• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.251-261
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• 2017

Initially, we screened 18 Aspergillus sojae-like strains from Aspergillus spp. isolated from meju (Korean traditional fermented soybean brick) according to their morphological characteristics. Because members of Aspergillus section Flavi are often incorrectly identified because of their phylogenetic similarity, we re-identified these strains at the morphological and molecular genetic levels. Fourteen strains were finally identified as A. sojae. The isolates produced protease and ${\alpha}-amylase$ with ranges of 2.66-10.64 and 21.53-106.73 unit/g-initial dry substrate (U/g-IDS), respectively, which were equivalent to those of the koji (starter mold) strains employed to produce Japanese soy sauce. Among the isolates and Japanese koji strains, strains SMF 127 and SMF 131 had the highest leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) activities at 6.00 and 6.06 U/g-IDS, respectively. LAP plays an important role in flavor development because of the production of low-molecular-weight peptides that affect the taste and decrease bitterness. SMF 127 and SMF 131 appeared to be non-aflatoxigenic because of a termination point mutation in aflR and the lack of the polyketide synthase gene found in other A. sojae strains. In addition, SMF 127 and SMF 131 were not cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) producers because of the deletion of maoA, dmaT, and pks/nrps, which are involved in CPA biosynthesis. Therefore, A. sojae strains such as SMF 127 and SMF 131, which have high protease and LAP activities and are free of safety issues, can be considered good starters for soybean fermentations, such as in the production of the Korean fermented soybean products meju, doenjang, and ganjang.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.866-877
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to develop a new functional traditional fermented soybean food using Cudrania tricuspidata fruits and fermentation microbes isolated from traditional fermented food. Aspergillus oryzae koji, Lactobacillus sp., and Bacillus sp. were used for the selection of a suitable microbe for the fermentation of Cudrania tricuspidata fruits, and as a result, Bacillus licheniformis SCDB 1234 was selected. SCDB 1234 enhanced the concentration of kaempferol in the Cudrania tricuspidata fruits from 9.54 to $217.04{\mu}g/g$ (about 22 times). The DPPH radical scavenging activity of the fermented materials was similar to that of BHA and BHT (92~99 ppm). The tyrosinase inhibitory activity was high with arbutin (95 ppm) and kojic acid (90 ppm). Doenjang-added fermentation materials of the Cudrania tricuspidata fruits were developed, and the organic acid, reducing sugar, and free amino acid of the developed Doenjang were analyzed. The pancreatic lipase inhibitory (PLI) activity and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory (AGI) activity of the fermentation materials of the Cudrania tricuspidata fruits and the developed Doenjang were investigated, and it was found that after fermentation, the PLI and AGI activities of the fermentation materials of the Cudrania tricuspidata fruits were higher than those before fermentation, and that the AGI activity of the developed Doenjang after aging ($91.25{\pm}0.04%$) was higher than that before aging ($84.89{\pm}0.08%$).

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.174-184
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• 2008

The quality and storage characteristics of low salted onion and five cereals-doenjang (DFO) were investigated. At the DFO, soybean koji ($57{\sim}62%$), onion (3%) and salt (8%) were mixed with equal amount of rice, barley, glutinous millet and glutinous indian millet ($10{\sim}30%$), and water ($7{\sim}12%$). The storage of DFO was done by vacuum packing in polypropylene tube, and sterilized at $121^{\circ}C$. The fermentation and storage was conducted for 60 days at $25^{\circ}C$ at each condition. Control doenjang (GD) was the salinity of 16% soybean doenjang that was not sterilized and packed in plastic containers for storage. During the fermentation, pH of DFO was lower than GD. The pH maintained stability during the storage, and revealed to be lowered, as the proportion of mixed cereals was higher. During the fermentation of DFO, the brix degree revealed to be higher than GD and maintained s1ability during the storage. During the fermentation and storage, the amino nitrogen content of DFO was ranged $400{\sim}470mg%$ by showing higher content than GD and maintained stable content during the storage. During the fermentation, the activities of protease and ${\beta}$-amylase were maintained to be high at DFO, but the activities during the storage were high at GD. The color $L^*$ value of DFO during fermentation and storage maintained higher values than GD, but $a^*$ value revealed lower pattern. Total free amino acids of DFO was ranged $1,918{\sim}2,290mg%$ which was higher than GD that recorded 1,291 mg%. When the sensory evaluation was conducted for DFO that was fermented and stored for 60 days, the DFO mixed with $20{\sim}30%$ of cereals resulted to have more savory taste, flavor, and sweeter than GD, and overall acceptability for color and overall taste was high.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.397-406
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• 2011

To industrialize meju, four kinds of meju (Korean-style soybean koji) were made with humidity-controlled fermentation for 12 days at $28^{\circ}C$ after they were inoculated with selected strains such as Aspergillus otyzae (AO meju), Aspergillus sojae (AS meju), combined Aspergillus sojae and Bacillus subtilis (ASBS meju), and combined Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus subtilis (AOBS meju) as starter microorganisms. The changes in the quality characteristics in the four kinds of meju were investigated during fermentation. Their enzyme activities were compared with those of the traditional meju that is made in Sunchang Folk Village according to the traditional method. In the meju that were inoculated with selective strains, the aerobic bacteria counts and mold counts exceeded 8 log cfu/g and 6 log cfu/g respectively, which were the highest fermentation values after 2 days. The aerobic bacteria counts were maintained from 2-day to the 12-day fermentation. The mold counts tended to decreased gradually after the 2-day fermentation. The amino-type nitrogen contents reached 430.5-577.5 mg%, which were the highest values after 2-day fermentation. The neutral protease activities of these mejus had the highest levels in the following order: traditional meju, $1,258.0{\pm}38.8$; AS meju, $1,238.3{\pm}38.6$; AO meju. $1,204.1{\pm}24.1$; ASBS meju, $1,040.6{\pm}10.6$; and AOBS meju, $1,033.5{\pm}11.2$ unit/g. The acidic protease activities of these meju had the highest levels in the following order: AO meju, $1,030.1{\pm}19.1$, traditional meju, $1,007.7{\pm}30.5$; AS meju, $990.9{\pm}25.0$; AOBS meju, $910.9{\pm}15.3$; and ASBS meju, $888.2{\pm}15.7$ unit/g.