• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.268-274
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• 1998

The traditional kanjang has been prepared by mixing meju and 18% saline solution, and fermenting for 60 days. The traditional kanjang is very salty and inferior in flavor and taste comparing with commercial fermented soy sauce. To improve the quality of traditional kanjang, Zygosaccharomyces rouxii H-62, a flavor-related mutant, was inoculated during fermentation. It was found that the addition of Z rouxii helped to improve the organoleptic quaity of traditional kanjang. The optimal condition for preparing traditional kanjang was to use 5L of 15.5% saline solution per meju. Meju must be cut into 12 pieces to get a proper total nitrogen and pure extract content. The optimal fermentatin temperature was 3$0^{\circ}C$. The prepared kanjang contained over 0.8% total nitrogen and 6.0% pure extract after 60 days of fermentation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.19-32
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• 1976

The laboratory Mejus as well as home-made Meju and improved Meju received from Korea were ripened in the brine for up to 8 months and the changes is the chemical composition during the process were determined and the differences between the types of Meju were compared. On the basis of the amino acid pattern, the changes in the protein quality of soybean during the process was evaluated. No significant changes in the general chemical composition of Meju were noticed during the ripening for 8 months. However, the nitrogen solubility of Meju increased for $13{\sim}29%$ to $66{\sim}78%$ during 8 month ripening of the Meju-brine mixture. The concentration of free amino-N to the total-N increased from $4{\sim}7%$ in Meju to $29{\sim}35%$ in the 8month ripened mixture. The concentration of amino-N to the total-N increased from $1{\sim}4%$ in Meju to $5{\sim}14%$ in the 8month ripened mixture and the changes varied with the type of Meju used. Remarkable changes in the amino acid pattern of soybean were occured during the ripening process. The concentration of methionine decreased to the half of original Meju during the first month of ripening. Arginine and histidine were destroyed rapidly by the ripening longer than 1 month. A considerable amount of ornithine was synthesized during the ripening. The amino acid pattern of Meju did change drastically during the ripening longer than 3 months and the changes varied with the type of Meju. The retention of the nutrients in soybean during 8 month ripening of the laboratory 3 month Meju in the brine was 49% for carbohydrates, 107% for crude fat, 93% for crude protein and 74% for the total amino acid. Histidine, arginine and methionine and 74% for the total amino acid. Histidine, arginine and methionine were the most damaged during the process, retaining only 25%, 27% and 49% of the contents in raw soybean, respectively, whereas lysine retained 79%. By the separation of the 8 month ripened mixture, approximately 60% of crude protein, all of crude fat and 80% of carbohydrates in the mixture were retained in soypaste. Soypaste contained higher concentrations of amino acids per 16gN compared to soysauce, except for lysine. The most limiting amino acid of the protein was the S-containing amino acids in all cases studied, whereas the second limiting amino acid varied from valine in soybean to threonine in most of Mejus and the brine mixtures, lysine in most of soypastes and tryptophan in some of soysauces. According to the protein quality evaluation made by the reference of the FAO provisional pattern of amino acid, the chemical score of raw soybean was 82, which was reduced to 77 by cooking and further reduced to $71{\sim}74$ by Meju fermentation. At the eighth month of ripening the chemical score of the Meju-brine mixtures were reduced to $51{\sim}66. After the separation, the chemical score of soypaste ranged from 60 to 71, whereas that of soysauce varied from 45 to 57. Generally, the products made from improved Meju recorded the highest score, whereas those made from homemade Meju showed the poorest protein quality. The essential amino acid index(EAAI) of the samples was similar to the chemical score, but it appeared to fit the overall changes in the amino acid pattern during the process better than the chemical score.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.640-645
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• 2000

The effect of gamma-irradiation on the quality changes of the grain shape improved Meju was studied. Meju was prepared, irradiated at 0, 5, 10 and 20 kGy, and then stored at $25^{\circ}C$ for six months. The results showed that the fungi and acid producing bacteria were completely eliminated by gamma-irradiation with dose of 10 kGy or higher and the Bacillus was decreased by 5 log cycles with dose of 10 kGy. The $D_{10}$ values of the fungi, Bacillus and acid producing bacteria were 0.79, 2.28 and 1.17 kGy, respectively. Also, the microorganisms that survived irradiation was decreased significantly with the duration of storage period. The $NH_3-nitrogen$, negative factors of quality of Meju, and browning were repressed and the protease activity and pH were not affected by gamma-irradiation. Therefore, it was considered that the Meju treated with gamma-irradiation maintained better quality than that of the control with storage.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.188-196
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• 1995

To obtain useful mould strain in soybean fermentation industry, we collected conventional Meju all over the Korea and tested existance of aflatoxin in Meju collected. Also, we measured distribution of microorganism and enzyme activity of Meju and isolated Aspergillus oryzae O4-5 as a industrially useful mould. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1. Aflatoxin was not detected by EZ-Screen Test Kit and HPLC analysis in various Meju sample collected all over the Korea from 1994.12 to 1995.2. 2. Colony forming units(CFU) of mould, yeasts, aerobe, and anaerobe were $1.3{\times}10^4-2.8{\times}10^6$, $1{\times}10^2-1.5{\times}0^6$, $2.0{\times}10^7-8.0{\times}10^8$ and $3.0{\times}10^6-7.3{\times}10^8$ per gram of Meju, respectively, indicating that CFU inter Meju samples were varied with big difference. 3. The activities of ${\alpha}$-amylase and gluco-amylase were 5-80 units and 2-34 units per g of Meju, respectively. It was shown that enzyme activity was varied depending on where the Meju was collected. 4. The activities of acidic, neutral and alkaline protease were 5-33 units, 5-302 units and 5-363 units per g of Meju, respectively. Acidic protease of Improved Meju made by D-Company was higher than that of conventional Meju as 66 units per g of Meju. 5. CNU O4-5 strain selected as a noble strain could produce amylase and protease in high level, and identified as a strain that belongs to Aspergillus oryzae. 6. The activities of acidic and neutral protease of Aspergillus oryzae CNU O4-5 strain isolated were about 10% higher than those of Aspergillus oryzae JM which has been used in soybean fermentation industry. Amylase activity of CNU O4-5 strain was similar to Aspergillus oryzae JM.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 1990

In order to investigate systematically characteristics of improved Kochujang in comparision with traditional Kochujang, changes of components in curing of two Kochujangs, enzyme activities of koji and Meju, and effects of salt and red pepper were measured. And it was found that the large differences of amino nitrogen and reducing sugar contents were appeared in the initial stage of the curing period, but the changes were parallel thereafter. The protease activity of koji was maximum in weak acidic pH and that of Meju was maximum in neutral pH. The optimum condition of substrate digestion was three hours at $60^{\circ}C$, and that was more effective than curing at room temperature. The activities of protease and saccharogenic amylase were decreased remarkably by adding salt and red pepper, Therefore, to decompose starch and protein effectively, the addition of salt and red pepper after substrate digestion was more favorable.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.400-406
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• 2002

In case of doenjang, solution of browning problem might be an important remedy in order to dissolve consumers' dissatisfaction, therefore this study was performed to develop traditional doenjang which has improved in color aspect for consumers' needs. Physicochemical compositions and color values of commercialized traditional doenjang which was processed by history references of our country, were analyzed. doenjang used as samples were processed with traditional meju, which were made with soybean and mixed with various rates after following process such as soaking, steaming, cooling, chopping and grinding. The doenjang processed were storaged at $30^{\circ}C$ for 27 days, and their amino-N, pH, color values and sensory evaluation were analyzed with fermentation period. Furthermore, nitrogen results analyzed were compared with that of commercialized traditional doenjang. In the comparison with control, treated with only traditional meju, and doenjang treatments processed with different mixing rates of traditional meju and steamed soybean, the content of amino-N in control were higher than the others, and the contents of amino-N decreased with increasing contents of steamed soybean. Their pH were changed weak alkalic region into weak acidic region with fermentation period. In the aspect of color, traditional doenjang having the rate of traditional meju and steamed soybean (1:4) was most improved and also, in comparison of result of sensory evaluation with commercial traditional doenjang, its color, taste and falvor were evaluated predominent, therefore it might be thought to have competition on the market.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.460-465
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the isoflavone contents including daidzein and genistein in soy sauces made with whole grain soybean Meju(WGSM), comparing with defatted Meju(DM) du.ins fermentation. Total isoflavone contents in 2 soy sauces made with DM, Control and product A, increased with period of fermentation and were 15 and 4.3 times higher after 180 days of fermentation than on the day before fermentation respectively. Meanwhile, 2 soy sauces made with WGSM, product B and C, had the highest amounts with $20.53{\mu}g/g\;and\;19.52{\mu}g/g$ of isoflavones on the day before fermentation respectively, and then decreased with fermentation time. High amounts of isoflavones were detected in 20 days of fermentation of soy sauce which made with WGSM and wheat Meju(product D). Daidzein was the largest amounts in isoflavone contents, regardless of total or free isoflavone types. The level of daidzein increased with fermentation time in 2 soy sauces made with DM, Control and product A, whereas 2 soy sauces made with WGSM, product B and C decreased with fermentation time, instead of increasing of genistein contents.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.131-137
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• 1977

This study was conducted to examine the changes of pH, proteolytic enzymic activity, and every kind of nitrogen compounds during their fermentation of the three groups of meju for 90days. Among the three groups, the first group was conventional Korean meju which was proved to be good quality (sample J), the second group was prepared with soybean paste using B. subtilis (sample K), and the third group was an improved meju which was fermented with the soybean and wheat (7 : 3) mixtured paste with Asp. sojae (sample L). These groups were analyzed at an interval of 10 day and the results are summarized as follows: 1) The pH of the all three groups was lowered from $6.45{\sim}6.75\;to\;4.85{\sim}5.20$ in just the 30 days and maintained the weak acidity during this fermentation. 2) The proteolytic enzymic activity was increased as soon as the three groups of meju were fermented and marked the maximum value in 30 days. The maximum value of the three groups of meju J.K. and L was 147, 112, and 52 respectively. The proteolytic enzymic activity of sample J and K was decreased to 23.5 and 20.5 in 20 days, while that of sample L was decreased to 18.0 in 40 days, and maintained the volues to the end of fermentation for 90 days. The conventional meju J and the improved meju K showed sparkling activity at the pH 7, while the activity of improved meju L was strong at the pH 10. 3) The PAA-N content of sample J and K was increased and reached to the peak point with 1.55% and 1.49% respectively in 60 days. But the sample L marked the maximum value with 1.28% after 80 days. 4) The amino-N content of sample J was increased and reached to 0.36% after 60 days, and that of sample K and L was increased and reached to 0.29% and 0.21% respectively after 40 days. After reaching to the peak point, the contents were decreased. 5) The content of ammonia-N was most abundant in sample K which was fermented with soybean paste using B. subtilis. 6) The peptide-N content of sample K and L was increased after decreasing in the middle of fermentation period, while that of sample J was increased gradually during fermentation. 7) The changes of nitrogen compounds were seemed to complete in 60 days of fermentation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.247-252
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• 1976

The conventional meju samples were collected from various districts and the improved kokja were prepared in laboratory. The changes of components in the process of the conventional soysauce and the improved soysauce preparation was studied. The experimental results are as follows; 1. The conventional soysauce is less than the improved soysauce in the extent of utility of total nitrogen. 2. The former is less than the latter in amino-type nitrogen content.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.121-128
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• 1976

Cooked soybean, soybean curd, soymilk residue and fermented soybean Meju products were prepared in the laboratory and the protein supplementary effect of these foods to the rice diet was determined by the rat feeding experiments. The soybean products providing 20% of the dietary protein were added to steamed rice and the protein digestibility (TD), Biological Value(BV), NPU, PER and Partial Carcass Nitrogen Value of the diets were measured. The protein supplementary effect of soybean products indicated that the non-fermented products generally improved the protein quality of the rice diet, whereas the fermented products did not but reduced it in some cases. There was observed a possible antinutritional effect for the diet supplemented with Home-made Meju. This growth retarding effect of Home-made Meju disappeared during the subsequent ripening in the brine for 6 months.