• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2006

This study was carried out to examine the quality characteristics of soybean pastes made of Meju with mold-producing pretense isolated from traditional Meju. The changes in moisture content, enzyme activity (amylase, protease, lipase), reducing sugar, amino-type nitrogen contents and anti-oxidant activity were investigated during the aging period. The moisture contents decreased gradually with time. Amylase activity decreased during the aging period while pretense and lipase activities increased until 30-45 days of aging, but decreased thereafter, Especially pretense activity in soybean paste with mold was greater than that in the control. Amino-type nitrogen and ammoniacal nitrogen contents increased, but reducing sugar contents decreased with time. Amino-type nitrogen contents were greater in soybean paste made of Meju with isolated mold than those in the control. Antioxidative activity was also confirmed in soybean paste.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.493-502
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• 2013

In this study, we designed to confirm the dietary effect of anti-obesity of fermented soybean curd residue (FSCR; SCR-Meju; Biji-meju) by A. oryzae, which is well known as a Korean traditional meju microbe. We observed that body weight gain, serum and hepatic lipid profile, as well as the activity of ROS generating enzyme and ROS scavenging enzyme in high-fat diet induced obese mice fed experimental diet (SCR and SCR-meju). Body weight gain and epididymal fat weight of HC (high-fat diet control) was markedly higher than that of NC (Normal control). Conversely, body weight gain and epididymal fat weight of the SCR (Biji) and SCR-meju (Biji-meju) group was significantly lower than that of HC; these of the SCR-meju group was lower than that of the SCR group. Furthermore, serum TG and total-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol contents of SCR and SCR-meju groups were lower than that of HC, and HDL-cholesterol level of the SCR-meju group was significantly higher than that of HC. In conclusion, although precise mechanisms of the antiobese effects of SCR-meju in this study are unknown, the present study provides an experimental evidence that SCR-meju may prevent obesity and obesity related metabolic syndromes, such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes, and liver disease by high-fat diet. Nevertheless, further study in this filed will be needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.343-350
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• 2002

This study was conducted to standardize the manufacturing process of doenjang. The preparation methods, kinds and levels of the ingredients were determined by the statistical surveys of literatures obtained from cooking books, scientific papers and doenjang manufacturing factories. The standardized preparation of fermentation methods of doenjang were classified into two large groups, that were traditional and modified (commercialized) methods. Most soybeans used in doenjang preparation were the large size. To prepare traditional doenjang, soybeans were cleaned, scaled and cooked for 2 hrs at atmospheric pressure. These cooked soybeans were crushed in water and molded as brick shape. The molded soybean was dried for 2 days in the air, hung up by rice straw and fermented for 30~60 days under natural environmental condition (called meju). Recently soybean grain meju that inoculated with Asp. oryzae also frequently used to make traditional doenjang. The fermented meju was brined with a ratio of meju : salt : water = 18.4 : 14.6 : 67.0 and the meju-brine mixtures were ripened for 2 months. When the meju-brine mixture was fully fermented, it was separated into liquid and solid parts. The crushed solid part was further ripened in a separated pottery for 60 days and become doenjang. The liquid part was filtered, boiled and used as soy sauce. In modified commercial doenjang preparation, soybeans were cocked by autoclaving and then cooled about to 3$0^{\circ}C$. Separately, steamed barley grains or wheat flour were inoculated with 0.2% Asp. oryzae and incubated for 3 days at 3$0^{\circ}C$ and mixed with the crooked soybeans, salt, and water (soybean : salt : starch : water = 39.8 : 12.5 : 22.6 : 25.1). These mixtures were ripened for 30 days at 3$0^{\circ}C$. It seems that the manufacturing process of traditional doenjang needs to be more industrialized, whereas, the commercial doenjang preparation is going to adapt the traditional processing method of doenjang.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.103-108
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• 1993

The Kinds of soy sauce were prepared using the brick type of conventional meju(A), the brick type of meju of Aspergillus oryzae(B), and the grain type of meju of Aspergillus oryzae(C). Free sugar and alcohol were analyzed in accordance to aging time of those products. Galactose, glucose, arabinose, xylose, and mannose were detected in all kinds of soy sauce. In soy sauce 4 galactose, glucose, arabinose, and xylose were shown in the order of content. The content of galactose in soy sauce A and soy sauce C were shown higher than that in soy sauce B alt during the time. The content of glucose was highest among that of all kinds of free sugars at the beginning of preparation, but the content of glucose was lower than that of arabinose and xylose after 60 days. The contents order of total free sugar was soy sauce C > soy sauce B > soy sauce A. The content of ethyl alcohol was shown 6.23∼19.10mg%, and that of isobutyl alcohol was 8.70∼ 169.03 ppm in all soy sauces, but those of soy sauce C was higher than those of other soy sauces.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.924-933
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• 1998

Kochujang, fermented hot pepper-soybean paste, was prepared by two common varieties of red pepper and natural fermented (NF) or pure cultured (PC) meju (soybean mass that is soaked, steamed, mashed and fermented by natural microflora or pure strain) and monitored their taste related component, enzyme activity and microflora during fermentation at $25^{\circ}C$ for 120 days for confirming possibility of kochujang fermentation control. The reducing sugars, amino type nitrogen (reference quality factor) and amino acid content in PC kochujang were 11.4%, 0.58% and 1,372.9 mg% respectively, 7.1%, 0.42% and 1,038.7 mg% in NF kochujang. It is concerned higher ${\alpha}-{\;}and{\;}{\beta}-{\;}amylase$ and, acid and neutral protease in PC kochujang during fermentation. The meju fermented by selected pure strain (A. oryzae CBU) can be applied to produced better quality of kochujang instead of natural meju.

• Mycobiology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.408-419
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• 2022

Filamentous fungi that could be classified into Aspergillus flavus/oryzae were isolated from traditionally fermented meju commercially available in Korea. The samples were analyzed for aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A contamination by HPLC; however, no toxin was detected. In addition, fungal and bacterial metagenomic sequencing were performed to analyze the microbial distribution in the samples. The results revealed that the distribution and abundance of fungi and bacteria differed considerably depending on the production regions and fermentation conditions of the meju samples. Through morphological analysis, ITS region sequencing, and assessment of the aflatoxin-producing ability, a total of 32 A. flavus/oryzae strains were identified. PCR analysis of six regions with a high mutation frequency in the aflatoxin gene cluster (AGC) revealed a total of six types of AGC breaking point patterns. The A. flavus/oryzae strains did not exhibit the high amylase activity detected in the commercial yellow koji strain (starter mold). However, their peptidase and lipase activities were generally higher than that of the koji isolates. We verified the safety of the traditionally fermented meju samples by analyzing the AGC breaking point pattern and the enzyme activities of A. flavus/oryzae strains isolated from the samples. The isolated strains could possibly be used as starter molds for soybean fermentation.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.315-320
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• 2002

In order to improve some problems such as contamination of undesirable mold, mycotoxin production and excessive drying on the surface of traditional meju. Control meju without koji and capsule type meju(CM) coated with soybean mixture containing 0.5%, 1% and 2%(w/w) R. oligosporus koji were dried at room temperature (10∼15$^{\circ}C$) for 3 days. Control meju I was fermented in outdoor for 27 days. Control meju IIand CMs were fermented in Korean yellow clay room at 25$^{\circ}C$ for 7 days under 80% relative humidity as first step, and then fermented in outdoor (average temp. 2.7$^{\circ}C$, December) for 20 days as second step. The moisture content of CMs were higher than that of control meju I to the range of 2.88∼7.55%(w/w). pH and titratable acidity in CMs were similar to control group. Amino type nitrogen content in CMs(800.80, 816.0, 901.60 mg%) were 2.2∼2.6 times higher than that in control meju I (347.2 mg%). Reducing sugar content in CMs(2.78∼3.13%) was similar to control meiu I (2.10%) and control meju H(2.31%). Lightness(L) value of control meju I was higher than that of control meju IIand CMs.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.887-893
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate flavor components of sigumjang meju and barley bran. Among 52 kinds of flavor components identified in barley bran, the content of hexanal was the most followed by butanoic acid, 2-pentylfuran and hexanoic acid. Among 66 kinds of flavor components identified in 12 sigumjang mejus, the contents of 2-furancarboxaldehyde, 1-(3-methoxyphenyl)-ethanone and tetramethylpyrazine were more than those of any other components. Twenty two kinds of flavor components were detected in both barley bran and sigumjang meju. The contents of butanoic acid, hexanal and 2-pentylfuran were higher in barley bran than sigumjang meju. The contents of 2-furancarboxaldehyde, 1-(3-methoxyphenyl)-ethanone and tetramethylpyrazine were higher in sigumjang meju than barley bran. Thirty kinds of volatile components were detected only in barley bran and 44 kinds were detected only in sigumjang meju.

• 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%).

• 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.