Antioxidant activities of the water-soluble fraction in tempeh-like fermented soybean (GABA-tempeh)

Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2007 Dec;58(8):577-87. doi: 10.1080/09637480701343846.

Abstract

Tempeh is a traditional fermented soyfood native to Central Java, Indonesia; tempeh is prepared by salt-free aerobic fermentation using Rhizopus. Similar to miso, tempeh is also reported to be antioxygenic. In this study, we used a tempeh-like fermented soybean. First, soybean was incubated aerobically and then successively incubated anaerobically. Because the gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) content was increased remarkably, we named this tempeh GABA-tempeh. The contents of other free amino acids and peptides were significantly higher in GABA-tempeh than in conventional tempeh. In this study, we compared the antioxidant activity of the water-soluble fraction in GABA-tempeh with that of soybean and conventional tempeh. The order of the antioxidant activity was shown as follows: GABA-tempeh > conventional tempeh > soybean. The components responsible for the antioxidant activity of GABA-tempeh were isoflavone aglycones, free amino acids, and peptides, which increased during aerobic and anaerobic fermentations.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / analysis
  • Antioxidants / analysis*
  • Fermentation
  • Food Technology / methods*
  • Glycine max
  • Indonesia
  • Isoflavones / analysis
  • Peptides / analysis
  • Rhizopus
  • Soy Foods / analysis*
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / analysis

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Antioxidants
  • Isoflavones
  • Peptides
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid