• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2007

The effects of maesil extract addition on the palatability and quality of kochujang, a traditional Korean condiment, were investigated in terms of the microbial characteristics, enzyme activities, and taste components during 100 days of fermentation. Viable cell counts of bacteria and yeast in maesil extract-added kochujang (maesil kochujang) were increased in proportion to added maesil extract from 1 to 5% during fermentation, up to 80 and 20 days, respectively and maintained $5.0{\sim}14.5{\times}10^6$ CFU/g. Activities of α-amylase, $\beta$-amylase, and protease were also increased in proportion to added maesil extract up to 20, 20, and 60 days, respectively and were higher than those of control during the aging process. The major organic acids in maesil kochujang were citric and malic acid. Composition and content of free sugar were not changed remarkably in general by the addition of maesil extract except maltose. The major free sugars of maesil kochujang were in the order of glucose>sucrose>maltose, and glucose content decreased significantly as the ratio of maesil extract increased, while maltose content increased significantly (p<0.05).

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.378-384
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• 2007

Powder, or a concentrate, of maesil (Prunus mume) were used in the making of kochujang, and were added to kochujang at 0.5 or 1.0% (w/w). Kochujang fermented with maesil powder lower moisture content than did samples fermented with maesil concentrate. Moisture content slowly increased during fermentation, and was $3{\sim}4%$ higher than the initial value after 8 weeks of fermentation. Kochujang fermented with maesil powder or maesil concentrate showed lower pH values and higher total acidities than did the control. The total microbial count was $3.6{\times}10^7\;5.4{\times}10^7\;cfu/g$, and yeast and mold levels were $2.0{\times}10^7{\sim}3.6{\times}10^7\;cfu/g$, as kochujang fermentation commenced. Microbial load reached a maximum by 4 weeks of fermentation, and decreased thereafter. L (lightness), a (redness) and b (yellowness) values of kochujang gradually decreased during fermentation. Compared to methanol extracts of kochujang, water extracts and ethanol extracts showed higher free radical scavenging abilities at the initial stage of fermentation. Control, and samples with 0.5% (w/w) maesil powder or maesil concentrate, attained higher scores in sensory evaluation tests than did samples with higher maesil levels, and were not significantly different at P>0.05 as determined by Duncan's multiple range test.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 2008

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used for analyzing the manufacturing process of Prunus mume extract-added vinegared red pepper paste (maesil chokochujang) with respect to sensory quality properties. Experiments were carried out according to a central composite design, selecting the amount of kochujang, amount of maesil extract, and type of sugar in the mixture as independent variables; sensory attributes such as flavor, taste, color, and mouthfeel viscosity as response variables. The polynomial models developed by RSM for sensory color and mouthfeel viscosity were highly effective to describe the relationships between the factors studied and the responses. The estimated response surfaces confirmed that the amount of kochujang had a positive effect on color (p<0.001) whereas the amount of maesil extract had a positive effect on mouthfeel viscosity (p<0.001). Increase in the amount of kochujang led to a sharp increase of the sensory score on color at all the maesil extract and sugar type levels. On the other hand, increase in the amount of maesil extract caused a sharp increase in the mouthfeel viscosity value regardless of kochujang concentration and type of sugar. The differences among samples made with different types of sugar were not significant (p>0.05).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.622-628
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• 2006

Kochujang was prepared with various concentrations of Maesil extracts (0, 1, 2, and 5%) and the physicochemical characteristics of Maesil extracts added Kochujang ('Maesil Kochujang') were investigated during aging of 100 days. pH decreased slightly during aging. Titratable acidity, on the other hand, increased with aging, reaching at the highest level at the 40 days of aging and then decreased slowly. The changes of moisture content were complicated in the beginning, but after 60 days it increased slowly. The water activity decreased but salt concentration increased consistently in all samples during aging. L* and a*-values decreased during aging and L*, a*, and b*-values decreased significantly with high amount of Maesil extract in the sample. Soluble solid contents increased slowly while reducing sugar contents increased for up to 40 days and then decreased. Amino nitrogen contents increased steadily after 40 days of aging and they reached at $230.00{\sim}246.00mg%$ upon 100 days of aging.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.629-635
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• 2007

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used for the analysis and optimization of the production process of Kochujang added with Maesil extract. The process variables were the amount of Maesil extract ($0{\sim}8%$) and red pepper powder ($6{\sim}10%$). pH and all color characteristics (L*-, a*-, and b*-value) decreased but titratable acidity and water activity increased with the addition of Maesil extract. Amino nitrogen content appeared to decrease with the addition of red pepper powder. The highest sensory flavor score was obtained when 2.20% Maesil extract and 8.62% red pepper powder were blended, the highest sensory taste score with 6.63% Maesil extract and 9.50% red pepper powder, and the highest sensory color score with 7.80% Maesil extract and 8.62% red pepper powder respectively. The point chosen as representative of the optimal area corresponds to $X_1=3.60%,\;X_2=10%\;and\;X_1=4.08%,\;X_2=9.96%$ for physicochemical and sensory quality, respectively.