# Korea Food Research Institute: parsnip extract raised gut bacteria growth up to 2x vs inulin in cell and animal tests

- Published: 2026-11-10 14:56 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Agritech & food
- Tags: parsnip extract, gut bacteria, intestinal barrier, liver fat, inulin comparison, mucin-2, gut-liver axis, npj Science of Food, functional food
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-7561ed80d4bb9438d54fad2f_korea_food_research/

**Parsnip root extract promoted beneficial gut bacteria and reduced liver fat in cell and animal experiments. Effects in humans have not yet been verified.**

![Korea Food Research Institute: parsnip extract raised gut bacteria growth up to 2x vs inulin in cell and animal tests](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/de955b6085893059.jpg)
*Mount Rainier National Park from Ashford, WA, United States, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain*

The Korea Food Research Institute reported on the 10th that a team led by Dr. Park Ho-young found that parsnip root extract promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, strengthens the intestinal barrier and may reduce fat accumulation in the liver, according to biz.heraldcorp.com [1]. The study was done in cells and animals, and the results were published in the journal npj Science of Food [1].

Parsnip is a root vegetable of the celery family (Apiaceae), long used as food in Europe. Because it resembles a white carrot, it is called a "white carrot". It contains dietary fiber, polyphenols and other plant-derived compounds.

## Intestinal barrier and mucus

The intestinal barrier prevents harmful substances from entering the blood. When gut microbial balance is disrupted, for example by a high-fat diet, the barrier weakens, and bacterial endotoxin can reach the liver through the blood. This is considered one of the causes of liver inflammation and fat accumulation [1].

The researchers treated intestinal mucus-secreting cells with the extract at 10 to 1000 µg/mL. Mucus production increased, as did expression of mucin-2, a protein involved in mucus formation [1].

## Animal results and prebiotic comparison

In animals fed a high-fat diet, those given the extract had lower blood endotoxin levels and less liver fat. The barrier protein ZO-1 and the inflammatory state of colon tissue also improved [1].

The extract promoted the growth of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria isolated from the intestines of healthy Koreans. According to the researchers, the effect was 1.2 to 2 times higher than that of inulin, a standard prebiotic [1]. The team said the results point to a positive influence on the gut-liver axis: growth of beneficial bacteria, a stronger barrier, less endotoxin entering the blood and less liver fat [1].

The work remains at the cell and animal stage, and whether the same effects occur in people requires further verification [1]. The team is currently running human efficacy tests. It plans to proceed through raw material standardization, safety evaluation and human trials toward a functional food ingredient, and is also pursuing commercialization linking domestic smart-farm cultivation with functional ingredient production [1].

Dr. Park said the water-soluble components of parsnip may improve beneficial bacteria growth, barrier function, endotoxin and liver health markers together [1].

## Sources

1. [biz.heraldcorp.com](https://biz.heraldcorp.com/article/10932531)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-7561ed80d4bb9438d54fad2f_korea_food_research/