A team of local scientists has discovered that lactic acid bacteria contained in kimchi, a Korean staple of pickled cabbage, is effective in treating avian bacterial diseases such as bird influenza.

The team headed by Seoul National University professor Gang Sa-wook says lactic acid extracted from kimchi has proven effective in curing poultry infected with disorders such as bird flu, New Castle Disease or bronchitis.

Professor Gang said that in the experiment, he divided ailing chickens into three groups. One group was fed only water for a week; the second group was fed a cultivation liquid of lactic acid; while the third received a diluted solution of lactic acid.

The first group of chickens which only had water all died after a week, while birds in the other two groups were all cured except for two deaths on each side.

Pending additional experiments and the approval of the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service, the team plans to market the lactic acid solution to farming households across the nation.