Food culture is unique to any country or any race which had begun with their culture and developed while being influenced by surrounding environments, that is, geographical and historical circumstances, and thus a unique dietary tradition has been established during the developmental process.

Kimchi is the center of eating habits of Koreans and a representative Korean food which uses several vegetables as ingredients and is aged through fermentation (Kim & Yoon, 2002; Lee et al., 1998). As the nutritional excellence of Kimchi has been reported recently, the interest in Kimchi has increased internationally and is widely known world-wide as a representative food of Korea. The interest in Kimchi for its scientific aspects has increased. Kimchi is used as a source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. There are important roles in nutritional supply and health maintenance of Koreans such as the prevention of constipation, hyperlipidemia, lowering serum cholesterol, inhibition of oxidative modification of LDL, inhibition of thrombus, prevention of lipid peroxidation and also an antiaging effect (Kim & Lee, 2001).

Despite these advantages, the preparation and cooking of Kimchi have gradually reduced recently because of several social changes. Also, it has been reported that the changes in eating habits have relatively lowered our recognition and preference for Kimchi, our unique traditional food, which has raised some concerns (Kim & Yoon, 2002). The process of making Kimchi is complicated and takes a longer time than making other foods and is also difficult to make an even taste, and thus the need for commercially-made Kimchi has increased recently. The consumption of commercially-made Kimchi, compared to the annual total Kimchi demand, has increased 27.7% in 1997, 28.8% in 1998, 30.1% in 1999, and 31.3% in 2000 with ever increasing tendency annually (Kim & Lee, 2001).

Eating habits are most established before the adolescence and is greatly affected by dishes eaten at home during childhood and by experiences with foods during adolescence, which then contributes to food selection thereafter (Stasch et al., 1970). The recognition of foods established during this period can influence not only the future of individuals but also their future family members (Howe & Vaden, 1980). According to a study on Kimchi eating habits during the growing period (Song et al., 1995), reasons for eating Kimchi were good for health and our traditional food, showing positive recognition for eating Kimchi. It was also reported that Kimchi intake had increased from the recommendation for eating Kimchi from parents was stronger or grandparents living in the same household. Kimchi can have various tastes depending on the person making Kimchi, or weather, but the taste is greatly affected depending on the selection of good quality ingredients, mixing of the ingredients, methods and storage conditions. Song et al. (1995) reported that children liked Korean cabbage Kimchi most and disliked ingredients with strong flavor such as ginger, garlic, green onion, and salted fish, and thus it would be desirable to use Korean cabbage for making Kimchi rather than radish and to use less ingredients with strong flavors. Also, the type of Kimchi children wanted was somewhat sweet, less spicy, no strong flavor, well fermented Kimchi with fruits such as pears, apples, or mandarin oranges, and small pieces in size. In case of middle school students, it was reported that reasons for liking Kimchi were due to hot and spicy taste, crunching sensation, and sourish taste (Kim & Yoon, 2002). The preference for Kimchi in the aspect of degree of fermentation was well-fermented Kimchi (57.0%) (Song et al., 1995). The reason for preferring Korean cabbage Kimchi and cubed radish Kimchi could be interpreted as adaptation in taste due to the fact that most households prepared Kimchi using Korean cabbage and radish. If this phenomenon is true, children should be provided with opportunities for experiencing various types of traditional Kimchi as early as possible, not only to increase Kimchi consumption, but also to inherit the traditional culture for Kimchi. Also, it is considered that various types of Kimchi should be on the market and supplied in meal services because the ratio of home-made Kimchi has already decreased and that of commercially-made Kimchi in the market has increased.

It is necessary to make children have positive values for Kimchi from childhood, to show the process of making it at home, and to practice nutritional education and guidance for proper recognition while parents are eating meals with children. Studies on Kimchi so far have been interested in the ingredients (Cho, 1988; Yoon & Rhee, 1997), physical characteristics (Lee, 1988), storage & additional ingredients (Lee et al.,1998; Lee, 1988) and more, but studies on the recognition are very few. In addition, almost no comparative study on the recognition for Kimchi between mothers and their female middle school children in the same households was searched.

Thus, this study was performed to analyze the Kimchi eating patterns in subject households and to investigate the Kimchi eating patterns of female middle school children in subject households. Also, through comparative analysis for Kimchi between mothers and their children, the differences between generations in the recognition for Kimchi and eating patterns were investigated.

The research questions of this study were as follows:

First, what are Kimchi eating patterns in subject households?

Second, what are the recognition and eating patterns of Kimchi in middle school children?

Third, what is the difference in value recognition for Kimchi between mothers and middle school children?

This study analyzed Kimchi eating patterns in 178 households with female middle school students located in Incheon and Seosan areas and investigated differences in value recognition for Kimchi between mothers and their middle school students.

The frequency of eating Kimchi in subject households showed that 23.0% of households answered as eating Kimchi at every meal and 65.7% answered as eating Kimchi at every meal if possible, and the main reason for eating Kimchi was mostly because of good taste. Most households answered as making Kimchi at home by themselves, but the ratio of consumption of commercially-made Kimchi from the market was considerably high. Respondents preferred the taste in the order of hot and spicy taste (19.1%), and refreshing taste (14.5%). They preferred Korean cabbage Kimchi (33.6%). According to the study by Han et al. (1998), 82.0% of high school students answered as eating Kimchi for sure or if possible, in which the recognition for Kimchi eating was similar to the tendency of this study, and 15.6% of students answered as not eating if possible, which was higher than similar response (7.9%) in this study. Some researches (Kim & Yoon, 2002; Kim et al., 2001) reported in the study on the recognition and preference for Kimchi among traditional Korean foods that, for the question whether Kimchi should be eaten at each meal, middle school students answered as should eat at each meal (35.8%) and may not eat (41.6%), and respondents in their 30s answered as should eat at each meal (48.5%) and may not eat (45.5%), and respondents over 40s answered as should eat at each meal (63.3%) and may not eat (30.6%), suggesting the difference in recognition between generations as shown in this study. In case of middle school students, it was reported that reasons for liking Kimchi were due to hot and spicy taste, crunching sensation, and sourish taste and the preference for the degree of hot (spicy) taste was in the order of hot taste (79.4%), not-so-hot taste (13.9%), and very hot taste (8.9%) in middle school students in Masan and Changweon areas (Kim & Yoon, 2002). These results are similar to ours. Changes in eating habits have brought the changes in the production and consumption of Kimchi. The conventional home-made Kimchi has been changed to commercialized and industrialized Kimchi, and the consumption of Kimchi has gradually decreased. Song et al. (1995) reported in the study on Kimchi consumption in the Busan area that 83.0% of elementary students thought they should eat Kimchi but only 68% answered that they actually liked Kimchi, and 14.0% of students answered that they disliked Kimchi. The intake per meal was reported as more than 5 pieces per meal in 26.5% of students and less than 1~2 pieces or none in 64.7% of students answered, showing the difference between the recognition for Kimchi eating and actual intake. In this result, the Kimchi intake per meal was more than 5 pieces' in 55.1% of total female middle school students. It is a higher intake than elementary school students by previous research (Song et al., 1995). Kim et al. (2002) reported 59.7% of middle school students in Masan and Changweon areas, and Park et al. (2000) reported 74.4% of female high school students, as the percentages of respondents who liked Kimchi.

The results of this study showed that female middle school students answered for the knowledge on how to make Kimchi as little acknowledged in 122 students (68.5%) and well acknowledged in 22 students (12.4%). The channels for information on Kimchi answered by middle school students were home (51.6%) and mass media (33.7%) and school (4.5%). According to previous studies, it was reported that female students thought Kimchi making as difficult task with higher agreement for the item making Kimchi is difficult (Lee et al., 1999). But 88.7% of respondents helped their mothers when making Kimchi, suggesting that making Kimchi at home can be considerably handed down to some extent. However, the desirable place for learning how to make Kimchi was answered most as from mother (88.0%) and only 3.0% of students answered as school, which was even less than 4.1% for self-learning.

For the recognition for Kimchi, both middle school students (4.50) and mothers (4.52) showed high degree of agreements for the item Kimchi is excellent in nutritional aspect. In the previous studies (Kii, 1997; Han et al.,1997), very high agreement for the item Kimchi is nutritious among general recognitions for Kimchi was reported, which showed similar a tendency as the results of this study. For the preferential aspect, both middle school students (4.29) and mothers (4.40) showed the highest degree of agreements for the item Kimchi is tasty. For the economical aspect, both middle school students (3.70) and mothers (4.14) showed the highest degree of agreements for the item homemade Kimchi costs less. Also for the cultural aspect, middle school students (4.09) placed more value on Kimchi is an international food compared to mothers (3.73). In the study with elementary school students (Song et al., 1995), for the reasons of eating Kimchi, 48% answered as good for health and 31.8% answered as our traditional food, showing positive recognition on Kimchi intake, and the preference for Kimchi in students seemed higher as the recommendation for Kimchi intake from parents was stronger. Also, it was reported that there was no significant differences in the preference for Kimchi depending on school grades, gender or family circumstances, but the presence of grandparents in the household was the most influential factor among others. Kim et al. (2002) pointed out that the value for Kimchi and the degree of preferences for various types of Kimchi and Kimchi-using foods were higher in middle school students as they had more knowledge on Kimchi and thus systematic education on Kimchi is needed at school and should be reflected in the classroom and nutrition education by school dietitians should be actively developed to promote the recognition for our traditional foods.

The statistical results in the recognition for commercially-made Kimchi in the market showed that respondents agreed on the fact that it was convenient. As the use of commercially-made Kimchi on the market has increased and the ratio of home-made Kimchi has gradually decreased, it is difficult to expect students to learn how to make Kimchi at home. There are some changes in the recognition for commercially-made Kimchi in the market depending on the time. A study in 1997 (Yoon et al., 1997) reported that the most suggested improvement in commercially-made Kimchi in the market was thought as hygienic aspect (80.8%), but a study in 1995 (Song & Han, 1999) reported that it was to maintain even taste and degree of fermentation (45.8%). In the study with female college students in the Busan area (Kim & Kim, 1998), the reason for not making Kimchi after marriage was not self-confident in making delicious Kimchi in 55.8% of the respondents, suggesting that the education for making Kimchi should be certainly needed at school. In particular, it is considered that education on the proper value for Kimchi and on how to make Kimchi in female students can prepare the foundation for fast and effective development of our traditional food, Kimchi.

The analysis for values by additional ingredients and seasonings showed that a generally higher preference for additional ingredients in mothers compared to their students. For the seasonings, both mothers and middle school students groups showed the highest agreements for hot pepper powder. The values for food dishes using Kimchi showed high agreement for Kimchi stew, and fusion foods using Kimchi (Kimchi pizza and Kimchi spaghetti) had higher values in middle school students. Thus, Korean food using Kimchi had higher preference than fusion foods using Kimchi, suggesting that foods with higher intake experience showed higher degree of preference and foods with lower intake experience showed lower degree of preference.

The following suggestions were made from the above results:

First, educational programs are needed not only at home but also at school to improve the recognition for Kimchi and eating patterns in female middles school students.

Second, the opportunity for eating Kimchi should be increased through the development of various foods using Kimchi.

Third, the contents on Kimchi among the curriculum of technology/home economics in the school education should be reviewed and emphasized by presenting basic data and thus students can acquire more scientific and better information and knowledge of Kimchi, a leading item of our food culture, through the development of educational programs and further establish desirable Kimchi eating patterns.