Physical Properties of Korean Earthenware Containers Affected by Soy Sauce Fermentation Use

Soy sauce was fermented at $20^{\circ}C$ for 100 days in onggi containers (ethnic Korean earthenware) which had been fabricated using three different glazing treatments: unglazed, glazed only on the outside, and glazed on both surfaces. The changes in microstructure and permeability characteristics of onggi containers were examined after fermentation of soy sauce. The effect of repeated use of onggi containers on the fermentation was analyzed by the contact between an aqueous model solution and the onggi containers used once for soy sauce fermentation. The levels of reducing sugar and free amino acids produced from the dissolved starch and protein, respectively, in the solution were compared between the new and reused onggi containers. The moisture permeance and gas permeabilities of the onggi jars were progressively reduced with continuing use for soy sauce fermentation, probably due to clogging of micropores by solid materials. After having been used once for fermentation, the microbial cells and/or enzymes immobilized on the surface or in the micropores of the onggi containers seemed to contribute to accelerating the hydrolytic reactions of starch and protein.