A Comparative Study of Salinity in Packaged Kimchi, Bulk Kimchi and Common Foods in Korea

ABSTRACT

To determine the salinity of packaged Kimchi, bulk Kimchi and other common foods, we collected samples of foods from the Gyeonggi province area in October 2006 and determined the salinity levels in one serving portion. The average salinity of all foods was 0.226+/-0.212%. The average salinity of all Kimchi samples was 0.401+/-0.260%. The average salinities of soups, stews, protein containing side dishes, vegetable side dishes and drinks were 0.153+/-0.085%, 0.691+/-0.213%, 0.157+/-0.102%, 0.209+/-0.127% and 0.080+/-0.076%, respectively. The average salt intake of one serving of Kimchi was 0.125+/-0.041 g, while the average salt intakes of one serving of the soups, stews, protein containing side dishes, vegetable side dishes and drinks were 0.306+/-0.170 g, 1.382+/-0.426 g, 0.094+/-0.061 g, 0.146+/-0.089 g, and 0.159+/-0.152 g, respectively. The salinity of packaged Kimchi was significantly higher than the salinity of the bulk Kimchi (p<0.01). In addition, the salinity of the liquid and solid stem portions of the packaged Kimchi was significantly higher than the salinity of the same sized portions of the bulk Kimchi (p<0.01). Furthermore, the salinity in the liquid and solid stem portions of the packaged mustard leaf Kimchi were significantly higher than the salinities of other types of Kimchi (p<0.0001). The salinity of all Kimchi is higher than that of soup, protein containing side dishes, vegetable side dishes or drinks, but the salt content of one serving of Kimchi is lower than those of the soups or stews or vegetable side dishes or drinks (because one serving size of Kimchi is usually smaller than that of the other foods).