Fermentative Properties and Immunomodulating Activity of Low-sodium Kimchi Supplemented with Acanthopanax senticosus and Glycyrrhizae uralensis Extracts

Abstract This study investigated the fermentative characteristics and immunomodulating activity in Kimchi added with various salts (salt replacement and herb-salt with Acanthopanax senticosus and Glycyrrhizae uralensis) for the reduction of Na concentration in Kimchi. Kimchi using a salt replacement and herb-salt showed a higher level of acidity (0.8 ～ 0.84%) than that of the control (0.7%) at 7-day fermentation. Kimchi using a salt replacement and herb-salt showed a lower level of salinity (1.72 ～ 1.98%) than that of control (2.3 ～ 2.57%) during fermentation. The growth of Lactobacillus spp. and Leuconostoc spp. recorded the highest level (2.3×10 8 and 2.8×10 6 cfu/g, respectively) in control at 6 day-fermentation. However, those levels in Kimchi prepared with salt replacement and herb-salt were 3.5 ～ 5.4×10 8 and 6.1×10 6 cfu/g, respectively. It is assumed that the high level of acidity of Kimchi prepared with salt replacement and herb-salt was caused by the increase in the growth of Lactobacillus spp. and Leuconostoc spp.. When the macrophage stimulating activity of salt replacement kimchi (Salt-R kimchi) supplemented with hot-water extract from Acanthopanax sentisus (AS) or Glycyrrhiza uralensis (GU) was investigated on aging period, Salt-RA kimchi with AS 5% at 6 days (2.78-fold of saline control at 100 ㎍/㎖) and Salt-RG kimchi with GU 5% at 9 days (2.02-fold) significantly increased compared to the Salt-RA kimchi without AS or GU. In addition, Salt-RAG kimchi with AS 3% and GU 3% improved the bitter taste of Salt-RA and potently stimulated the macrophage at 6 days (1.28-fold of Salt-R kimchi) even though its activity was lower than Salt-RA (5%, 1.39-fold).Key words: low-sodium kimchi, salt replacement, herb extract, fermentative properties, imunostimulating activity