The Korea Food Research Institute

Radish greens, the leafy byproduct of radish cultivation, are rich in bioactive compounds such as glucosinolates, phenolic acids, and polysaccharides, which contribute to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity properties.Despite these attributes, radish greens remain underutilized, with applications often limited to animal feed and traditional dishes.Recent studies have demonstrated their potential for functional applications, yet the specific bioactive markers and mechanisms responsible for their anti-obesity effects are not fully understood.This study investigates the seasonal variations in the anti-obesity effects of radish greens cultivated in Korea and identifies a novel functional marker and evaluates its role in adipocyte differentiation and lipid metabolism to support the broader utilization of radish greens as a functional ingredient.Radish greens cultivated in autumn exhibited a significantly stronger inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes compared to those cultivated in spring.While spring-cultivated samples contained higher levels of glucoraphenin, autumn-cultivated samples had 1.5 times more caffeoylmalic acid, which was identified as the most abundant bioactive compoundTreatment with caffeoylmalic acid significantly reduced lipid accumulation in a concentration-dependent manner, primarily by suppressing the expression of key adipogenic markers such as C/EBPα, SREBP1c, and CD36.These findings highlight caffeoylmalic acid as a major contributor to the anti-obesity effects of radish greens, with its higher abundance in autumn samples likely accounting for their greater efficacy.In conclusion, autumn-harvested radish greens, enriched with caffeoylmalic acid, demonstrate strong anti-adipogenic effects by suppressing lipid differentiation and accumulation, highlighting their potential as a functional food ingredient for obesity management.

This study investigated the effects of Allomyrina dichotoma larvae extract, a novel food resource, on the tenderization and quality enhancement of brined pork loin.The extraction buffers used were distilled water and 0.58 M saline buffer, and the extracted insect solution and residue were added to the brine.Treatments with insect extracts showed improved tenderization, as evidenced by lower shear force values, enhanced water-holding capacity, and reduced lipid oxidation, suggesting the potential for longer shelf life and improved nutritional quality.These findings provide valuable insights into the use of edible insect extracts in meat processing, highlighting the benefits of this innovative approach for enhancing meat quality for various consumer segments, including older adults.Overall, this study underscores the potential of edible insects as sustainable and effective ingredients in meat-curing processes, offering a promising avenue for the development of more nutritious and palatable meat products.

Excessive exercise can result in a detrimental condition known as overtraining syndrome (OTS), which is characterized by impaired immune function.In this study, we aimed to explore the immunomodulatory properties of YSK-A, a composite herbal substance comprising equal proportions of Boswellia serrata, Commiphora myrrha, and propolis, using a forced swimming (FS)-induced immunocompromised mouse model.Ex vivo experiments showed that YSK-A significantly increased the activity of NK cells against YAC-1 tumor cells compared with its individual components.HPLC anal. for quality control identified KBA, AKBA, furanoeudesma 1,3-diene, cinnamic acid, and galangin as the five primary components of YSK-A.Following sacrifice, improved profiles of mols. related to OTS, immune organ indexes, white blood cell proportions in blood, and serum Ig levels were observedFurthermore, YSK-A was found to enhance immunocyte function, including cytotoxic effect of splenic NK cells, and proliferation of lymphocytes.Our study suggests that YSK-A exhibits immunomodulatory effects against immune dysfunction.