• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.434-441
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• 2014

This study investigated the quality characteristics and sensory evaluation of Doenjang samples made of soybean koji and prepared with Bacillus subtillus 3-B-1 and/or Aspergillus oryzae 6-M-1 isolated from traditional Meju, to replace the koji with wheat flour. Among the quality characteristics of doenjang during its fermentation at $30^{\circ}C$ for 40 days, its moisture decreased by degrees, but its amino-type nitrogen and reducing sugar increased by degrees. The color of the doenjang made of koji and prepared with Aspergillus oryzae 6-M-1 changed more significantly than that of the doenjang with Bacillus subtilis 3-B-1. The viable cell and mold counts increased by degrees during the fermentation. The results of the sensory evaluation of the doenjang made with koji and prepared with Aspergillus oryzae 6-M-1 did not significantly differ from those of the doenjang with Bacillus subtilis 3-B-1 and of the commercial doenjang. These results showed the possibility of preparing doenjang with soybean koji instead of wheat flour koji.

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 2003

Microflora and enzyme activity of traditional wine-koji were investigated. Bacteria was contained the greatest of $1.3\times10^7$ CFU/g-Koji, and its amylase and protease activities were 120.0 u/g and 36.6 u/g, respectively. 6 Kinds of yeast were isolated from the koji and identified as Hansenula alni (No 1), Hansenula canadensis (No 2), Hansenula silvicola (No.3), Hansenula califrnica (No 4), Hansenula beijerinckii (No 9) and Hansenula saturnus var. sturnus (No11). Furthermore, 14 kinds of mold were also isolated from the koji and identified as Rhizopus sp(No 1-41, 11 species) and Aspergillus sp.(No. 46, 53, 64, 3 species). Only Aspergillus sp. No 46 was showed a-amylase activity of 5.5 Unit and protease activity of Rhizopus sp. No 8 was the highest of 45.0 Unit.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to examine the aptitude of wheat flour-Nuluks, for Takju brewing, which were made with Aspergillus oryzae, Rhizopus japonicus or Aspergillus usamii mut. Shirousamii, and to know the way of effective use the Aspergillus oryzae-Nuluk showed high saccharogenic activity, and Rhizopus japonicus-Nuluk high proteolytic activity. When these two Nuluks were combined, the activities of saccharogenic amylase and protease were more balanced. The Takju mash of Aspergillus oryzae-Nuluk was high in acidity and in amino acidity, and that of Rhizopus japonicus-Nuluk high in the content of free sugar, but, that of Aspergillus usamii mut. Shirousamii-Nuluk was low in amino acidity, free sugar and ethanol content. The Takju of Rhizopus japonicus-Nuluk was high in the content of suspended solid and slow in its sedimenting rate, but that of Aspergillus usamii mut. Shirousamii-Nuluk was not. The Takju which was made with combined use of Aspergillus oryzae-Nuluk and Rhizopus japonicus-Nuluk was more balanced in the composition of flavoring ingredients, and was slow in sedimenting rate of suspended solid. Moreover, it gained good result in sunsory evaluation test.

• 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.

• Mycobiology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.408-419
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• 2022

Filamentous fungi that could be classified into Aspergillus flavus/oryzae were isolated from traditionally fermented meju commercially available in Korea. The samples were analyzed for aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A contamination by HPLC; however, no toxin was detected. In addition, fungal and bacterial metagenomic sequencing were performed to analyze the microbial distribution in the samples. The results revealed that the distribution and abundance of fungi and bacteria differed considerably depending on the production regions and fermentation conditions of the meju samples. Through morphological analysis, ITS region sequencing, and assessment of the aflatoxin-producing ability, a total of 32 A. flavus/oryzae strains were identified. PCR analysis of six regions with a high mutation frequency in the aflatoxin gene cluster (AGC) revealed a total of six types of AGC breaking point patterns. The A. flavus/oryzae strains did not exhibit the high amylase activity detected in the commercial yellow koji strain (starter mold). However, their peptidase and lipase activities were generally higher than that of the koji isolates. We verified the safety of the traditionally fermented meju samples by analyzing the AGC breaking point pattern and the enzyme activities of A. flavus/oryzae strains isolated from the samples. The isolated strains could possibly be used as starter molds for soybean fermentation.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 1971

This experiment was conducted as a preliminary test to invent the quick ripening process for soysauces. The bran koji extract of 2 kinds of mold (Asp. niger and Asp. sojae) was used as enzyme sources in order to improve the rate of enzymatic conversion of raw materials and shorten the ripening period of soysauces. Soybean koji (inoculated Asp. sojae) and steamed soybean were enzymatically decomposed for 8 hours at $40^{\circ}C$, pH 4-6 with stirring at a rate of 1500 rpm. After the enzymatic treatment, soysauces were fermented by 4 kinds of processes with the above-mentioned salt tolerant microorganisms inoculated. After 4 weeks, sensory evolution for these soysauces products and analysis of chemical components were carried out. The results obtained were summarized as follows. 1. Soysauces prepared from decomposed koji by Asp. niger enzyme complex showed higher extractables, such as total nitrogen, amino nitrogen, pure extract and reducing sugar, than any other procedure. Extracted amounts of each components of soysauces prepared from this process during 1 month were similar to those of soysauces made from general procedure (control) for 5 to 6 months. 2. According to sensory evaluation, soysauce prepared from decomposed koji also showed best taste and were similar to that of soysauces prepared by general method for 6 months.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.1617-1622
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• 2011

We conducted this study to investigate the quality characteristics of saccharified rice gruel prepared with different cereal koji mold (rice, buckwheat, sorghum, adlay, or Italian millet koji). The moisture, crude protein, crude lipid, and crude ash content of rice, buckwheat, sorghum, adlay, and Italian millet showed a range of 11.12~12.85, 5.81~16.24, 0.56~4.36, and 0.28~1.93%, respectively. The proximate composition of saccharified rice gruel prepared with different cereal koji was significantly (p<0.05) higher than unsaccharified rice gruel. The pH, L, a, and b values of saccharified rice gruel ranged between 6.09~6.39, 60.38~78.25, -0.87~5.70, and 7.74~13.37, respectively. The viscosity of saccharified rice gruel prepared with different cereal koji was significantly (p<0.05) lower than the unsaccharified rice gruel. After saccharification, the soluble solids, glucose, and maltose content of saccharified rice gruel prepared with different cereal koji were significantly increased in the range of 11.47~13.03$^{\circ}Brix$, 0.60~1.44%, and 0.47~0.88%, respectively. A sensory evaluation indicated that saccharified rice gruel was significantly (p<0.05) better than unsaccharified rice gruel. In conclusion, cereal koji could be used as a gruel processing method to increase the sensory properties and nutritional values of gruels.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.94-99
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• 2001

Kochujangs(fermented hot pepper-soybean paste) were prepared either using traditional meju (koji for kochujang) or controlled meju fermented by pure isolates (P-1, P-2), which were screened from traditional meju collected at Sunchang area. The isolates were characterized for their superiority on amylase and protease activities, and overall flavor of the culture on cooked soybean. Bacterial cell counts were not different in all treatments of kochujang during fermentation. The mold counts of each treatment dropped to undetectable level after 40 and 60 days of fermentation, respectively. Heat treatment($60^{\circ}C$, 15 min) before fermentation stopped gas formation and had no effect on bacterial cell count, but the growth of yeast was depressed. Total accumulative volume of gas produced during kochujang fermentation was depended on load of yeast in kochujang and the kochujang using P-2 koji produced least amount of gas among all treatments. The amylase and protease activities of kochujang were not significantly different among traditional and controlled kochujangs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.12
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• pp.2035-2041
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• 2013

The effects of Aspergillus oryzae rice koji (AO) and Asp. kawachii rice koji (AK) as enzyme preparations, on the quality characteristics of rice mash were invested in this study. The amount of AORM (Asp. oryzae rice mash) and AKRM (Asp. kawachii rice mash) were 50, 100, 200% (w/w) based on 100 g of rice. Firstly, in the titer measurement result on the ${\alpha}$-amylase and glucoamylase activities of AO and AK. On the other hand, the acid protease activity has values of 31.56 unit for AO and 849.17 unit for AK. The sugar solid of the AORM and AKRM groups significantly increased as the rice koji ratio on rice was higher, which were shown with values as high as 17.63~20.53 and 17.51~19.28, respectively. Glucose and maltose were detected for free sugar of AORM. Only glucose was found in AKRM. Citric acid, malic acid, and lactic acid were detected as the organic acid of KORM; oxalic acid, citric acid, and succinic acid were detected for AKRM, and the content increased as the rice koji ratio on rice increased (P<0.05). From the above result, rice koji with useful mold is expected to be used broadly in foods by looking at the fact that it has starch degradation ability and organic acid producibility.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.274-279
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• 1995

Ethyl caproate, one of the major flavor compounds deciding the quality of sake (Japanese wine), is produced during the brewing by the action of alcohol acyltransferase and esterases of sake yeast and koji mold. Extracellular esterases of Aspergillus oryzae required for ethyl caproate synthesis were purified partially. The enzymes had different optimum pH and affinity toward substrates. Substrate preferences and inhibition features showed the three enzymes to be B-type esterases or carboxylesterases (EC 3.1.1.1).