Primary perspectives towards kimchi as a beauty food enhancing collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidant enzymes in skin cells

Abstract Beauty food is a term referring to food that is believed to nourish the skin from within, thus improving physical appearance by promoting a healthy and youthful skin. Kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented food, is gaining recognition as a potential beauty food due to its rich composition o...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Reggie Surya, Jin-Yung Kim, Nurkhalida Kamal, Felicia Tedjakusuma, Aphinya Thinthasit, Kantiya Petsong, David Nugroho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-05-01
Series:Discover Food
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-025-00466-8
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849705234162515968
author Reggie Surya
Jin-Yung Kim
Nurkhalida Kamal
Felicia Tedjakusuma
Aphinya Thinthasit
Kantiya Petsong
David Nugroho
author_facet Reggie Surya
Jin-Yung Kim
Nurkhalida Kamal
Felicia Tedjakusuma
Aphinya Thinthasit
Kantiya Petsong
David Nugroho
author_sort Reggie Surya
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Beauty food is a term referring to food that is believed to nourish the skin from within, thus improving physical appearance by promoting a healthy and youthful skin. Kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented food, is gaining recognition as a potential beauty food due to its rich composition of bioactive compounds, antioxidants, and probiotics. This study investigates the effects of kimchi extract (1% and 5%) on skin health at the cellular level using cultured human skin cells as an in vitro model. The antioxidant activity of kimchi extract was assessed using DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC assays, demonstrating significant antioxidant potential, particularly on the 14th day of fermentation stage. Treatment of keratinocytes with kimchi extract resulted in the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway and upregulation of key antioxidant enzymes, such as heme oxygenase 1 (HO1), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), which help protect skin cells against oxidative stress. Additionally, kimchi extract promoted the expression of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid in fibroblasts, thus supporting skin structure and hydration. Finally, kimchi extract protected keratinocytes from oxidative stress-induced cell death, suggesting its potential to maintain skin health and mitigate signs of aging. These findings provide the first molecular evidence of kimchi’s potential as a beauty food, highlighting its role in enhancing skin resilience and appearance through dietary intervention.
format Article
id doaj-art-323afc008ca5424eaab698053d1ad5dc
institution DOAJ
issn 2731-4286
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Springer
record_format Article
series Discover Food
spelling doaj-art-323afc008ca5424eaab698053d1ad5dc2025-08-20T03:16:32ZengSpringerDiscover Food2731-42862025-05-015111310.1007/s44187-025-00466-8Primary perspectives towards kimchi as a beauty food enhancing collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidant enzymes in skin cellsReggie Surya0Jin-Yung Kim1Nurkhalida Kamal2Felicia Tedjakusuma3Aphinya Thinthasit4Kantiya Petsong5David Nugroho6Food Technology Department, Faculty of Engineering, Bina Nusantara UniversityLaboratory of Agrofood and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Toulouse III Paul SabatierInstitute of Systems Biology (INBIOSIS), Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaDepartment of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agro Industry, Kasetsart UniversityDepartment of Integrated Science, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen UniversityDepartment of Food Technology, Faculty of Technology, Khon Kaen UniversityDepartment of Integrated Science, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen UniversityAbstract Beauty food is a term referring to food that is believed to nourish the skin from within, thus improving physical appearance by promoting a healthy and youthful skin. Kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented food, is gaining recognition as a potential beauty food due to its rich composition of bioactive compounds, antioxidants, and probiotics. This study investigates the effects of kimchi extract (1% and 5%) on skin health at the cellular level using cultured human skin cells as an in vitro model. The antioxidant activity of kimchi extract was assessed using DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC assays, demonstrating significant antioxidant potential, particularly on the 14th day of fermentation stage. Treatment of keratinocytes with kimchi extract resulted in the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway and upregulation of key antioxidant enzymes, such as heme oxygenase 1 (HO1), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), which help protect skin cells against oxidative stress. Additionally, kimchi extract promoted the expression of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid in fibroblasts, thus supporting skin structure and hydration. Finally, kimchi extract protected keratinocytes from oxidative stress-induced cell death, suggesting its potential to maintain skin health and mitigate signs of aging. These findings provide the first molecular evidence of kimchi’s potential as a beauty food, highlighting its role in enhancing skin resilience and appearance through dietary intervention.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-025-00466-8AntioxidantBeauty foodCollagenKimchiNrf2
spellingShingle Reggie Surya
Jin-Yung Kim
Nurkhalida Kamal
Felicia Tedjakusuma
Aphinya Thinthasit
Kantiya Petsong
David Nugroho
Primary perspectives towards kimchi as a beauty food enhancing collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidant enzymes in skin cells
Discover Food
Antioxidant
Beauty food
Collagen
Kimchi
Nrf2
title Primary perspectives towards kimchi as a beauty food enhancing collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidant enzymes in skin cells
title_full Primary perspectives towards kimchi as a beauty food enhancing collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidant enzymes in skin cells
title_fullStr Primary perspectives towards kimchi as a beauty food enhancing collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidant enzymes in skin cells
title_full_unstemmed Primary perspectives towards kimchi as a beauty food enhancing collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidant enzymes in skin cells
title_short Primary perspectives towards kimchi as a beauty food enhancing collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidant enzymes in skin cells
title_sort primary perspectives towards kimchi as a beauty food enhancing collagen elastin hyaluronic acid and antioxidant enzymes in skin cells
topic Antioxidant
Beauty food
Collagen
Kimchi
Nrf2
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-025-00466-8
work_keys_str_mv AT reggiesurya primaryperspectivestowardskimchiasabeautyfoodenhancingcollagenelastinhyaluronicacidandantioxidantenzymesinskincells
AT jinyungkim primaryperspectivestowardskimchiasabeautyfoodenhancingcollagenelastinhyaluronicacidandantioxidantenzymesinskincells
AT nurkhalidakamal primaryperspectivestowardskimchiasabeautyfoodenhancingcollagenelastinhyaluronicacidandantioxidantenzymesinskincells
AT feliciatedjakusuma primaryperspectivestowardskimchiasabeautyfoodenhancingcollagenelastinhyaluronicacidandantioxidantenzymesinskincells
AT aphinyathinthasit primaryperspectivestowardskimchiasabeautyfoodenhancingcollagenelastinhyaluronicacidandantioxidantenzymesinskincells
AT kantiyapetsong primaryperspectivestowardskimchiasabeautyfoodenhancingcollagenelastinhyaluronicacidandantioxidantenzymesinskincells
AT davidnugroho primaryperspectivestowardskimchiasabeautyfoodenhancingcollagenelastinhyaluronicacidandantioxidantenzymesinskincells