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Kimchi was fermented in onggi and other containers at 4°C for 4 weeks. Two types of onggi were used: glazed and nonglazed onggi. Other containers such as polyethylene plastic containers, polypropylene containers for use in a kimchi refrigerator, stainless steel and glass bottles were used. During the fermentation, kimchi fermented in onggi showed relatively stable acidity change compared with those in the other containers. Also it showed higher lactic acid bacteria multiplication (10 8 -10 9 cfu g )1 at 4th week) but slower general aerobic bacteria multiplication than the others. The springiness of kimchi fermented in onggi was more than 50% at 4th week, it is higher than the others. Its carbonic acid taste and overall acceptability were excellent in sensory evaluations. The antioxidative and cancer-cell antiproliferative activities were also greater in kimchi fermented in onggi than the others. Between the two types of onggi, nonglazed onggi showed better results in both properties and functionalities of kimchi. Onggi showed higher gas permeability than polyethylene plastic containers and glass bottles because of its porous structure, and lactic acid bacteria could have benefited from this condition. It possibly contributes to optimal ripening of kimchi resulting in better properties, especially texture and taste, and health functionalities.Excellence of kimchi fermented in onggi J.-K. Jeong et al.

Lactic acid bacterial communities in kimchi prepared by representative Korean kimchi companies were investigated using a pyrosequencing method. The pH values of 9 kimchi varieties (K1-K9) ranged from 4.3 to 4.7, and total lactic acid bacterial (LAB) counts ranged from 1.3x10 to 1.6x10 CFU/g. ,, and were the dominant genera accounting for 52, 28, and 20%, respectively, of identified genera. At the species level, (35%) dominated, followed by (13%), and (11%). Dominant LAB were all heterofermentative LAB. K1 had the most diverse operational taxonomic units (OTUs), and clustering analysis showed that distributions of microorganisms in K2, K6, K5, and K4 were similar each other. LAB communities in kimchi are diverse and heterofermentative LAB dominate in Korean commercial kimchi.

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Backgrounds:Meju is the main ingredient and the starter culture of traditional Korean fermented soybean foods; these fermented soybean products are well-known for their various health benefits, including anticancer effects. We developed the grain-type meju using probiotic mixed starter cultures to improve the qualities and functionalities of fermented soybean products, as well as the meju itself. In this study, the inhibitory effects of the grain-type meju were investigated in azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colon carcinogenesis mice model.Materials and Methods:AOM and DSS colon carcinogenesis was induced in female C57BL/6 mice and meju was orally administered for 4 weeks. The body weight, colon length, and colon weight of mice were determined, and colonic tissues were histologically observed. The serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines and the levels of inflammation- and apoptosis-related genes in colonic tissue were also analyzed.Results:The administration of meju using probiotic mixed starter cultures ameliorated the symptoms of colon cancer and reduced number of neoplasia, and reduced serum proinflammatory cytokine levels and iNOS and COX-2 expression levels in colonic tissue. It increased Bax and reduced Bcl-2 expression levels and increased p21 and p53 expression in colonic tissues.Conclusion:The meju showed inhibitory effects on the progression of colon cancer induced by AOM and DSS by ameliorating the symptoms of colon cancer, reducing the number of neoplasias and regulating proinflammatory cytokine levels and the expressions of inflammation- and apoptosis-related genes in the colonic tissue.