Quality and functional characteristics of kimchi made with organically cultivated young Chinese cabbage (olgari-baechu)

BackgroundRecently, studies on nutritional and functional differences in agricultural products cultivated by organic and conventional farming have been frequently reported. However, there are few studies on the physiochemical and sensory characteristics of kimchi made of organically cultivated young Chinese cabbage (olgari-baechu) according to agricultural differences.MethodsDifferent types of kimchi were produced using three different types of young Chinese cabbage: young Chinese cabbage cultivated using the nature-friendly compost (YC-FNC) as a way of organic farming; young Chinese cabbage cultivated using commercially available organic compost (YC-GC); and the general young Chinese cabbage cultivated using chemical fertilizers (YC-Control) as a way of conventional farming. Physiochemical, sensory, and functional characteristics of these types of kimchi were compared and analyzed according to the passage of ripening.ResultsIn general nutritional ingredients according to agricultural differences, the YC-Control showed high contents in moisture, crude protein, and crude fat. YC-FNC and YC-GC showed high contents in total dietary fibers, vitamin C, and phytochemicals significantly (p < 0.01). In inorganic matter YC-FNC and YC-GC had high contents of P, Ca, Mg, and Fe and YC-Control had high contents of N, K, Cu, Mn, and Zn significantly (p < 0.01). YC-Control had a higher rate in approaching the optimum ripening period, pH 4.96, than YC-FNC and YC-GC. Then, it was verified that the ripening of YC-FNC and YC-GC is gradually processed. The total polyphenols and flavonoids contents in YC-FNC and YC-GC were twice as large as YC-Control. Also, it was verified that the contents of the total polyphenol and flavonoid are significantly increased during storage in the kimchi made of all young Chinese cabbages regardless of agricultural differences (p < 0.01). Lactic acid bacteria in the kimchi and in all bacteria were significantly increased according to the ripening period (p < 0.01). Kimchi made from organic young Chinese cabbage showed higher sensory characteristics and longer storage (p < 0.01) than that of the generally cultivated young Chinese cabbage.ConclusionThe storage periods of the organic young Chinese cabbage kimchi were extended compared to the general young Chinese cabbage kimchi processed by the conventional farming. Kimchi made of organic young Chinese cabbage is a possible functional food because it increases the sensory characteristics and tastes. In addition, it enables the intake of highly functional bioactive substances.