（ALP）试剂盒法测定ALP活性,观察红曲提取物对ROB增殖、分化的作用,同时考察了MTT法和ALP试剂盒法中细胞数和吸收值之间的线性关系。结果：10^-2和10^-3mg/ml的水提物能刺激ROB的增殖（P〈0.05）,10^-3mg/ml的水提物还能提高ROB的ALP活性（P〈0.05）;10^-2和10^-3mg/ml的95%乙醇提取物对ROB的增殖与分化均有明显的促进作用（P〈0.05或P〈0.01）。结论：红曲水提物和95%乙醇提取物均能促进ROB骨形成过程中增殖、分化,95%乙醇提取物作用效果显著。     

甘蔗叶不同生长期多糖含量的动态积累研究

目的:评价甘蔗叶不同生长期多糖含量变化的动态积累。方法:以苯酚-硫酸法测定不同生长期甘蔗叶中多糖的含量。结果:甘蔗叶中多糖的含量呈规律性变化,在甘蔗光合作用旺盛的8~9月份采收时多糖的含量较高。结论:该文结果可为甘蔗废弃部分甘蔗叶的有效利用提供科学依据。     

超声提取甘蔗渣多糖的工艺研究

目的：探讨超声提取法从（法）甘蔗渣中提取多糖的工艺条件,为多糖的超声提取提供理论依据。方法：用硫酸-苯酚法测定多糖含量,采用正交试验法研究多糖的提取工艺。结果：最佳工艺为加12倍量水,80℃超声提取60min。结论：超声提取法可用于甘蔗渣多糖的提取。