Scientists show kimchi may help combat bird flu, SARS

SEOUL, May 18 (Yonhap) -- Eating well-fermented kimchi may protect people from
the potentially fatal bird flu and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS),
South Korean researchers said Monday.

A joint team of scientists from the Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI) and
local universities said laboratory tests conducted since 2006 on 115 chickens and
42 mice showed that the spicy, fermented dish prevents infections in animals.
Kimchi is a side dish eaten with almost all traditional Korean meals, and it is
made from cabbage, radishes, cucumber, garlic and red chili peppers.
"The exact reason why animals that ate high concentrations of kimchi-based feed
were not affected by bird flu and SARS needs to be examined in the future,
although there is a clear correlation between the food and the ability to
withstand the virus," said Kim Young-jin, a KFRI senior researcher who led the
tests.
The research started because no Korean has died from the bird flu or SARs,
despite the the fact that many Koreans have visited countries hard-hit by both
diseases.
"Initially there was speculation that the high level of vitamin C in kimchi may
be the cause of the natural resistance, but this has been discarded in favor of
benefits caused by the fermentation process of the dish," the expert said.
Kim said well-fermented kimchi with pH levels of 4.0-4.2 had the best results in
tests, adding that steady consumption of the food over a long period of time
boosted resistance to infection.
Tests and dissections conducted on chickens showed most birds that ate kimchi
extract showed no H1N1 bird flu or SARs viruses in their respiratory systems,
while no mice that ate a special feed made from kimchi died in the experiment.
The fatality rate for animals that were given regular feed, however, reached 20
percent.
Both bird flu and SARs are similar to the common flu. SARs is passed from
person-to-person, while bird flu is usually passed from sick birds to humans.
Experts, meanwhile, said that kimchi may help raise resistance to the current
type-A H1N1 influenza virus strain that has infected 8,500 people in 39 countries
and claimed over 70 lives, mainly in Mexico.
The latest outbreak is caused by the combination of swine, bird and common human
influenza viruses.
South Korea confirmed three cases of the type-A flu, with all three being
released from quarantine after making speedy recoveries.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)