Properties of Cheonggukjang Fermented with Bacillus Strains with High Fibrinolytic Activities

We previously isolated Bacillus strains with high fibrinolytic activities (FAs) from cheonggukjang prepared by traditional ways. To test their potential as starters for cheonggukjang, soybean was fermented for 72 hr at $37^{\circ}C$ with each isolate and a control lab strain: B. subtilis CH3-25 (BS3-25), B. amyloliquefaciens CH51 (BA51), B. amyloliquefaciens CH86-1 (BA86-1), and B. subtilis 168 (BS168, control, lab strain). Viable cell numbers of all cheonggukjang samples rapidly increased and reached about $10^9$ CFU/g after 6 hr. During 72 hr, the initial pH of 6.3 rapidly increased to 8.1$\sim$8.2 for cheonggukjang fermented with BS3-25 or BA86-1, and 7.3 for those with BA51 or BS168. FAs and protease activities (acid, neutral, and alkaline) rapidly increased in cheonggukjang fermented with BS3-25, BA51, or BA86-1 during the first 12 hr. On the other hand, those of cheonggukjang fermented with BS168 slightly increased during the first 36 hr. There were significant changes in acid and neutral protease activities in cheonggukjang fermented with BA51 or BA86-1 during the 24 hr. Rapid increases of $\beta$-glucosidase activity corresponded well with rapid increases of $\alpha$-amylase and $\alpha$-galactosidase activities in addition to increases in antioxidant activities and the TPCs (total phenolic contents). The highest increase in the TPCs was observed in cheonggukjang fermented with BA86-1 while the least was that fermented with BS168.