Changes in Physicochemical and Microbiological Properties in Low-Temperature and Long-Term Fermented Kimchi during Fermentation

To develop the low-temperature and long-term fermented kimchi, kimchi was prepared according to the recipe of a specific ratio of major and minor ingredients and adjusted its salinity to 3.7%. Prepared kimchi fermented at for 24 hours and transferred and fermented in a refrigerator only used to make low-temperature and long-term fermented kimchi at for 30 weeks. During 30 weeks of fermentation the changes in physicochemical and microbiological properties of low-temperature and long-term fermented kimchi were studied. The initial pH of 6.47 decrease gradually and dropped to pH 4.0 after 14 weeks of fermentation, and then it maintained at same level. Acidity increased to 0.49% on 2 weeks of fermentation and kept at 0.47 0.50% during 2 to 30 weeks fermentation. Salinity was slightly increased at early stage and started to decrease on 4 weeks of fermentation, and then it did not change. The change of reducing sugar content was closely related to the trend of pH change with a very high correlation coefficient(r =0.912). Lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid, succinic acid and acetic acid were major organic acids contained in low-temperature and long-term fermented kimchi. Vitamin C content decreased at initial stage of fermentation and then slightly increased up to the maximum of 22.3 mg% on 8weeks of fermentation. In color measurement, L value continued to increase during the fermentation and reached at the highest of 55.45 on 22 weeks of fermentation, and a and b values of 3.62 and 4.54 also increased to 31.26 and 37.32 on 30 weeks of fermentation, respectively. Total microbial count increased slowly from beginning and was the highest on 4 weeks of fermentation, and then began to decrease slowly. Count of Lactobacillus spp. was highest after 6weeks, but count of Lactobacillus spp. was highest on 2 weeks of fermentation, and then both showed a slow decrease. Yeast count wasn't increased until 4 weeks of fermentation and then increased rapidly to get the highest on 10 weeks of fermentation.