• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.1035-1042
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• 2000

Volatile compounds of kochujang prepared with meju and koji were analyzed by using a purge and trap method during fermentation and identified with GC-MSD. Thirteen alcohols, seventeen esters, seven acids, six aldehydes and nine others were identified. Twenty four volatile flavor detected immediately after making kochujang including 7 alcohols and 9 esters. Six volatile flavor compounds including 1 alcohol and 3 esters were more found after 30 day of fermentation and increased to forty nine of volatile compounds after 150 days. Six alcohols such as ethanol, 3-methyl-butanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 1-butanol and nine esters such as ethyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl caproate, ethyl carpylate and seven others were commonly found through the fermentation period. Peak area (%) of 1-butanol was the highest one among the volatile flavor compounds after 30 day of fermentation and ethanol showed the highest peak area after 60-90 day and 150 day of fermentation, and 3-methyl-1-butanol showed the highest peak area after 120 day of fermentation, 2-Methyl-1-propanol, ethyl butyrate, ethyl acetate, acetaldehyde, ethoxyethene, ethenone, methylbenzene were detected in the kochujang during the fermentation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.427-434
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• 1995

The preparation method for traditional kochujang (fermented hot pepper-soybean paste) at home were surveyed by 1,436 housewives through the country by premade questionnaires. The kochujang meju (Korean style soybean Koji for kochujang) were made by solely soybean (45.3% of respondents) or soybean with rice (26.3%) from September to November (52.2%) or December to February (32.7%). The shape of meju was either doughnut (28.4%) or brick (25.6%) type. Kochujang making seasons were either from March to May (56.6%) or December to February (25.0%) and it was prepared in proportion of mostly $6{\sim}10%$ meju powder (32%) with over 20% of red pepper powder (57.2%) prepared by seed removed dry red pepper. Subsidiary ingredients for kochujang making were boiled waxy rice (73.5%), malt (33.3%), corn syrup (18.9%) or corn syrup with malt (21.9%). After mixing all ingredients, kochujang in clay pot were occasionally exposed to the sun for fermentation for $3{\sim}4$ months (35.0%) or $1{\sim}2$ months (34.7%).

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.438-446
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• 2020

Meju and nuruk (respectively soybean and malt) are traditional Korean fermentation starters that are vulnerable to contamination by harmful microorganisms such as aflatoxigenic fungi and their associated aflatoxins (AFs). In this study, Aspergillus spp. were isolated and identified from a total of 57 meju and 18 nuruk samples collected from Korean markets. Their potential aflatoxigenicity was investigated by examining the presence of three aflatoxin biosynthetic genes (aflO, aflP, and aflR) using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) assays. Thereafter, aflatoxin production of isolates and the natural occurrence of AFs in meju and nuruk samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A total of 177 Aspergillus isolates were identified and 130 isolates were obtained from meju samples. Of these, 25 isolates (19.2%) contained all three aflatoxin biosynthetic genes, and five (20%) of these isolates produced aflatoxins. Forty-seven of the Aspergillus isolates were obtained from nuruk samples, five of which (10.6%) expressed all three AF biosynthetic genes; however, none of these strains produced AFs. HPLC analysis showed that 88% (51/58) of the meju samples and 39% (7/18) of nuruk samples were not contaminated with AFs (below limit of detection). Among the isolates isolated from meju and nuruk, there were aflatoxigenic strains containing all three aflatoxin biosynthetic genes or producing aflatoxin in medium, but the frequency of aflatoxin contamination was low in the meju and nuruk samples.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.753-758
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• 2013

This study evaluated the quality characteristics for optimization of premix-type Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) Soksungjang (BS). First, according to the amount of salt (8, 10, 12%), coliform counts were not detected in BS with 10 or, 12% salt at 21 days and Bacillus subtilis HJ 18-4 as a starter at 7 days. Therefore, 10% salt with starter culture might be considered as suitable conditions for safety. Second, according to the ratio of water (1:1, 1:1.5, 1:1.8), BS prepared with the same weights of meju powder and water showed the highest aminotype nitrogen content (688.76mg%) at 35 days; thus, an adequate fermentation state was established at this condition compared to others. Third, according to the type of container (pot, plastic, glass), the aminotype nitrogen contents were higher in the plastic container and pot than in the glass bottle. Lastly, according to the batch size (1.25, 2.5 kg), the coliform of the 2.5 kg sample decreased faster than that of 1.25 kg samples at 14 days. These results suggest that BS prepared with the same ratio of water and meju powder fermented with HJ 18-4 as a starter and 10% salt in a pot, plastic container (3 weeks) and glass container (4 weeks) showed desirable fermentation qualities.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.101-103
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• 2005

This study was performed to investigate the changes of Bacillus sp. of traditional Korean soy sauce (kan-jang) and soybean paste (doen-jang) during the ripening and storage for 12 months. All of the preparation methods for soy sauce and soybean paste followed the recommendations of the Korea Food Research Institute. The soy sauce and soybean paste were analyzed at 0, 6, and 12 months. The numbers of Bacillus sp. of meju (soybean cakes) or soy sauce and soybean paste at the initial stage were significantly higher than those of soybeans (p<0.05). The number of Bacillus sp. increased in soy sauce and soybean paste after 12 months of ripening and storage. This study indicates that this comes from the preparation and fermentation of meju. It is suspected that the organoleptic characteristics of soy sauce and soybean paste might be inferior over 1 year of storage time. Therefore, more research fur overall microbiological quality changes of soy sauce and soybean paste during the storage period should be conducted to interpretate this characteristics more accurately.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.339-346
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• 2003

In order to improve some problems such as contamination of undesirable mold, mycotoxin production and excessive drying on the surface of traditional meju, we developed a capsule type-meju(CM) coated with steamed black bean and Aspergillus oryzae - rice koji(0.3％, w/w) mixture to surface of traditional meju and fermented at 25$^{\circ}C$ for 14 days under 80％ relative humidity. Contamination of undesirable mold on the surface of CM was not detected within 2 weeks and some genus Penicillium molds on control meju without koji were found naturally after 12 days of fermentation. The moisture content of meju was showed to be in the range of 34.7 - 29.4％ being 32.7％(w/w) of mean value. Titratable acidities in CMs prepared with black bean(BCM) and soybean(SCM) were much higher than that in control meju, and BCM was similar to SCM. Free sugar content in BCM(123.98 mg％) was 10 times and 2.1 times higher than that in control meju(15.02 mg％) and SCM(59.85 mg％), respectively. Amino type nitrogen content in control meju was 147.00 mg％ and its content in BCM(255.50 mg％) was 1.37 times higher than that in SCM(187.25 mg％). Total organic acid content in BCM(95.98 mg％) and SCM(1l9.98 mg％) were much higher than that in control meju(26.44 mg％), and then lactic and malic acid contents were markedly changed according to capsulation of meju. Lightness value(L) of Hunter color index was much higher in BCM than in SCM. Fatty acid composition of CM was not different as compared to control meju. Total free amino acid content in BCM(1039.70 mg％) was 4.4 times and 2.4 times higher than that in control meju(236.45 mg％) and SCM(556.07 mg％), respectively.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.63-72
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• 1978

Effect of shapes (noodle, grain and brick types) and strains (Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus sojae) of Meju (microorganism inoculated soybean substrate for fermentation) on the quality of soy sauce was investigated. Generally, the highest protease activity was found in the noodle type-Meju inoculated Asp. sojae during Meju preparation and soy sauce brewing, however, the lowest value was noted in brick type. Meju inoculated Asp. oryzae. Similar tendency was found on the contents of total solid, total nitrogen, amino-nitrogen, nitrogen digestion yield and amino-nitrogen ratio during soy sauce brewing. No effect was shown on the reducing sugar content, alcohol formation, pH, buffer action and salt content according to different Meju types during soy sauce brewing. Organoleptic tests on the color, taste and flavor of soy sauce after 3 months brewing with various Meju scored in the order of noodle type-Asp. sojae soy sauce (best quality), noodle type-Asp, orzae soy sauce, brick type-Asp. sojae soy sauce and brick type-Asp. oryzae-soy sauce (worst quality).

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.196-201
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• 2000

This study was conducted to investigate various flavor components of barley meju during fermentation. The change of PH was $5.2{\sim}5.6$. L-value and b-value gradually decreased. a-value gradually increased until fifth day and then decreased. Among 75 flavor compounds identified in barley meju, 10 aldehydes and 10 ketones were most in number followed by 9 acids, 9 phenols, 7 hydrocarbons, 7 alcohols and 6 esters. The contents of ethyl acetate $(67.8{\sim}89.1%)$ was more than those of any ether component followed by hexadecanoic acid $(1.21{\sim}12.00%)$ and tetramethylpyrazine $(0.06{\sim}12.30%$).

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.234-241
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• 2019

In Korea, traditional doenjang is manufactured using the conventional method at home and by small-scale enterprises. Because this age-old process depends on natural inoculation of various microorganisms, it is difficult to reproduce or maintain consistency in the final product quality across batches. Moreover, doenjang occasionally prepared by this method raises safety concerns related to aflatoxin, biogenic amine, and Bacillus cereus contamination. To develop starters that can be conveniently used at home or in small industry settings for the manufacturing of safe and flavor-improved doenjang, autochthonous microbe starters were developed in dried forms as ready-to-use starters. Each starter powder prepared by heat- or freeze-drying methods remained stable even after 24-week storage. These ready- to-use starter powders were successfully applied to lab-scale fermentation for the production of safe and flavor-improved doenjang. We believe that these ready-to-use starter powders will benefit small-scale enterprises in the manufacturing of doenjang of good reproducible quality.

• 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.