양파 추출물의 식품첨가소재로써 그 활용성을 평가하기 위하여 양파의 종류(붉은색, 흰색, 황색)와 추출용매(에틸아세테이트, 에탄올, 열수)에 따른 주요 화학성분과 아질산염 소거능을 분석하였다. 총 유기산과 총 유리당은 각각 건물당 $135.4{sim}1,255.7mg%$ 및 $51.7{sim}62.9%$ 범위였으며, 각 양파의 에틸아세테이트 및 열수 추출물이 에탄을 추출물보다 높았다. 총 페놀과 총 플라보노이드 함량은 각각 $9.3{sim}$13.3% 및 $159.8{sim}584.1mg%$ 범위였으며, 각 용매별 붉은색 양파의 추출물이 다른 추출물에 비하여 높게 나타났다. 아질산염 소거능은 낮은 pH 범위와 추출물 농도의 증가에 따라 높게 나타났는데, pH 1.2에서 붉은색 양파의 에탄을 및 열수 추출물 10 mg/mL 첨가는 약 55% 정도의 아질산염 소거작용을 나타내었으며, 다른 양파의 추출물에 비하여 2배 이상 높은 수치였다. 따라서 붉은 양파 추출물은 낮은 pH조건에서 아질산염을 소거하여 니트로사민 생성을 억제할 수 있는 천연식품소재로서 이용 가능할 것으로 판단된다.
To assess utilization of onions extract as natural food additives, ethyl acetate, ethanol and hot water extract of freeze dried onions (red, white and yellow) were exmined for their chemical component and nitrite scavenging activity. Contents of total organic acid and total free sugar were in the range of $135.4{sim}1,2557mg%$ and $51.7{sim}62.9%$ as dry matter bases, respectively, and then their content of three onions were higher in ethylacetate and hor water extracts than in ethanol extract. Contents of total phenol and total flavonoids were in the range of $9.3{sim}$13.3 % and $159.8{sim}584.1mg%$ as dry matter bases, respectively, and their content of red onion extract by three solvent were higher than those of other onion extract. Nitrite-scavenging activities (NSA) of onion extracts were increased by lowering pH and elevating onion concentrations, and their values of ethanol and hot water were about 55% in addition of 10 mg/mL of red onion extract showing that NSA of red onion was twice higher than that of the other onions. In conclusion, the result indicated that red onion extract was very effective to inhibit nitrosamine formation at low pH condition as natural nitrite scavenging agent.
