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Lactic acid bacteria contained in kimchi, the traditional Korean fermented cabbage dish, could be effective in treating avian influenza and preventing food poisoning. The BBC quoting a study by Seoul National University professor Gang Sa-wook and his team reported that an extract of kimchi helped in treatment of chickens infected with bird flu, boosting hopes of a bigger market for the dish.
Several fresh uses for the traditional side dish have recently been discovered.
¡ãKimchi replaces chemical preservatives for cosmetics
In cooperation with the Gang Sa-wook team, Biochem firm COTDE isolated an anti-bacterial peptide from lactic acid of kimchi. The company has developed the peptide as a substitute for chemical preservatives used in cosmetics. It registered the substance in a global cosmetic substance register and filed a patent application with the U.S Patent and Trademark Office.
COTDE president Jang Dong-il said the anti-bacterial peptide would appeal to the global market because unlike chemical preservatives it is harmless to the human body. COTDE is in negotiations with Korean cosmetics firm Amore Pacific, and expects exports worth US$10 million under a deal with an American distributor.
¡ãKimchi effective in treating food poisoning
Kimchi is effective in killing food poisoning bacteria left untreated by antibiotics. Seoul National University veterinary professor Park jae-hak and his team helped Cell Biotech company separate the anti-bacterial peptide ¡°LACTOCIN W¡± from two kinds of lactic acid in kimchi, the company said. The peptide kills dysentery and food poisoning bacteria in a totally different way from antibiotics. Cell Biotech has completed animal trials of the new substance.
According to a 2003 study, the volume of the U.S food preservative market is estimated at US$300 million. The Korean company expects to earn at least W10 billion (US$10 million) in sales by exporting the newly found anti-bacterial peptide.
¡ãKimchi as a source of new medicines
New medicines are being developed from kimchi. Cell Biotech and the Gang Sa-wook team isolated an anti-bacterial peptide dubbed SAFELAC which limits the activity of helicobacter pylori, a bacterium causing gastritis.
Cell Biotech said it tested the peptide on animals and confirmed the new substance¡¯s remedial effect on ulcer and gastritis with the help of a Chinese pharmaceutical company. Cell plans to conduct an international joint clinical trial in order to market food and medicines made with the peptide in Europe.
Kimchi can also prevent diseases. Seoul National University professor Chon Jong-sik said 99 percent of bacteria contained in kimchi were lactic acid bacteria. If a specific bacterium effective in treating diseases is put into kimchi at an early stage of fermentation, the dish itself can prevent food poisoning, Chon added.
(Lee Young-wan, ywlee@chosun.com )
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