The Effects of Spring Kimchi Cabbage Pre-treatment and Storage Conditions on Kimchi Quality Characteristics

Kimchi is a widely consumed food in Korea, and the quality of the final fermented product is affected by properties of the cabbage used to produce it. The objective of this study was to determine optimal means of storing spring kimchi cabbage by analyzing kimchi produced from cabbage subjected to one of six combinations of pre-treatment and storage conditions. Kimchi quality evaluation was through sensory tests, measurement of antioxidant effects, and analysis of associated microorganisms. The kimchi produced from cabbage stored under T6 conditions (upside down orientation, pre-cooling, high density polyethylene (HDPE) film wrap, and photocatalytic storage) possessed a static pH, which implied a slow progression of ripening that was also verified in sensory tests by a low sour taste score of 3.60 and a high green taste score of 3.00. The kimchi produced from T3 cabbage (upright orientation and low-temperature storage) showed the highest consumer preference according to the sensory test results, with scores of 6.40 and 5.40 from the time of making kimchi through to the fourth week of ripening, respectively. Analysis of antioxidant effects showed that the highest phenol content of 243.75 GAE mgㆍg-¹ was in kimchi produced from T2 cabbage (upside down orientation, pre-cooling, HDPE film wrap, and plasma storage). Furthermore, both the highest flavonoid content of 70.54 QE mgㆍg-¹ and the highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity level of 70.54% was in kimchi produced from T4 cabbage (upside down orientation, pre-cooling, HDPE film wrap, and low-temperature storage). Over eight weeks of maturation, the volume of lactic acid bacteria constantly rose by 7.98 log CFUㆍmL-¹ in kimchi produced from T3 cabbage and by 7.81 log CFUㆍmL-¹ in kimchi produced from T1 cabbage (upright orientation and plasma storage). The results of this study indicate that the T3 cabbage storage conditions are optimal for producing high-quality kimchi.