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To support beneficial effects of makgeolli for human health, we investigated for the presence of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (DHNA), a bifidogenic growth stimulator (BGS), from commercial makgeolli products. Among eleven makgeolli products (A∼K), four showed positive peaks for DHNA in high performance liquid chromatography analysis. Makgeolli product A in particular contained the highest concentration of DHNA (0.44 ppm), as confirmed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Furthermore, BGS activity of the makgeolli product A was higher than those of products in which DHNA was not detected. These results indicate that makgeolli can be a good source for DHNA and that DHNA-enriched makgeolli could be developed by modifying manufacturing procedures and controlling its microbiota.

Previous studies have confirmed that fermented whey produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides CJNU 0147 or Lactobacillus casei CJNU 0588 display bifidogenic growth stimulator (BGS) activity. The present study sought to determine if the strain itself can improve the growth of bifidobacteria in co-cultures. In reinforced clostridial medium (RCM), both strains stimulated the growth of a Bifidobacterium lactis strain during the exponential phase and also stimulated the growth during almost all growth phases in whey broth. Fermented whey containing viable Leu. mesenteroides CJNU 0147 and L. casei CJNU 0588 cells maintained viability of the B. lactis strain stored at 10℃ in MRS broth. Viable cell count of the B. lactis strain without the fermented whey was decreased to 5.6 log cfu/mL after 15 days, whereas that of the strain with the fermented whey was slightly increased to 7.1 log cfu/mL as compared with initial viable cell count of 6.9 log cfu/mL.