Comparison of Isoflavone Contents and Antioxidant Effect in Cheonggukjang with Black Soybean Cultivars by Bacillus subtilis CSY191

BACKGROUND: Soybeans are the rich sources of isoflavones. To date, the changes of isoflavone contents in various black soybeans cheonggukjang during fermentation by Bacillus subtilis CSY191 has not been investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study investigated the changes of total phenolic and isoflavone contents and antioxidant effects during cheonggukjang fermentation made with four black soybean (BS) cultivars including Cheongja, Cheongja#3, Geomjeong#5, and Ilpumgeomjeong with a potential probiotic Bacillus subtilis CSY191. The total phenolic contents, isoflavone-malonylglycoside and -aglycone contents, and antioxidant activity were increased in cheonggukjang at 48 h fermentation, while the content of isoflavone-glycosides was decreased during cheonggukjang fermentation. In particular, the Cheongja#3 soybean fermented at 37℃ for 48 h displayed the highest antioxidant activities, compared to those of the other BS cultivars tested. Also, the highest levels of total phenolic, daidzein, glycitein, and genistein were present at concentrations of 17.28 mg/g, 283.7 g/g, 39.9 g/g, and 13.2 g/g at the end of Cheongja#3 soybean fermentation. CONCLUSION: The results from this study suggested that the enhanced antioxidant activity of cheonggukjang of BS might be related to increased levels of total phenolic, isoflavon-aglycone, and malonyl-glycoside contents achieved during fermentation. Furthermore, fermented Cheongja#3 soybean showed the highest levels of enhanced antioxidant activities than the other BS cultivars.