By Kim Hyun-cheol
Staff Reporter
A state-run research center for kimchi opened Wednesday with the aim of developing technologies concerning the spicy-pickled vegetables into a more promotable item worldwide along with many other fermented dishes.
Located in the Korea Food Research Institute in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, the organization will spearhead efforts to set up a foundation for development and promotion of traditional Korean food, or ``hansik,'' the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.
It will provide scientific studies to transform kimchi into a more global dish in line with the nation's efforts to promote hansik, the ministry said.
It also plans to pave the way for a future industry by creating functional food items using lactic acids in kimchi. They are known to be useful in making anti-bacterial products, food additives and medical materials that could prevent dementia.
The center will move to Gwangju with the completion of a larger facility by 2011. The southwest city is currently pressing ahead with the construction of an integrated research center for kimchi.
On the opening day, some 50 kinds of kimchi, made using a wide variety of modernized methods, were displayed to show off the direction of the research center.
The farm ministry plans to develop the laboratory into a global top-tier institute for fermented food.
Raising exports of food products and ingredients is one of the core missions the ministry is focusing on. Korea looks to export $10 billion worth of food products in 2012, more than double the $4.8 billion last year.
hckim@koreatimes.co.kr
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