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Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) is known as a high-potential material in terms of its biological activity. The objective of this report is to provide chromatographic and mass fragment ion data of 38 simultaneously identified saponins, including novel compounds, by analyzing them through ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QToF/MS). In so doing, we investigated their diverse conditions, including morphological parts (stems, roots, buds, and leaves), peeling (or not), and blanching of PG. The total contents of individual saponins indicated an order of roots (containing peel, 1674.60 mg/100 g, dry weight) > buds (1364.05) > roots (without peel, 1058.83) ≈ blanched roots (without peel, 945.17) ≈ stems (993.71) ≈ leaves (881.16). When considering three types of aglycone, the platycodigenin group (55.04 ~ 68.34%) accounted for the largest proportion of the total content, whereas the platycogenic acid A group accounted for 17.83 ~ 22.61%, and the polygalacic acid group represented 12.06 ~ 22.35%. As they are classified as major compounds, novel saponins might be utilized for their role in healthy food for human consumption. Additionally, during blanching, the core temperature of PG was satisfied with the optimal condition, thus activating the enzymes related to biotransformation. Furthermore, through the use of this comprehensive data, additional studies related to buds, as well as roots or the characterization of individual saponins, can be conducted in a rapid and achievable manner.

Acanthopanax senticosus belongs to Araliaceae family and is traditionally used as a tonic. The roots and stems are mainly used as treatments for hypodynamia, rheumatism, and hypertension, but their frequent use may lead to extinction. However, comprehensive and simultaneous analysis of the remaining parts were still limited. There is a need to reorganize them for standardization of functional foods. In this study, 50 phenolic compounds and 82 triterpenoid saponins from the shoots, leaves, fruits, and stems of were characterized using UPLC-QTOF-MS and UPLC-QTRAP-MS/MS. Among them, 52 compounds were newly determined as the cis and malonyl-bound phenolic acids and were found to be structural isomers of Acanthopanax flavonoids and saponins. All compounds were absolutely/relatively quantified, and shoots had the highest content. Peroxynitrite and α -glucosidase inhibitory activities were performed, followed by evaluation of structure-activity relationships. Particularly, hederasaponin B and ciwujianoside B showed remarkable efficacy, which were affected by the C-23 hydroxylation, the C-20(29) double bond, and the presence of rhamnose. These detailed profiling can be used as fundamental data for increasing the utilization of A . senticosus and developing them into functional foods.

In this study, thirty-eight isoflavone derivatives were comprehensively identified and quantified from the raw, steamed and fermented seeds of four selected soybean cultivars based on UPLC-DAD-QToF/MS results with reference to the previously reported LC-MS library and flavonoid database, and summarized by acylated group including glucosides (Glu), malonyl-glucosides (Mal-Glu), acetyl-glucosides (Ac-Glu), succinyl-glucosides (Suc-Glu) and phosphorylated conjugates (Phos) in addition to aglycones. Among them, Suc-Glu and Phos derivatives were newly generated due to fermentation by B. subtilis AFY-2 (cheonggukjang). In particular, Phos were characterized for the first time in fermented soy products using Bacillus species. From a proposed roadmap on isoflavone-based biotransformation, predominant Mal-Glu (77.5–84.2%, raw) decreased rapidly by decarboxylation and deesterification into Ac-Glu and Glu (3.5–8.1% and 50.0–72.2%) during steaming, respectively. As fermentation continued, the increased Glu were mainly succinylated and phosphorylated as well as gradually hydrolyzed into their corresponding aglycones. Thus, Suc-Glu and Phos (17.3–22.4% and 1.5–5.4%, 36 h) determined depending on cultivar type and incubation time, and can be considered as important biomarkers generated during cheonggukjang fermentation. Additionally, the changes of isoflavone profile can be used as a fundamental report in applied microbial science as well as bioavailability research from fermented soy foods.

Most previous studies have been focused on isoflavone profile with biological activities from soybean seed and its related products. However, in the present study, eighty-three flavonoid derivatives (55 flavonols, 9 flavones and 19 isoflavones) were comprehensively identified and quantified from young leaves of 21 core-collected soybean cultivars based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector with quadrupole time of flight/mass spectrometry (UPLC-DAD-QToF/MS). Among total flavonoids from soybean leaves (SLs), the abundant flavonols (83.6%) were primarily composed of di- and tri- glycosides combined to the aglycones (K, kaempferol; Q, quercetin; I, isorhamnetin). Particularly, K-rich SLs (yellow coated seed), Nongrim 51 (breeding line) and YJ208-1 (landrace) contained mainly kaempferol 3- O -(2″- O -glucosyl-6″- O -rhamnosyl)galactoside and 3- O -(2″,6″-di- O -rhamnosyl)galactoside, and were expected to be superior cultivars by their higher flavonoids. Besides, the new tri-I-glycosides (soyanins I–V) were presented as predominant components in Junyeorikong (landrace, black). Thus, this study suggest that the SLs can be considered as valuable edible resources due to their rich flavonoids. Also, these detailed profiles will support breeding of superior varieties with excellent biological activities as well as relationship with seed anthocyanins production, and contribute to perform metabolomics approach to investigate the changes of SLs flavonols during the leaf growth and fermentation in further research.

Patients with galactosemia accumulate galactose in their bodies, requiring a lifelong galactose-restricted diet. Therefore, accurate information on the galactose content in commercial agro-food resources is essential. The HPLC method generally used for sugar analysis has low separation and detection sensitivity. Here, we sought to establish an accurate analytical method for determining the galactose content in commercial agro-food resources. To that aim, we employed gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection to detect trimethylsilyl-oxime (TMSO) sugar derivatives (concentration: ≤0.1 mg/100 g). The galactose content in 107 Korean agro-food resources reflecting intake patterns was then analyzed. The galactose content in steamed barley rice was 5.6 mg/100 g, which was higher than that in steamed non-glutinous and glutinous rice. Moist-type and dry-type sweet potatoes, blanched zucchini, and steamed Kabocha squash had high galactose content (36.0, 12.8, 23.1, and 61.6 mg/100 g, respectively). Therefore, these foods are detrimental to patients with galactosemia. Among fruits, avocado, blueberry, kiwi, golden kiwifruit, and sweet persimmon had galactose contents of ≥10 mg/100 g. Dried persimmon had 132.1 mg/100 g and should therefore be avoided. Mushrooms, meat, and aquatic products showed low galactose content (≤10 mg/100 g), making them safe. These findings will help patients to manage their dietary galactose intake.

The functionality of soybeans is an important factor in the selection and utilization of excellent soybean cultivars, and isoflavones are representative functional substances in soybeans, which exhibit effects on antioxidants, estrogen activity, and cancer, and prevent cardiovascular diseases. This study analyzed ABTS, DPPH, estrogen, ER (ER) alpha, UCP-1, and NO inhibition activities in 48 types of soybean cultivars, as well as the relationship with 19 isolated types of individual isoflavone derivatives. Statistical analysis was conducted to find individual isoflavone derivatives affecting physiological activities, revealing the high correlation of three types of derivatives: genistein 7-O-(6″-O-acetyl)glucoside (6″-O-acetylgenistin), genistein 7-O-(2″-O-apiosyl)glucoside, and glycitein. Based on these results, 15 types of soybean cultivars were selected (one control type, seven yellow types, six black types, and one green type), which have both high physiological activities and a high content of individual isoflavone derivatives. In addition, these high correlations were further verified through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to determine the association between activities, substances, and genetic characteristics. This study comprehensively describes the relationship between the specific physiological activities of soybean resources, individual isoflavone derivative substances, and SNPs, which will be utilized for in-depth research, such as selection of excellent soybean resources with specific physiological activities.

The aim of this study was to analyze the physiological activity of 48 soybean resources harvested in 2020 to identify the soybean resources’ relationships with individual isoflavone compounds and their genetic properties. These data will subsequently be compared with the research results on soybeans harvested in 2019. Initially, with respect to the physiological activity (6 types) and substances (19 types), this study evaluated the differences between the cultivation year (two years), seed coat color (three colors), and the interaction of the year and seed coat color of soybeans through ANOVA. Among the physiological activities, there were differences in the estrogen, estrogen receptor alpha, and UCP-1 (uncoupling protein-1) activities depending on the cultivation year. Moreover, there were differences in NO (nitric oxide), revealing differences in the ABTS (2, 2′-azino-bis-3ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activities due to the seed coat color and the interaction of the year and seed coat color. Soybeans harvested in 2020 exhibited increased ABTS, DPPH, and NO inhibitory activities and reduced estrogen, estrogen receptor alpha, and UCP-1 activities compared to those harvested in 2019. According to the ANOVA results, eight of the nineteen individual derivatives illustrated yearly differences, while three derivatives displayed differences due to the seed coat color. Secondly, according to the relationship between the efficacy, derivative substances, and genetic properties, it was determined that genistein 7-O-(2″-O-apiosyl)glucoside (F5) is the individual isoflavone derivative that affected the six types of physiological activity, on which the genome-wide association study (GWAS) showed no significant differences for genetic properties. These results were inconsistent with the 2019 data, where three types of individual compounds, including F5, were proposed as substances that correlated with efficacy and there was a high correlation with genetic properties. Therefore, this study selected B17, B23, B15, B24, and Y7 as excellent varieties that are stable and highly functional in the cultivation environment, producing only small annual differences. The results of this study will be utilized as basic data for predicting soybean varieties and their cultivation, which have high environmental stability under climate variation and properly retain the functional substances and efficacy.

Seed composition, including the protein, lipid and sucrose contents of 334 accessions of wild soybean (Glycine soja) collected in Japan, was evaluated using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) technology. The distribution of protein, lipid and sucrose contents and correlations among these three classes of seed components were determined. Protein, lipid and sucrose levels ranged in accessions from 48.6 to 57.0, 9.0 to 14.3 and 1.24 to 3.53%, respectively. Average levels of protein, lipid and sucrose in the accessions were 54, 11 and 2.5%, respectively. High negative correlations were observed between the protein and lipid contents, and the protein and sucrose contents. Mean levels of the three constituents were compared among collection sites classified by climatic conditions. The total protein content of accessions from regions with a high annual mean temperature was high. The protein content of accessions from the II-1 region was higher than those from the III-3 region, and the sucrose content from the II-1 region was lower than those from regions III-2 and IV-3. The lipid content of plants from the II-1 region was lower than those from other regions, and the accessions in region II had a higher protein content and lower sucrose and lipid contents than the other regions. These results provide diverse and wide-ranged protein, lipid and sucrose contents information of Japanese wild soybean resources according to climatic region; thus, providing a foundation for the future development and selection of new soybean varieties with desired traits in global environmental changes.