Reappraisal of Stimulatory Effect of Garlic on Kimchi Fermentation

There have been contradictory reports concerning the role of garlic on kimchi fermentation; therefore, in this study, the stimulatory effect of garlic on the fermentation of kimchi was reappraised. In this study, fermentation of kimchi prepared using spring Chinese cabbage was stimulated by the addition of garlic, but kimchi prepared using autumn Chinese cabbage was not. In addition, the results of this study revealed that the fermentation of kimchi prepared using spring Chinese cabbage was found to be stimulated by glucose, yeast extract, peptone, and secondary ingredients of kimchi, but the fermentation of kimchi prepared using autumn Chinese cabbage was not stimulated by these ingredients. Taken together, these results indicate that general nutrients in garlic stimulate the fermentation of kimchi by compensating for nutrients that are not found in spring Chinese cabbages. However, these findings do not indicate that certain specific substance(s) in garlic stimulate kimchi fermentation.