Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the effect of ginseng on the preservability and quality of Chinese cabbage Kimchi. The effect of ginseng on the growth of Lactobacilli, pH, titratable acidity, amount of juice, sensory quality and fracitonation of cell wall ploysaccharides, and enzyme activities related to softening were examined during fermentation. Ginseng promoted the growth of L. brevis and it didn't influence L. plantarum and L. fermentum. But Leuc. mesenteroides and P. cerevisiae was inhibited a little by adding of ginseng. The quality of ginseng added Kimchi evaluated by nalysis of the pH, acidity, sensory quality, the amount of juice, and overall eating quality during fermentation was better than those of control Kimchi, and 2% ginseng added Kimchi was the best ont the preservability and quality. The activity of β -galactosidase in ginseng added Kimchi was higher than that of control Kimchi. But the activity of polygalacturonase in ginseng added Kimchi was the same as that of control Kimchi. Ginseng added Kimchi showed more desirable softness of tissue. This was the same result as the analysis of pectic substance and hemicellulosic polysaccharides composed of cell wall polysaccharides. The value of L(lightness) of ginseng added Kimchi was highly maintained during the edible period and the yellow color from the ginseng was moved to Kimchi tissue in the ginseng added Kimchi.