Determination of the geographical origin of kimchi by (1)H NMR-based metabolite profiling

Kimchi is a well-known traditional Korean food. Its geographical origins can be determined by its biochemical composition. This study identified the biochemical compositions of kimchi extracts from Korea and China by (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy followed by multivariate data analysis. Principal component analyses (PCA) clearly discriminated between extracts prepared in the two countries. The identified metabolites, including amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and ethanol, contributed to discriminating the geographical origin of kimchi extracts. Furthermore, differences in composition by origin were predicted with high accuracy in external validation models. These results establish biochemical profiles for kimchi extracts, and indicate that metabolomics can be used in the discrimination of food origins.