*2.3. Pu*ffi*ng Process*

To minimize the carbonization of ginseng at high temperature, dried ginseng and rice were mixed at a ratio of 1:4 ( *w*/*w*). Dried ginseng (200 g) and rice (800 g) were placed in a rotary gun pu ffing machine (PPsori Co., Namyangju, Korea) and heated. When the gauge pressure reached 490 kPa, the medium pressure was released to 294 kPa, and then the rotary gun pu ffing machine was heated again. For subsequent measurements, when the pressure reached 686 kPa, 784 kPa, 882 kPa, and 980 kPa, the puffing machine door was opened to reach atmospheric pressure. Dried ginseng without puffing treatment was used as the control group.

## *2.4. Color Measurement*

The color changes of puffed ginsengs were confirmed by a color difference meter (JC801, Color Techno System, Tokyo, Japan). Ginseng samples were finely ground with a blender and filtered through a 100-mesh sieve. The range of hunter L, a, and b value coordinates ranged from L = 0 (black) to 100 (white), a = −80 (greenness) to 100 (redness), and b = −80 (blueness) to 70 (yellowness). The colorimeter was calibrated with a standard plate of L = 98.26, a = 0.24, and b = −0.24 before measurement.

## *2.5. Extraction Yield*

Five grams of puffed ginseng were ground and mixed with 125 mL of 70% ethanol (1:25, *w*/*v*), followed by stirring at room temperature for 30 min. The extracts were filtered through a funnel in a Kimble filtering flask using a Whatman No. 2 filter paper (Whatman, Maidstone, England). The extracts were dried in a hot-air dryer (HB-502M, Han Beak Scientific Co., Bucheon, Korea) at 105 ◦C, and the extraction yield was calculated using the following Equation (1):

$$\text{Extraction yield} \left( \% \right) = \frac{\left( W\_2 - W\_1 \right)}{A} \times \frac{E}{E'} \times 100 \tag{1}$$

where

*W*1 = Weight of empty aluminum dish (g) *W*2 = Weight of aluminum dish and solid (g)*A* = Weight of dried ginseng (g) *E* = Total volume of extract (mL) *E*- = Used volume of extract (mL).

#### *2.6. Crude Saponin Content*

The crude saponin content of the extracts was determined by the diethyl ether method. Dried solids were mixed with distilled water to a total volume of 50 mL. Sample (5 mL), distilled water (20 mL), and diethyl ether (25 mL) were mixed in a separation funnel. The mixture was shaken well and allowed to stand for 30 min for the separation of the aqueous and the organic layers. The separated diethyl ether layer was discarded, and the remaining water layer was mixed with 25 mL of water-saturated *n*-butanol, followed by shaking and another 30 min of rest for further separation. The separated *n*-butanol layer was collected and washed with water-saturated *n*-butanol. This process was repeated three times. The collected *n*-butanol layer was concentrated using a rotary vacuum evaporator (N-11, EYELA, Tokyo, Japan) under reduced pressure. After concentration, the sample was dried in an oven at 105 ◦C for 2 h. The crude saponin content was calculated by weight changes using the following Equation (2):

$$\text{Cruude saopinn content} \left(\frac{\text{mg}}{\text{g ginserg}}\right) = \frac{(W\_1 - W\_2)}{W\_3} \times \frac{A}{B} \tag{2}$$

where

*W*1 = Weight of the dried sample and flask (mg)

*W*2 = Weight of the flask (mg)

*W*3 = Weight of total dried ginseng (g)

*A* = Weight of total concentration (g)

*B* = Weight of used concentration (g).
