Ministry launches kimchi research center

The government yesterday celebrated the official launch of a research center devoted to Korea`s age-old side dish - kimchi.

The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the state-run center is designed to take on a multi-purpose "pilot-plant" role for conducting research on kimchi and other Korean fermented dishes, as well as developing new related products.

"This center will serve to establish the scientific foundations necessary for advancing our traditional food industry and globalizing Korean cuisine," the ministry said in a statement. "We believe the center will contribute to the government`s vision of establishing the food industry as a future growth engine, such as in the area of fermented food products through kimchi fermentation technologies."

The ministry said the center will conduct specialized research on lactic acids formed during the fermentation process. Lactic acids have shown potential as a promising growth engine because they can be used to make anti-bacterial products, high-value food additives and materials that could prevent dementia.

The kimchi research center has been temporarily set up within the Korea Food Research Institute in Bundang, south of Seoul, while construction of the official facility in Gwangju is set to be completed in 2011.

(sohjung@heraldm.com)



By Yoo Soh-jung