NEWS LETTER Fresh Story Vol. 40 Jan 2022
“Expectation for high-quality kimchi production”
- The World Institute of Kimchi, development of mass production technology for kimchi starter,
Establishment of “Nutricell’, the first research institute company-
- Free starter supply to 16 kimchi manufacturers through the Ministry of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs·aT support project -
The World Institute of Kimchi (Research Director, Hae choon Chang) announced that it has produced 'Kimchi Starter', which improves the taste and quality of kimchi, and supplied 4 tons of starter for free to 16 kimchi manufacturers across the country.
※ Kimchi Starter: as a Lactic acid bacteria leading the fermentation of kimchi, excellent kimchi lactic acid bacteria with the ability to improve the taste and quality of kimchi, such as improving the taste of kimchi and maintaining the quality uniformly.
Even if kimchi is manufactured using the same recipe, if the quality of raw materials by seasons is not constant or depending on the natural fermentation method, the types of major lactic acid bacteria involved in fermentation are different, and there is a difference in taste and quality. This problem is a common problem not only in kimchi but also in fermented foods, and in terms of advanced countries, it is being solved through ‘starter’.
Although some major domestic companies have developed 'starter' and applied this to kimchi manufacturing, most small and medium-sized kimchi companies in Korea have difficulties in developing their own starters, as well as problems such as a rise in production cost due to the cost of purchasing strains.
Hence, the research team of Dr. Homyung Kim of the World Institute of Kimchi has established a mass production and distribution system in order to provide kimchi starters for free to small and medium-sized kimchi manufacturers. Through the 'Kimchi Starter Supply System Establishment Project' supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (Minister Hyun-soo Kim) and Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (CEO Chun-jin Kim), 2 tons were supplied to 23 kimchi manufacturers across the country last year, and 16 manufacturers were selected and then 4 tons were supported to them this year.
The World Institute of Kimchi has selected 27 excellent kimchi starters by securing 35,000 types of kimchi lactic acid bacteria from kimchi by region and type across the country through the 'starter development project' that started in 2013, and through commercialization research has reached the stage of supplying kimchi to kimchi manufacturers by developing core source technology for kimchi, such as fermentation control and mass production technology.
The “Leuconostoc mesenteroides WiKim0121” strain, a kimchi starter that was supplied free of charge this time, increases the refreshing mannitol content of kimchi by 10 to 50%, which improves the taste of kimchi, and has the quality expiry date of kimchi by 15 to 30 days or more.
※ The quality expiry date of starter kimchi: If kimchi without the addition of starter has a shelf life of about 30 days, starter kimchi can maintain the quality of kimchi for up to 45 to 60 days.
Meanwhile, the World Institute of Kimchi plans to install and operate a starter facility for the smooth production and distribution of Kimchi starter, and the establishment procedure of Nutricell Co., Ltd., the first research institute company, has also been completed. A stable supply system has been established so that kimchi manufacturers can use excellent kimchi starters in the mid- to long-term.
※ Research institute company: Company established in special R&D zones by investing 10% or more of its capital in order to directly commercialize public technology by public research institutes in accordance with the 「Special Act on Promotion of Special Research and Development Zones」
An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said, “This year’s kimchi exports are expected to reach an all-time high and achieve a trade surplus for the first time in 12 years. In order to maintain the growth momentum related to kimchi exports, it is necessary to continuously widen the quality gap with competing exporting countries through high quality using 'kimchi starter' and thorough safety management.”
Hae choon Chang, Research Director of the World Institute of Kimchi said, “We will continue to support commercialization of kimchi so that the research results of kimchi can be actively used in industry.” and “We will do our best to develop core source technology of our institute only to help the innovative growth of the kimchi industry.”
- World Institute of Kimchi, 86, Kimchi-ro, Nam-gu, Gwangju, 61755, Republic of Korea / TEL. +82.62.610.1700