In order to investigate the effect of variety of salt on the functional properties of chungkukjang preparation, we prepared chungkukjangs with various kinds and contents of salt (purified salt: hanju salt, chunil salt and bamboo salt). The antioxidative effect, antimutagenicity, cancer cell growth inhibitory effect and fibrinolytic activity of the chungkukjangs were carried out by DPPH free radical method, Ames test, MTT assay and fibrin plate method, respectively. Chunkukjang prepared with the different kinds of salt had high effects on hydrogen-donating activity and on the inhibition of mutagenicity compared to one prepared without salt. In particular, chungkukjang prepared with 2% bamboo salt (1⁓) had the highest effects. The chungkukjangs prepared with 2% bamboo salt (1⁓) inhibited significantly the growth of HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells. However, the chungkukjang prepared with various kinds of salt and various concentrations of bamboo salt (2, 4, 7%) resulted in no differences among samples in AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells. The fibrinolytic activity was higher in bamboo salt (1⁓) added chungkukjang than others and the fibrinolytic activity of the bamboo salt added chungkukjang increased with the increased levels of bamboo salt.

Keywords: Chungkukjang, Bamboo salt, Antioxidation, Antimutagenicity, Fibrinolytic activity