Abstract
The effects of salting methods on Kakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) fermentation were evaluated. Kakdugi was prepared with various salting methods, salt concentrations, and settling times, and fermented at 10$^{\circ}C$ for up to 52 days. Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) cubes (2 cm size) were salted by using the following methods salt concentration of about 1.5% which was known appropriate for the organoleptic quality of Kakdugi: 1) Treatment S-1: applying dry salt uniformly onto the radish cubes, with a salt concentration of about 1.5% (w/w) and cured for 1 hr, 2) Treatment S-5: applying dry salt uniformly onto the radish cubes, with a salt concentration of about 1.2% (w/w) and cured for 5 hr, 3) Treatment B-1: brining radish cubes in a 8.5% (w/v) salt solution for 1 hr, 4) Treatment B-5: brining radish cubes in a 4.0% (w/v) salt solution for 5 hr. As the fermentation continued, the initial high decrease in pH has been retarded in all the treatments, of which the delaying extent was more significantly noted from B-1 and B-5 than S-1 and S-5. The pH of the Kakdugi which showed a good eating quality dropped to 4.3∼4.8 with the accumulation of total acids. Total vitamin C increased sharply at the palatable period of Kakdugi during the initial fermentation and then decreased gradually following a sigmoidal changing pattern. The reducing sugar levels were also influenced by salting methods and fermentation as sugars are converted into acids. High initial contents of reducing sugars and their subsequent rapid decrease were observed in “S” group than “B” group during fermentation. For nonvolatile organic acids, lactic acid increased consistently throughout the fermentation while malic acid, which was high at the initiation of fermentation, decreased rapidly afterwards at the palatable period of Kakdugi.