(96e) Manufacturing Method of Black Ginseng Prepared By Repeated Heating, Steaming and Drying Processes Using Loess Mortar Balls and Its Biological Characteristics As a Health Functional Food

Summary: This paper first describes the manufacturing process of black ginseng, in which it is prepared by repeated heating, steaming and drying process to fresh ginseng with loess mortar balls immersed in pot. Then the biological characteristics of black ginseng as a health functional food are discussed for the natural healing efficacy of black ginseng based on basic and applied experiments, literatures, and experienced reports of users.

Keyword: loess, loess mortar ball, far infrared rays, immunity, health functional food

Introduction

Ginseng has already been used in Korea for thousands of years as a health functional food, and it is well known for its effectiveness. Generally, ginseng is used as it is, dried or used, or red ginseng is prepared by boiling [1].

The pharmacological and clinical effects of ginseng have been reported for central nerve inhibitory action and excitatory action and anti-stress action, etc.

Ginseng saponin, the main active ingredient of ginseng, is significantly changed by its traditional processing method. There are dozens of ginsenosides (GS) isolated from red ginseng or white ginseng. Ginseng-specific GS is formed by hydrolysis reaction by heating during steaming process [2].

Red ginseng, a typical processed product of ginseng, has been produced for about 1,000 years. When an appropriate heat treatment process is applied to the ginseng, the conversion of the secondary metabolite occurs, and unique new active ingredients, which did not exist in the ginseng, are produced and the contents of the active ingredient are also increased [3].

A product developed as a new ginseng product with higher active ingredient contents than white ginseng and red ginseng is called black ginseng because its external morphological characteristics are black [4].

Therefore, it is required to optimize and standardize the production process by which the physiologically active component during the steaming and drying process during the production of black ginseng can be increased [5-7].

In order to catch the market of hundreds of billions of dollars of world ginseng, domestic bio venture companies are keen to develop new billions of dollars of ginseng related materials annually.

Korean red ginseng has a historical record that was made about 1,000 years ago. This is the first record of red ginseng in Goryeo Gyeong-Pictures Book, which was written by Mr. Gyung Seo of the Song Dynasty of China.

In general, red ginseng is converted to a secondary metabolite during the proper heat treatment process, and a new active ingredient unique to red ginseng, which is not present in fresh ginseng or white ginseng, is produced. The active ingredient is also increased in contents. Thus, it is expected that a new structural component which does not exist in ginseng is produced according to the processing method of ginseng, and that it can be processed and developed as a new health function ginseng which shows more excellent effect by various physiological activities including anticancer action than ginseng [8].

In Korea, the representative product of functional ginseng has been developed as a 'SUNSAM' developed in 1998 by bio-venture enterprise Science of Science, which was developed as a sun-dried ginseng in 2001 [9] and launched in the health functional food market in Korea [10].

In addition, Korea Biotechnology Research Institute and various bio-venture companies are developing various processed ginseng. Currently, many studies have been conducted on processed ginseng using ginseng, and research has been actively carried out to produce novel ginseng, which is more physiologically active than ginseng, through the process of drying ginseng more than red ginseng [11].

There are many patents for black ginseng in Korea [12-15]. As the research status on fresh ginseng can be seen from the above-mentioned research papers and patents, there are still many unknown parts of processed ginseng or black ginseng, and there is a great expectation for future progress of basic and applied research.

Experiment

(1) Composition of the loess mortar: The loess mortar used in this study was 75 kg of loess, 5 kg of mica, 5 kg of croaker, 5 kg of vermiculite, 4 kg of ilite, 3 kg of smacktite, 1 kg of jade powder, 1 kg, and 1 kg of pozzolan.

The main ingredient of this composition, the Korean yellow loess, has been traditionally used for making houses and earthenware from ancient times, giving a refreshing effect to the cold energy of the night and cooling down the hot weather of the day. Recently, the effectiveness of such loess has been scientifically analyzed and proved, and it is approaching life as it is gradually used as a convenient daily necessity because it is compatible with the human desire for a healthy life [16].

(2) A process for producing loess mortar balls; the present invention relates to a loess mortar composition and the method for producing a molded ball using the same is shown in the diagram. The emissivity and the radiant energy of far-infrared rays from mortar balls measured by Korea far infrared rays association were 0.921 and 371 W/(m²Â·Î¼m) at 40℃, respectively [18].

(3) Preparation of black ginseng method: After thoroughly washing ginseng for 3 to 7 years roots, preferably 5 years roots, 750 g of ginseng is added to loess mortar balls containing 3 kg of loess mortar and 3 ℓ of purified water at 60°C to 100°C. And then it is aged at room temperature for 24 hours. The operation conditions for preparing black ginseng are shown in a diagram with details notes [18].

(4) Test analysis of the component of black ginseng: The prepared black ginseng sample was submitted to Geumsan International Ginseng Herbal Research Institute for component analysis. Using the Agilent 1260 HPLC System (Agilent Co. Ltd., USA) installed in the institute, the representative components of black ginseng were analyzed according to normal routine for qualitative and quantitative analysis [19].

(5) User's experienced report: There is no a special report form, but the motivation for using black ginseng, the symptom change or impression of the body before and after use are reported and recorded as user’s experienced report.

Results and Discussion:

(1) Observation of black ginseng by manufacturing process: Photographs were taken by smartphone for each process step. Changes in the size and color of the sample body were observed, and the color was uniformly blackish brown.

(2) Discussion on the color of black ginseng: The photographs of the colors taken in the order of the manufacturing process were listed and their changes were observed. A photograph of the prototype of black ginseng is shown after the final drying process.

(3) Results of test analysis of black ginseng: Table 1 summarizes test items, test inspection standards, test results, judgment, and remarks for test analysis of black ginseng [19].

Table 1. Test items, test inspection standards, test results, judgment, and remarks of sample.

- Test item: Total amount of Ginsenosides Rg1. Rb1, and Rg3

- Test inspection standards: No special criteria

- Test result: 4.47 mg/g

- Judgment: Experimental confirmation as described

- Remarks: Rg1: 1.49 mg/g, Rb1: 2.85 mg/g, Rg3 (s): 0.13 mg/g

Table 1 shows the total amount of ginsenosides Rg1, Rb1 and Rg3 obtained by quantitative analysis from the Geumsan International Ginseng Herbal Research Institute.

(4) Consideration of healing efficacy through experience cases of users: We will briefly report the case of anti-cancer and immune enhancement effect among many users’ reports [21]. One example is the experienced report of taking black ginseng continuously extract for 3 months. Constipation is relieved, thirst is reduced, the tinnitus often felt disappears, and the dry and rough skin has softened. Above all, it is reported that it is good to regain youthful youth by restoring fatigue. A number of experienced case reports are listed up as references for new users [22].

In this way, precious experienced cases will be studied through the classical medicine books and recent research papers. We hope willingly to engage in the production of improved black ginseng [23~30].

Conclusions

The results of this research were as follows: The conclusions for the manufacturing method of black ginseng by preparing dried ginseng by heating and drying using loess mortar balls and the biological healing characteristics of prepared black ginseng as a health functional food were as follows:

1. The total contents of ginsenosides in black ginseng were 4.47 mg/g.

2. The change in color of black ginseng observed with naked eyes was uniformly dark blackish.

3. The experienced user of taking black ginseng extract for 3 months is decreased the constipation, thirst, tinnitus, and dryness of the skin.