Cultural Conditions for the Production of Organic Acid During

Aspergillus awamori var. kawachii에 의한 쌀 Koji 제조시 유기산의 생산조건

This study was carried out to investigate the influences of cultural conditions of koji on the production of organic acid during rice-koji making by Aspergillus awamori var. kawachii which is now widely used as koji-mold in brewing Takju and Yakju in Korea. The optimum temperature for the germination of the conidia of the mold was 35'8, and the time required for germination at this temperature was 8 hours. Rapid germination occurred when the water content of steamed rice was above 40%, but germination retardation occurred markedly below 35%. The optimum cultural temperature for the production of organic acid was 32$^{\circ}C$, and the production of organic acid was markedly restricted at 36$^{\circ}C$ and 4$0^{\circ}C$. It was effective for the high production of both saccharogenic amylase and organic acid to shift the cultural temperature from initial 36$^{\circ}C$ to 32$^{\circ}C$ after 20~25 hours of cultivation. Initial water content suitable to the production of organic acid was 40% in steamed rice, but its production was markedly restricted below 30% of water content. When the quantity of conidial inoculation was too small, the production of organic acid was low in initial phase, but it was retrived at later period. Acid production was markedly restricted together with the increase in koji thickness.