• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2002

Fermentation characteristics with/without nitrogen source and quality of the fruit distillate of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten were investigated during the manufacturing process of a Korean traditional liquor. As the fermentation period increased, acidity, brix degree, and alcohol concentration increased, whereas pH and contents of reducing sugar decreased. Acidity, pH, and brix degree were higher, whereas the content of reducing sugar lower, in the nitrogen source-added distillate than in the distillate without nitrogen source. The growth of yeast increased, while that of bacteria decreased; this trend was more prominent with the addition of a nitrogen source. Sojues, distilled from two types of mashes and diluted with $H_2O$ and tails of distillate into 22% alcohol concentration, showed pH $3.7{\sim}4.0$, acidity $0.02{\sim}0.10$, and $5.4{\sim}6.1$ $^{\circ}Brix$. Analysis through GC using direct injection methods revealed common volatile flavor compounds in sojues, including acetaldehyde, acetyl acetone, acetic acid ethyl ester, ethyl alcohol, 2-propyl alcohol, acetone, n-propyl alcohol, butanoic acid methyl ester, 2-phenyl ethanol, thymol, acetic acid phenyl ester, and vanillic aldehyde. As revealed through the sensory evaluation, no significant difference (p>0.05) in overall acceptability was shown among four experimental groups, while color and flavor showed significant differences(p<0.05).