This study aimed to develop a functional kimchi seasoning enhanced with the subtropical spice culantro (Eryngium foetidum L.) to broaden the consumption base of kimchi, a traditional fermented food, and cater to the changing dietary habits of modern p...
This study aimed to develop a functional kimchi seasoning enhanced with the subtropical spice culantro (Eryngium foetidum L.) to broaden the consumption base of kimchi, a traditional fermented food, and cater to the changing dietary habits of modern people. Despite a trend of decreased kimchi consumption among young Koreans, the global demand for Korean food is rising. In response, this research reinterpreted the nutritional and fermentation value of kimchi into a convenient, modern powder seasoning form and integrated culantro, a spice proven to have antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, to explore new utilization possibilities that contribute to the modernization and globalization of Hansik.
The study employed the Simplex-Lattice Design method from the mixture experimental design to determine the optimal blending ratio of three independent variables: culantro, salt, and yeast extract. Fourteen prepared samples were subjected to sensory evaluation by a panel of 30 judges regarding six sensory quality attributes, and physicochemical quality attributes—salinity, sugar content (Brix), pH, and color (L, a, b values)—were analyzed. Statistical significance testing was performed to derive the optimization model.
Among the six sensory quality attributes, the umami attribute selected the Linear Model, while the remaining five attributes—flavor, salty, sweetness, color, and overall preference—selected the Quadratic Model, confirming that non-linear interactions among the components were predominant. The increase in culantro content tended to be a key factor causing a significant decrease in overall preference due to its characteristic strong flavor and green pigment. Conversely, salt and yeast extract showed a positive synergistic effect, increasing preference in most sensory attributes, including salty, umami, sweet, and flavor. Furthermore, through Trace Plot and Contour Plot analyses, the highest preference regions for flavor, salty, sweet, color, and overall preference were formed when the blending ratio of salt and yeast extract was intermediate or higher.
Among the six physicochemical attributes, salinity (sodium) selected the Quadratic Model, pH and redness (color a) selected the Special Cubic Model, and sugar content (Brix), lightness (color L), and yellowness (color b) selected the Special Quartic Model, confirming the existence of much more complex and non-linear interactions among components than in the sensory attributes. The addition of culantro reduced salinity by up to 5.17. Due to the influence of culantro's unique pigment, it tended to decrease lightness and redness, but significantly increased pH, with the highest value rising to 4.92. Meanwhile, salt and yeast extract acted as major interactive factors that increased sugar content, lightness, redness, and yellowness. An increase in the proportion of yeast extract showed the highest single-component effect on increasing salinity, with the value rising to 6.43.
For the initial optimization to derive the optimal blending ratio, setting all sensory attributes to maximum predicted a 0 % culantro blending ratio. To ensure the culantro content met the minimum requirement for the product's characteristics, the constraint was reset to 'Maximum' for the culantro content, and a second Numerical Optimization was performed. Consequently, an optimal recipe with a satisfactory Desirability of 0.670 was established at a blending ratio of 0.16 culantro powder, 0.41 salt, and 0.43 yeast extract. Finally, the optimized culantro kimchi seasoning showed statistically significantly higher (p<0.01) antioxidant activity compared to the commercial kimchi seasoning (control) in both Total Polyphenol Content (6.38 mg GAE/g vs. 4.64 mg GAE/g) and DPPH radical scavenging activity (75.83 % vs. 70.79 %). This empirically proves that the addition of culantro can effectively enhance product functionality by overcoming sensory constraints, enabling the development of high-value-added seasoning.
The results of this study propose a modern adaptation model for traditional Hansik in response to changing domestic consumption trends and provide academic and practical applications for culantro as a new functional food ingredient.
This research is expected to serve as foundational data for proposing utilization methods for new income crops to domestic farmers and contributing to the global localization strategy of K-food.