“…Compared to the elucidation of bacterial communities involved in the fermentation of kimchi, the knowledge of chemical structures and sensory properties of key taste molecules in kimchi is still fragmentarily explored. The aroma profile of cabbage kimchi is dominated by sulfur-containing compounds on the basis of odor intensities, whereas among the variety of volatile flavor odorants, a considerable number is not clarified yet. − The alteration of nonvolatile metabolites during the kimchi fermentation process including sugars, polyols, free amino acids, and organic acids is well studied. − Concentration changes of organic acids such as citric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, or oxalic acid occur in correlation with the ripening time, whereby in particular, the strong increase of lactic acid is responsible for the decrease of the pH value. ,− Resulting predominantly from raw materials, glucose, mannose, fructose, and galactose were detected as major free sugars decreasing with fermentation time. , Associated with their gradual reduction, the production of mannitol increases. , The amount of free amino acids alternates during storage and is depending on the kimchi variety or the addition of further ingredients such as seafood, respectively. ,, Although certain nonvolatile metabolites have been affiliated to the taste of kimchi, evident studies employing sensory taste recombination techniques to identify key taste molecules on a molecular basis are missing, in particular regarding compounds evoking the savory and complex taste impression of kimchi.…”