• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.259-267
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• 1998

Typical characteristics of Mejus must be understood to get the basic data for setting up mass production system of traditional fermented soybean products. One hundred and twenty one Mejus were collected from various places and analyed. Most of shapes were rectangular and some were spherical, conical, cylindrical and doughnut types. The weight of Mejus was 0.4~4.2kg. Chemical analysis showed: moisture content, 9.73~58.22% ; pH, 4.95~8.15; acidity, 0.6~3.8% ; soluble protein content, 4.45~12.31%; soluble sugar content, 0.82~10.95%. Enzyme assay showed: $\alpha$-amylase activity, 5.0~874.2 units/g; $\beta$-amylase activity, 0.02~27.74units/g; acidic protease activity, 31.3~225.1unts/g; lipase activity 1.0~53.0units/g. Total viable cells were 3.72$\times$107~1.35$\times$1010cfu/g, and yeast and mold count 6.46$\times$104~8.91$\times$106cfu/g. respectively. $\alpha$-Amylase activity of a traditional Meju from Incheon showed the highest activity of 732.8 units/g(interior section) and 823.2units/g (exterior section). $\beta$-Amylase activity was the highest{3.57 units/g (interior sectin) and 4.25units/g (exterior section)} in Meju from Chunbuk. Acidic protease activity was the highest in sample from Seoul, whereas traditional Meju from Kyongnam showed the highest activity of 21.5units/g(interior section) and 37.5units/g(exterior sectin).

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.908-915
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• 1998

By using Korean native soybean, traditional meju was prepared in Chuncheon, Kangweondo according to the traditional process. Analysis of physico-chemical, enzymatic and microbiological changes during meju fermentation were carried out in order to obtain a basic information for industrial scale production of meju. The enviroments for natural meju fermentation were $10{\sim}15^{\circ}C$ and $60{\sim}70%{\;}RH$. Moisture content decreased from 59% to 11% (exterior section) and 19% (interior section). the pH of meju rapidly increased up to 8.5 at $33^{rd}{\;}day$ of fermentation and thereafter decreased down to 7.9 at $70^{th}{\;}day$ of fermentation. Souble protein content was 1.47% at initial stage and increased up to $6.31{\sim}7.34%$ at $33^{rd}{\;}day$ of fermentation. Amino nitrogen content was $460{\sim}770{\;}mg%$ at $70^{th}{\;}day$ of fermentation. the color of meju became gradually black and decreased in redness and yellowness. During the process, protease and lipase seemed to play an important role in the digestion of soy protein and fat. Acidic protease activity increased up to $135.9{\sim}152.4{\;}unit/g$ at $33^{rd}{\;}day$ of fermentation and were $181.3{\sim}272.6{\;}unit/g$ at $70^{th}{\;}day$ of fermentation. Lipase activity increased up to 6 unit/g (interior section) and 15 unit/g (exterior section) at $70^{th}{\;}day$ of fermentation. the viable cell count of meju was at the level of $10^8{\;}CFU/g$ during the overall fermentation period. Aerobic halophilic count was $1.51{\times}10^7{\;}CFU/g$ at initial stage and maintained $10^8{\;}CFU/g$ level during the process. Initial anaerobic cell count was $2.0^9{\times}10^4{\;}CFU/g$ and increased up to $10^5{\;}CFU/g$ level at 47 days. Yeast and mold counts were $10^4{\sim}10^5{\;}CFU/g$ for the fermentation period.