Science and philosophy of Korea traditional foods (K-food)

Each ethnic group has developed a food culture that enjoys delicious food by consuming natural materials or agricultural products from their respective regions. Because soybeans originated in Korea and are abundant there, a way to make delicious soybeans has been developed. Jang is a food made by fermenting soybeans, and representative types include doenjang, gochujang, kanjang, and cheongkukjang. Koreans usually season their food with jangs instead of salt. The representative seasoning of Korea traditional food is jang and yangnyom. When soybeans are fermented, soybean proteins decompose and produce fermentation by-products such as peptides, amino acids, and organic acids that provide new taste and flavor. Therefore, seasoning with jang provides a much richer taste than salt alone. Jang is an essential element of Korean food, adding taste and flavor to other dishes. Since jang is the most important and widely used food in Korean cuisine, Koreans have devoted all their efforts to making jang. These efforts include cleaning the surrounding environment, hanging meju (the blocked soybean) under the roof to dry, using charcoal and red pepper, and more. From a modern scientific perspective, their earnest devotion served functions of hygiene, moisture control, microbial inoculation, and salt control. Jang is a unique Korean food culture born from the tireless efforts of Korean mothers to feed their families with the most delicious food possible, even during times of food scarcity when they had to survive on rough grass.

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Hepatoprotective effects of ethnic cabbage dishes: a comparison study on kimchi and pao cai

Nugroho,

Surya,

Nurkolis

et al. 2023

J. Ethn. Food

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Consuming ethnic vegetable dishes, that has been an integral part in the food culture of many countries, is suggested to bring health benefits to humans. Kimchi from Korea and pao cai from China are two distinct vegetable dishes made from Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) through different processes. While kimchi is a fermented food, pao cai is produced by pickling in brine or vinegar. The present study aimed to investigate and compare the hepatoprotective effects of kimchi and pao cai in vivo using animal model and in vitro using a cell line. Despite having similar nutritional profiles, kimchi and pao cai exhibited different chemical and microbiological properties. Compared to pao cai, the pH during fermentation of kimchi dropped more rapidly and the antioxidant activity of kimchi was also stronger. In addition, total microorganisms and lactic acid bacteria were consistently higher in kimchi than in pao cai. In vivo, the hepatoprotective properties of kimchi and pao cai were associated with the increase in expression and activity of major liver antioxidant enzymes, particularly glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. In vitro, both kimchi and pao cai promoted the formation of glutathione. Upon exposure to chemically induced oxidative stress, kimchi protected liver cells by inhibiting glutathione depletion and limiting lipid peroxidation. In general, kimchi demonstrated stronger hepatoprotective properties compared to pao cai. Thus, the present study provides promising insights into the development of ethnic foods, particularly kimchi and pao cai, as functional foods beneficial for human health.

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Science and philosophy of Korea traditional foods (K-food)

Cited by 6 publications

References 42 publications

Impacts of Recent Techniques in "Tofu" Production

Impacts of Recent Techniques in "Tofu" Production

Jang, Korean fermented soybean product, the result of endeavors of ancients for the best taste of Korean diet

Hepatoprotective effects of ethnic cabbage dishes: a comparison study on kimchi and pao cai

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