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Improvement of cognitive function by Gochujang supplemented with tomato paste in a mouse model

  • Sunghee Kim
  • Jisun Oh
  • Chan Ho Jang
  • Jong-Sang KimEmail author
Article
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Abstract

Gochujang, a traditional Korean hot sauce, was prepared with a variety of antioxidant-rich supplements to improve its bioactive functions and preference by pungency-sensitive people. Among the tested ingredients, tomato paste exhibited the strongest antioxidant and neuroprotective activities when added as a supplement to traditional gochujang. Furthermore, oral administration of gochujang prepared with tomato paste to mice significantly improved cognitive function compared to original gochujang. As gochujang supplemented with tomato paste was found to contain an appreciable amount of lycopene with neuroprotective activity, it is most likely that the neuroprotective activity and cognitive improvement by the product was partially attributable to cis-lycopene, a highly bioavailable form converted from trans-lycopene during the manufacturing process of the product. However, a further study is required to verify the precise underlying mechanism of action.

Keywords

Gochujang Tomato paste Cognitive function Lycopene 
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Notes

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a Grant from INNOPOLIS, Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), Republic of Korea (2018).

Compliance with ethical standards

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Copyright information

© The Korean Society of Food Science and Technology 2019

Authors and Affiliations

  • Sunghee Kim
    • 1
  • Jisun Oh
    • 2
  • Chan Ho Jang
    • 2
  • Jong-Sang Kim
    • 1
    • 2
    Email author
  1. 1.Institute of Agricultural Science and TechnologyKyungpook National UniversityDaeguRepublic of Korea
  2. 2.School of Food Science and Technology (BK21PLUS Program)Kyungpook National UniversityDaeguRepublic of Korea

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