Selection of kimchi starters based on the microbial composition of kimchi and their effects.

摘要

Based on information on the major microbial composition of kimchi and its relation to kimchi flavour, Leuconostoc mesenteroides K2M5 and Lactobacillus sakei K5M3 were selected as kimchi starter candidates. These 2 strains were found to be safe for industrial use because they showed neither harmful characteristics (including beta-haemolysis, ammonia and indole formation and gelatin liquefaction), nor enzymic activities (including phenylalanine deaminase, beta-glucuronidase, beta-glucosidase, 7 alpha-dehydroxylase and nitroreductase). Starter kimchi made with these strains were found to be better in flavour than conventional kimchi when they were evaluated both by laboratory personnel and the public. Starter kimchi prepared with these two strains were not much different in physicochemical properties to conventional kimchi except that the starter kimchi were much higher in volatile organic acid content (e.g. lactic acid). These results suggest that kimchi quality can be controlled to have consistent properties, both in flavour and microbial composition, by use of bacterial starters.