Effects of 60Co-γ and Electron Beam Irradiation on Storage Quality of Panax ginseng

Effects of electron beam irradiation on microbial load, physicochemical properties, sensory quality, stability of active components, and antioxidant activity of Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC

Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC. (PG) is an edible and medicinal plant. This study aimed to investigate the potential of electron beam (EB) irradiation for preserving PG. EB irradiation at doses of 2-8 kGy were applied to PG, and the effects on microbial content, sensory qualities, chemical qualities, and EB penetration were examined. Results showed that irradiation with 6 kGy effectively maintained the microbiological quality of PG when packing thickness was ≤6.3 cm during a 360-day storage period. The physicochemical properties, color, active ingredient contents, and antioxidant capacities of PG remained unaffected. However, total flavonoid and platycodin D (PD) content exhibited a non-dose-dependent alteration. The use of electronic nose analysis successfully differentiated the odor of EB irradiated PG samples from non-irradiated ones. Fingerprint analysis also indicated no significant impact of EB irradiation on PG quality. These findings suggest that EB treatment could be a valuable approach for extending the shelf life of PG.

An Evaluation of the Impact of 60Co Irradiation on Volatile Organic Compounds of Olibanum Using Gas Chromatography Ion Mobility Spectrometry

Olibanum is a resinous traditional Chinese medicine that is directly used as a powder. It is widely used in China and is often combined with other traditional Chinese medicine powders to promote blood circulation and relieve pain, as well as to treat rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis. Powdered traditional Chinese medicine is often easily contaminated by microorganisms and 60Co irradiation is one of the good sterilization methods. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the main active ingredient of olibanum. The aim of this study was to validate the optimum doses of 60Co irradiation and its effect on VOCs. 60Co irradiation was applied in different doses of 0 kGy, 1.5 kGy, 3.0 kGy, and 6.0 kGy. Changes in VOCs were detected using gas chromatography ion mobility spectrometry. A total of 81 VOCs were identified. The odor fingerprint results showed that, with an increase in irradiation dose, most of the VOCs of olibanum changed. Through principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and partial least squares discriminant analysis, it was demonstrated that, at 1.5 kGy, the impact of radiation on the VOCs of olibanum was minimal, indicating this is a relatively good irradiation dose. This study provides a theoretical basis for the irradiation processing and quality control of resinous medicinal materials such as olibanum and it also provides a good reference for irradiation technology development and its application to functional foods, thus making it both significant from a research perspective and useful from an application perspective.

Formation and Characterization of Irreversible Sediment of Ginseng Extract

Sediment is a key issue in the beverage industry. This study confirmed that reversible and irreversible sediments were formed during low-temperature storage of ginseng extract. The first 30 days of storage are the critical period for sediment formation. As the time of storage extends, the chemical composition changes. The composition interaction model verified that the cross-linking of protein-pectin, protein-oxalic acid and Ca2+-pectin was the main cause of the turbidity of ginseng extract. Based on the characterization of irreversible sediment (IRS), there are typical structures of proteins, polysaccharides and calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD) crystals. Glucose, galacturonic acid, aspartate, glutamic acid, leucine, Ca, K, Al, Mg, Na and Fe are the main monomer components. Effective regulation of these ingredients will greatly help the quality of ginseng beverages.

Effects of different substrates on low-temperature storage of fresh ginseng

BACKGROUND

Fresh ginseng was buried in three types of sand with different moisture contents and three types of soil and then stored at 2 °C to determine the effects of these storage substrates on fresh ginseng.

RESULTS

At a storage time of 200 days, ginseng stored in underforest soil softened the most slowly and had a significantly greater firmness compared to the other samples (P < 0.05). The amount of most ginsenosides changed after storage for most of the substrates. Samples stored in ginseng soil and biological fertilizer had the highest concentration of total saponin and ginseng polysaccharides, respectively. Fresh ginseng stored in medium-water content sand had a significantly lower polyphenol oxidase activity (P < 0.05). A significant difference was observed in the total concentration of nucleosides and nucleobases between the ginseng samples stored with and without substrates (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The data obtained in the present study suggest that the use of storage substrates is an optimal method for extending the shelf life of fresh ginseng without detrimental effects on its components. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.