Strawberry fermentation with Cordyceps militaris has anti-adipogenesis activity

Abstract

The fermented products of various materials with the mushroom Cordyceps militaris mycelia and silkworm pupa changed the bioactive compounds and increased the biological activity. Fermentation of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch. cv Sulhyang) mixed with silkworm pupa (Bombyx mori) using the mushroom Cordyceps militaris mycelia was undertaken using a solid culture. Previously frozen strawberries were fermented with 0, 25 and 50% of silkworm pupa (FS, FSP25, FSP50, respectively) or silkworm pupa (FP) using Cordyceps militaris, then the fermented products and non-fermented strawberry (NS) were extracted with 50 or 70% EtOH, or distilled water to determine the optimal fermentation conditions with regards to its anti-adipogenesis effect. The high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) analysis showed that the levels of 7 bioactive compounds were changed after fermentation. Additionally, extracts of FSP25, FSP50 and FP showed different amounts of inhibition of adipogenesis in the 3T3-L1 cell line. FSP25 and FSP50 were most effective. FSP25E50, the 50% EtOH extract of FSP25, inhibited expression of the PPAR-gamma pathway signaling. These results indicated that fermented strawberry might be used as a nutraceutical and functional food to give anti-adipogenesis activity.