본 연구에서는 4년근 인삼의 활용도를 높이기 위하여 효소적 가수분해 조건에 따른 품질 특성을 조사하였다. 인삼은 증숙 후 분쇄하여 가수분해 효소제 A, B, C 및 D 4종에 처리에 따른 품질특성을 조사한 결과 pH 5.5~5.6, 당도 4.0~4.33으로 큰 차이가 없었다. 조사포닌 함량은 D 효소제에서 가장 높았으며, B, C 및 A 순으로 나타났다. D 효소제의 농도 0.3%(w/w)까지 조사포닌, 환원당 및 총당 함량이 증가하였으며 이후에는 농도에 따른 차이는 없었다. 가수분해시간이 경과함에 따라 유효성분이 증가하였으나 3시간 이후 큰 변화는 없었으며, $60^{circ}C$로 처리하였을 때 조사포닌 함량이 높게 나타났다. 이상의 실험결과 D 효소제, 효소제 농도 0.3% (w/w)로 $60^{circ}C$에서 3시간의 조건이 가장 적합한 나타났으며 이때 환원당, 총당 및 조사포닌 함량은 각각 18.11, 36.21 및 4.23 mg/g으로 확인되었다. 따라서 효소적 가수분해 방법은 4년근 인삼의 유효성분 증가에 효과적으로 다양한 활용 방법이 기대되었다.
This study investigated quality characteristics of 4 year-old ginseng by enzymatic hydrolysis conditions to increase utilization. Ginseng was ground after steaming and was each treated with hydrolase A, B, C and D. When quality characteristics by the enzymes were examined, no significant difference was observed with pH of 5.5~5.6 and the sugar content of 4.0~4.33. The crude saponin content was the highest in ginseng treated with D, followed by B, C and A. The crude saponin, the reducing sugar and the total sugar contents increased until 0.3% (w/w) concentration in enzyme D with no significant difference by its concentration. Although active ingredients increased with time passage of hydrolysis, no significant change was found after three hours and the crude saponin content was the highest when ginseng was treated at $60^{circ}C$. From these results, optimum conditions for 4 year-old ginseng were $60^{circ}C$ for 3 hours with 0.3% (w/w) enzyme D, and under these conditions the reducing sugar, the total sugar and the crude saponin contents recorded 18.11, 36.21 and 4.23 mg/g, respectively. Therefore, enzymatic hydrolysis was found to be effective in increasing active ingredients of 4 year-old ginseng with various usages expected.
