Effects of Deodorizing Plant Products on the Odor and Fermentation Characteristics of Kimchi

The use of deodorizing plant products such as persimmon leaves, pine needles and fennel seeds to mask the characteristic odor of kimchi has been proposed. Therefore, in this study, the effect of deodorizing plants on kimchi fermentation and the profile of volatile flavor compounds was investigated. During sensory evaluation tests of sour and fermentation odors of kimchi, plant extract-added kimchi showed higher sensory scores than chopped plant-added kimchi. Additionally, kimchi containing pine needle extracts (0.3-0.6%) and fennel seed extracts (0.05-0.1%) showed higher sensory scores than untreated kimchi. In addition, pine needle extract and fennel seed extract had a significant influence on kimchi fermentation characteristics such as pH, total acidity and the concentration of lactic acid bacteria. The volatile flavor compounds of kimchi and deodorizing plant extracts were also analyzed using GC/MS and the correlation of volatile flavor compounds in kimchi, plant extracts and plant-added kimchi was examined. The results revealed that the sour and fermentation odors of kimchi were reduced using deodorizing plant extracts by changing the kimchi fermentation characteristics.