Lactic fermentation and antioxidant activity of Zingiberaceae plants in Taiwan.

The present study evaluated functional properties of lactic-fermented ginger products. Three Zingiberaceae species were used as the substrate for fermentation using three lactic acid bacteria. The fermentation process ended 35-40 h after inoculation and reached a pH value of 3.

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Zingiberaceae plants in Taiwan.

The rhizomes of the Zingiberaceae family are a vegetable widely used in many Asian countries, and their medicinal functions have been broadly discussed and accepted in many traditional recipes. In this study, 18 species of five genus of Zingiberaceae plants from Taiwan area were collected and analyzed for their functional properties. Methanolic extracts of the plants were analyzed for their total phenol compounds, alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, and reducing power.