Potential of proteolytic enzyme treatment for production of Korean red ginseng extract

Abstract

In this study, proteolytic enzymatic treatment conditions for Korean red ginseng were examined to increase the extraction yield. Commercially available proteases were screened to obtain high protein and carbohydrate yield. The optimal dosage and reaction time for Alcalase, the chosen protease, were found to be 2.0% (w/w) and 1.5 h, respectively. Treatment with optimal conditions of Alcalase increased solid yield, total phenolic content and gensenosides content by 57.6, 81.8, and 33.8%, respectively, over levels in non-treated Korean red ginseng. Antioxidative activities evaluated by free radical scavenging activity, cation radical scavenging activity and reducing power were exactly similar between Alcalase-treated and non-treated extracts.