Abstract: Fermented vegetables originated in China’s Shang and Zhou Dynasties 3 100 years ago and are one of the traditional fermented foods in China. Color is one of the most important quality attributes of fermented vegetables. Fermented vegetables have a color different from that of fresh ones, which can be ascribed to chemical reactions and microbial metabolism during fermentation. Studying the mechanism of color formation in fermented vegetables is of great practical significance for improving product color. This paper summarizes recent research in this field, focusing on the effect of the color of fermented vegetables on their quality and the mechanism and influential factors of color formation in fermented vegetables. Future research trends are also discussed. This review could provide a theoretical basis for the quality control of fermented vegetables during large-scale industrial production.

Key words: fermented vegetables; color; quality; formation mechanism; influential factors