Kimchi lactic acid bacteria and health benefits

Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea, Republic of

ABSTRACT

Kimchi contains a high number of lactic acid bacteria (10^8~9/ml), organic acids (lactic, acetic, succinic, propionic acids, etc.), vitamin B complex, and modified functional phytochemicals formed during the fermentation process. Vitamin C, carotenoids, chlorophylls, tocopherol, isothiocyanates, indole-3-carbinol, flavonoids, β-sitosterol, dietary fiber, capsaicinoids, unsaturated fatty acids, allyl sulfur compounds, gingerel, organic acid, lactic acid bacteria, se, etc are the nutraceuticals found in kimchi. The representative kimchi lactic acid bacteria (LAB) reported so far are Leu. mesenteroides, Leu. citreum, Leu. gasicomitatum, Leu. kimchii, Leu. inhae, Weissella Koreensis, Weissella cibaria, Lac. plantarum, Lac. sakei, Lac. delbrueckii, Lac. buchneri, Lac. brevis, Lac. fermentum, Ped. acidilactici and Ped. pentosaceus. LAB from kimchi revealed high preventive capability of the mutation induced by 4-NQO, MeIQ and Trp-p2 as much as (or higher than) Lac. acidophilus from dairy products, regardless of their viability. The cell wall fraction, rather than in the cytosol fraction was responsible for the antimutagenic activity of the lactic acid bacteria. Kimchi LAB exhibited antitumor, antimutagenic effect, increase immune function, decrease avian influenza virus, decrease atopy, antiallergy, production of GABA, etc. During the administration of kimchi in humans, the cell counts of Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc increased (p<0.05). The enzymes of β-glucosidase, β-glucuronidase and nitroreductase in the colon decreased during the kimchi intake (p<0.05). Kimchi LAB fermentation increased anticancer effect in HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells. Optimally ripened (OpR) kimchi induced apoptosis as determined by DAPI staining and increased Bax, and decreased in the expression of Bcl-2.