• Mycobiology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.218-224
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• 2015

Aspergillus is an important fungal genus used for the fermentation of Asian foods; this genus is referred to as koji mold in Japan and China. A. oryzae, A. sojae, and A. tamari are used in the production of miso and shoyu in Japan, but a comprehensive taxonomic study of Aspergillus isolated from Meju, a fermented soybean starting material for traditional soy sauce and soybean paste in Korea, has not been conducted. In this study, various Aspergillus species were isolated during a study of the mycobiota of Meju, and the aspergilli were identified based on phenotypic characteristics and sequencing of the ${\beta}$-tubulin gene. Most strains of Aspergillus were found to belong to the following sections: Aspergillus (n = 220), Flavi (n = 213), and Nigri (n = 54). The most commonly identified species were A. oryzae (n = 183), A. pseudoglaucus (Eurotium repens) (n = 81), A. chevalieri (E. chevalieri) (n = 62), A. montevidensis (E. amstelodami) (n = 34), A. niger (n = 21), A. tamari (n = 15), A. ruber (E. rubrum) (n = 15), A. proliferans (n = 14), and A. luchuensis (n = 14); 25 species were identified from 533 Aspergillus strains. Aspergillus strains were mainly found during the high temperature fermentation period in the later steps of Meju fermentation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.609-615
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• 1994

Fermented traditional soybean paste(doenjang), koji soybean paste by Aspergillus oryzae, natto soybean paste by Bacillus natto and koji & natto soybean paste by Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus natto were analyzed for compositions of amino acids and contents of nitrogens. Amino type nitrogen was the highest in fermenting for 90 days as $271{\sim}868\;mg/100g$, and its contents were in the order of koji soybean paste>traditional soybean paste>koji & natto soybean paste>natto soybean paste in all samples tested. In compositions of total amino acids, glutamic and aspartic acids were rich in koji soybean paste but big differences were not observed in all samples. But some differences were observed in free amino acid compositions in all samples, that is, glutamic acid, tyrosine, lysine and aspartic acid were detected more abundantly. Sum of free amino acids for 90 days were in order of koji soybean paste>traditional soybean paste>koji & natto soybean paste>natto soybean paste. The ratios of free to total amino acids were $3.28{\sim}19.81%$ for 45 days, but increased to $10.88{\sim}25.10%$ for 90 days, and in order of traditional doenjang>koji doenjang>koji & natto doenjang>natto doenjang. Methionine and histidine showed higher ratios of free to total amino acid but lower in glutamic acid and aspartic acid. These results suggest that koji and traditional soybean paste of having high ratios of free amino acids to free and total amino acids may be more favorable in soybean paste fermentation.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.450-455
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• 1998

Aspergillus oryzae M-2-3 strain (argB$\^$-/) was transformed with pTAalp plasmid which was constructed for expression of the alkaline pretense gene, alpA, and 16 transformants were selected on arginine minus medium. When these transformants were tested for productivity of alkaline proteases using agar plate containing skim milk, the halo was observed around each colony of transformants, but not observed around the host strain in this condition. Southern analysis showed that the pTAalp plasmid having alpA gene was integrated into the chromosome of the host strain. The highest level of alkaline protease production was obtained in the culture filtrate of the transformant No. 14, which was estimated to 80-90% of total secreted proteins, and the enzyme activity was 64-450 times higher than those of host strain and industrial strain. Total nitrogen content and the digestion rate in soybean Koji extracts were also increased to 1.5 times in Aspergillus oryzae transformant No. 14.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 1976.04a
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• pp.182.3-182
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• 1976

A laboratory study was made for developing an fermentative method of producing conventional Korean soy sauce type of product from sandfish and defatted soy bean Koji of Aspergillus oryzae as raw material and enzme source, respectively. As an attempt to shorten the fermentation period, the admixture, consisting of pre-chopped sandfish slurry and the Koji of Asp. oryzae (100：15, wet fish weight/dry Koji weight) with added water equal to the fish weight (v/w), was first allowed, while being agitated at 450rpm, to undergo digestion for a 5 hour period at $50^{\circ}C$ with no added salt and then then, after adding 20％ salt (w/v), the hydrolysate mixture was ripened for up to 13 weeks at $30^{\circ}C$ and $45^{\circ}C,$ At intervals, an aliquot was withdrawn for determining microbiological, chemical and organoleptic changes taking place in the sandfish-defatted soy bean koji mixture during both digestion and ripening period.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.427-432
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• 1999

Physicochemical and sensory properties of Takju which was brewed with a modified Nuruk made by inoculation and cultivation of Rhizopus japonicus T2. Aspergillus oryzae L2. and Hansenula sp. BC26 isolated from Nuruk were investigated as compared with those with current fermenting agents such as com-mercial Nuruk and rice koji of Aspergillus kawachii. The contents of total acid were 0.88% 0.47% and 0.39% in mash of commercial Nuruk rice koji and modified Nuruk respectively. The contents of alcohol were 15.5% 15.1% and 9.0% in mash of modified Nuruk rice koji and commercial Nuruk respectively. The contents of reducing sugar were 2.80% 1.24% and 0.80% in mash of commercial Nuruk modified Nuruk and rice koji respectively. The contents of amino acid were 0.55% 0.47% and 0.23% in mash of modified Nuruk commercial Nuruk and rice koji respectively. Suspended solids were sedimented much more slowly in Takju of modified Nuruk or commercial Nuruk than in that of rice koji Color was pre-ferred in the order of Takju of modified Nuruk commercial Nuruk and rice koji. Odor and taste were preferred in the order of Takju of modified Nuruk rice koji and commercial Nuruk. Therefore it seem-ed that the Takju of modified Nuruk was better than that of commercial Nuruk or rice koji in quality.

• 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).

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.255-259
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• 1986

The aflatoxin production by Aspergillus ATCC 15517 decreased in the mixed culture with Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus kawachii, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, or with Aspergillus shirousamii to 1.3%, 13.8%, 1.3%, 0.7%, or 38.5% of that of monoculture respectively. These koji molds degraded $75%{\sim}100%$ of added aflatoxin $B_1\;(791{\mu}g/50ml\;YES medium)$. A. awamori secreted during growth aflatoxin degrading factor(s) which was heat-labile. The degraded aflatoxin by the factor(s) showed no toxicity against Bacillus megaterium NRRL B-1368.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.421-426
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• 1999

The major flavor compounds of Takju mash which was brewed with a modified Nuruk made by inocu-lation and cultivation of Rhizopus japonicus T2, Aspergillus oryzae L2 and Hansenula sp. BC26 isolated from Nuruk, were analyzed, as compared with those with current fermenting agents such as commerical Nur-uk and rice koji of Aspergillus kawachii. The contents of isoamyl alcohol isobutyl alcohol and ethyl acet-ate which were known as aroma compounds in Takju were much higher in mash of modified Nuruk than in that of commercial Nuruk or ricd koji. The major organic acids were lactic fumalic and succinic acid in mash of modified and lactic and acetic acid in mash of commercial Nuruk and citric lactic and suc-cinic acid in mash of rice koji. The contents of total organic acids were 5,146mg/L, 1,706mg/L and 1, 388 mg/L in mash of commercial Nuruk rice koji and modified Nuruk respectively. The major free amino acids were glutamic acid alanine proline and histidine in mash of modified Nuruk and glutamic acid proline leucine and histidine in mash of commercial Nuruk and arginine proline and glutamic acid in mash of rice koji. The contents of total free amino acids were 14,090mg/L 12,202mg/L and 7,152 mg/L in mash of modified Nuruk commercial Nurcuk and rice koji respectively. Therefore it seemed that the Takju mash of modified Nuruk was better than that of commercial Nuruk or rice koji.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.477-481
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• 1992

As a series of fundamental research projects to produce doenjang (Korean fermented soy paste) of better quality, two kinds of doenjang were manufactured from a traditional meju (Korean soy bean koji) and the mixed with Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus natto, and histological changes in the cell structures of soy bean of the two were reported doenjang samples were observed and compared during the entire period of fermentation processes. Cell walls of the soy bean were ruptured by pressure and heat during the pressure cooking process and some of them were observed to have the ghost-like shapes. Remarkable differences in the plasmolysis of the cytoplasms were observed between the seed coat and the inner part of soy bean. Small vacuoles resulting from the fusion of the glycoprotein globules by protease and from the hydrolysis of the starch granules by amylase were also observed. Penetration of microorganisms was transferred from the seed coat to the inside of soy bean as the fermentation proceeded. Slimy substances were observed on the seed coat and the parenchyma cells of soy bean fermented with the mixed with Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus natto. Cell walls of soy bean became difficult to stain and they showed unusual, polygonal shapes as the fermentation proceeded. Samples fermented with the mixed with Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus natto showed more remarkable tendencies than traditional meju.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.94-101
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• 2011

Squid (Todarodes pacificus) is processed as dried or seasoned-dried products and its catch gradually increased from 270,298 M/T in 2005 to 367,940 M/T in 2008 in Korea. Squid processing by-product (viscera) was usually discarded as a waste resulting in environmental problem. In order to utilize squid viscera for more value-added products, a natural squid seasoning was developed by fermenting with Aspergillus oryzae koji. Squid viscera at 5, 10 and 15% salt concentrations with fixed levels of 5% koji and 30% water was fermented at room temperature. The quality properties of squid fermented products such as amino-N, TMA, VBN, total viable cell count, pH and total acidity were determined at different fermentation periods. The contents of amino-N, TMA, and VBN of squid seasoning at 5% salt concentration fermented for 14 days were the highest. Based on amino-N content, squid viscera at 5% koji fermented for 14 days was selected for further assays: the content of moisture, crude protein, crude lipid, crude ash, and carbohydrate were 5.98, 35.19, 33.08, 11.30, and 14.45%, respectively. The content of glutamate, alanine, leusine and lysine were 7.06, 12.34, 9.90 and 10.22%, respectively. The $IC_{50}$ values of DPPH scavenging and $\beta$-glucuronidase inhibitory activity were 12.89 and 12.58 mg/mL, respectively. A natural squid seasoning was manufactured by mixing fermented squid viscera and an ingredient. Based on the results of sensory evaluation, the fermented squid viscera seasoning was almost equal to other natural complex seasonings such as anchovy, cow meat, and fisheries seasoning.