[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Kim Hyewon] The body fat improvement effects of gochujang, a traditional Korean fermented chili paste, have been internationally recognized.
The Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation announced on the 4th that it conducted a human efficacy evaluation on the body fat improvement effects of gochujang with 60 test subjects, in collaboration with the Fermentation Microorganism Industry Promotion Institute in Sunchang-gun, Jeonbuk, and Professor Han Areum's team from the Department of Family Medicine at Wonkwang University Hospital.
Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis, the evaluation results scientifically demonstrated that the consumption of gochujang reduces visceral fat content and improves blood lipid levels.
In particular, with the related research paper published in the international nutrition journal Nutrients, this study not only clarified the anti-obesity effects of gochujang but also confirmed changes in gut microbiota upon consumption, providing scientific evidence to highlight the excellence of K-gochujang.
Research on the body fat improvement effects of traditional gochujang has been ongoing steadily; however, it mainly focused on specific ingredients of gochujang such as raw materials or capsaicin from chili peppers. This is the second time since 2016 that research on the efficacy of gochujang has been published as a formal paper in an overseas academic journal.
Kim Chunjin, President of the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, said, "Along with kimchi, the global spicy flavor craze that has captivated the world with dishes like tteokbokki and bibimbap has recently increased gochujang exports. We expect gochujang exports to become even more active following this paper's publication."
Last year, gochujang exports recorded $52.8 million, a 3.7% increase compared to the previous year. As of the end of June this year, exports amounted to $27.5 million, a 2.5% increase.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
