Healthy and safe Korean traditional fermented foods: kimchi and chongkukjang

Abstract

There are many types of fermented foods worldwide. Generally, traditional fermented foods have nutritive and functional properties. Moreover, they are considered safe foods because they have a long history of being consumed in their local communities. Most traditional fermented foods are fermented by spontaneous fermenting processes conducted by various microorganisms; however, spontaneous fermentation results in inconsistent quality from batch to batch. Although traditional fermented foods were originally made at the household level, they are now produced in massive amounts by the food industry; accordingly, much stricter demands for food security and standardization with high sensory qualities are needed. Traditional fermented foods are good resources for isolation of useful microorganisms harboring antimicrobial activities to be used as starter cultures. Adapting proper regulations and starter system safeguards during the manufacture of kimchi and chongkukjang, which are popularly consumed Korean traditional fermented foods, is helping to ensure that these foods are acceptably safe as well as healthy.