This study investigated the fermentative characteristics and immunomodulating activity in Kimchi added with various salts(salt replacement and herb-salt with Acanthopanax senticosus and Glycyrrhizae uralensis) for the reduction of Na concentration in Kimchi. Kimchi using a salt replacement and herb-salt showed a higher level of acidity (0.8～0.84%) than that of the control (0.7%) at 7-day fermentation. Kimchi using a salt replacement and herb-salt showed a lower level of salinity (1.72～1.98%) than that of control (2.3～2.57%) during fermentation. The growth of Lactobacillus spp. and Leuconostoc spp. recorded the highest level (2.3×10⁸ and 2.8×10⁶ cfu/g, respectively) in control at 6 day fermentation. However, those levels in Kimchi prepared with salt replacement and herb-salt were 3.5～5.4×10⁸ and 6.1×10⁶ cfu/g, respectively. It is assumed that the high level of acidity of Kimchi prepared with salt replacement and herb-salt was caused by the increase in the growth of Lactobacillus spp. and Leuconostoc spp.. When the macrophage stimulating activity of salt replacement kimchi (Salt-R kimchi) supplemented with hot-water extract from Acanthopanax sentisus (AS) or Glycyrrhiza uralensis (GU) was investigated on aging period, Salt-RA kimchi with AS 5% at 6 days (2.78-fold of saline control at 100 ㎍/㎖) and Salt-RG kimchi with GU 5% at 9 days (2.02-fold) significantly increased compared to the Salt-RA kimchi without AS or GU. In addition, Salt-RAG kimchi with AS 3% and GU 3% improved the bitter taste of Salt-RA and potently stimulated the macrophage at 6 days (1.28-fold of Salt-R kimchi) even though its activity was lower than Salt-RA (5%, 1.39-fold).

Steamed rice is usually used as an essential ingredient when Takju or Yakju is brewed in Korea. Alternatively, non-steamed rice can be used to keep thermolabile nutrients and fresh tastes richer in Takju or Yakju. In this study, therefore, the physicochemical properties (ethanol and sugar contents, pH, total acidities, and turbidities)and the fermentative microbial profiles (aerobic mesophillic bacteria (AMB), fungi, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), acetic acid bacteria (AAB), and Escherichia coli and coliforms) have been compared among 4 Takju and 1 Yakju samples brewed using steamed or non-steamed rice. Yakju brewed using non-steamed rice has approximately 2-3 times higher ethanol and sugar contents than other 4 Takjus brewed using steamed or non-steamed rice. The pH and total acidity values of all the 5 samples ranged 3.77-4.30 and 0.12-0.35, respectively. As for turbidities, Yakju brewed using nonsteamed rice was transparent, but other 4 Takjus were not. The AMB and fungal counts for Yakju brewed using nonsteamed rice were approximately 104-fold less than those for 4 Takjus. The LAB counts for Takju and Yakju brewed using non-steamed rice were 103-fold less than those for Takjus brewed using steamed rice. The AAB counts ranged 2-6 log10CFU/mL for all the 5 samples. E.coli and coliforms were not detected. Overall, there was no significant difference in microbial counts among 4 Takjus brewed using steamed or non-steamed rice, but Takju has higher microbial counts than Yakju. All the 5 samples were conclusively considered to be hygienically brewed and processed containing plenty of beneficial microorganisms.