Changes of Volatile Compounds, Lactic Acid Bacteria, pH, and Headspace Gases in Kimchi, a Traditional Korean Fermented Vegetable Product

Headspace volatiles of Kimchi stored at 5 °C increased over a 7 d period by 20.0% and then decreased from 7 to 27 d by 8.3%. Forty volatile compounds including 18 sulfur compounds were identified in Kimchi. Lactic acid bacteria in Kimchi increased from 3.1 to 4.5 (1 × 10 8 cfu/mL) over a 17‐d period and decreased by 40% from 17 to 27 d. As the storage time increased from 2 to 27 d, pH decreased from 4.3 to 3.8, headspace oxygen decreased from 14.3 to 1.3%, and headspace carbon dioxide increased from 27.7 to 45.3%. Enzymatic reactions and chemical oxidations in Kimchi explained the changes of volatile compounds, lactic acid bacteria, pH, headspace oxygen and carbon dioxide.