• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.233-239
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• 2019

This paper presents a literature review on the active technologies to regulate the levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen in Kimchi packaging. In this study, laser-etched pouches and $O_2$ scavengers were used for Kimchi packaging, and the efficiency of each packaging technique to regulate the $CO_2$ and $O_2$ levels inside Kimchi packages was investigated. When Kimchi was packaged with a laser-etched pouch, the $CO_2$ concentration in the sample with a high gas transmission rate was less than that in other pouches (p<0.05), and a low $CO_2$ level had little effect on the expansion of the package volume. Kimchi treated with an $O_2$ absorber exhibited a significantly lower (p<0.05) $O_2$ concentration inside the packages relative to the control. A low $O_2$ concentration inside the Kimchi package effectively inhibited the growth of total aerobic bacteria and lactic acid bacteria, as well as yeasts and molds on Kimchi. These results suggest that $O_2$ absorbers have a positive effect on the microbial quality of Kimchi. Therefore, packaging in a laser-etched pouch and the use of an $O_2$ scavenger could provide a novel packaging material for regulating the $CO_2$ and $O_2$ levels during Kimchi packaging.