Effects of pre-heat treatments on the quality of cut kimchi cabbages during short-term storage

Kimchi cabbages were cut (3×3 cm), and were pre-heat treated at 40°C, and their physicochemical qualities and browning degrees were investigated during 8 weeks storage at 5°C. The Cut kimchi cabbages were treated at 40°C (1~8 hrs) and their protein bands profiles were determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The 60, 39, 33, and 12 kDa bands considered heat shock proteins (HSPs) were expressed in the cut kimchi cabbage, and the 4-hr pre-heat treatment (HS 4) exhibited the strongest band ratio. The weight ratios and titratable acidities of the pre-heat treated cut kimchi cabbages were not changed so much after 8 weeks storage at 5°C, and the soluble solid contents of HS 4 decreased less than that of any other treatments. The browning degree of HS 4 after 8 week storage was also shown to be the least among the treatments. The polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities of all treatments slightly rose during the over all storage period, in contrast with the decrease of total phenolic contents. The expression of HSPs was identified in the pre-heat treated cut kimchi cabbages, and HS 4 exhibited the best quality and appearance after 8 weeks storage at 5°C.