Sensitivity of Color Indicators to Fermentation Products of Kimchi at Various Temperatures

Application of the color indicators to kimchi packages was investigated in order to monitor the ripeness of commercial kimchi products during storage and distribution. Kimchi was packed in polypropylene (PP) tray and nylon/cast polypropylene (Ny/CPP) lid where the indicating sachet consisting of absorbent and chemical dye (bromocresol purple and methyl red) was attached. The ripeness of kimchi during storage at was measured in terms of pH and titratable acidity (TA), which were compared with Hunter color values of the indicators. The color of bromocresol purple dye turned from light blue to purple, while that of methyl red turned from light yellow to red. Regardless of the storage temperatures, Hunter b values of bromocresol purple type and Hunter a values of methyl red type appeared to be proportional to both the pH and TA values of kimchi. These results suggest that the color indicators be employed as one of the effective techniques for sensing the ripeness of packaged kimchi products without destructing the package.