Aspergillus sojae production

Ishii and Yokotsuka recently used pectin lyases from Aspergillus sojae 170, 171, 172) and Aspergillus japonicus (173) for the enzymatic clarification of fruit juices. This is discussed later in this review. Bush and Codner 174) compared the pectin lyases produced by Penicillium digi-tatum and Penicillium italicum and found them remarkably similar. Both were endo acting, had optimal activities at pH 5.5, and had the same K. The pectin lyase from F. italicum, however, was less stable than that of F. digitatum. Spalding and Abdul-Baki 175) reported the production of a pectin lyase by Penicillium expansum growing on apple tissue or a pectin-polypectate mixture. 

Soy Sauce. Soy sauce is a well-known condiment made by fermentation or acid hydrolysis. In the fermentation process defatted soybean meal is cooked and then mixed with roasted, coarsely ground wheat and mixed with a culture of Aspergillus orys ae or Aspergillus sojae. After the mold grows for 2—3 d to form koji, brine is added, and the mixture is allowed to ferment for 6—8 m. The product is then filtered and pasteurized (94). Popularization of fermented soy sauce in the U.S. began in the late 1940s with imports from Japan, followed by construction of a plant in Wisconsin in 1973. Soy sauce is widely available in U.S. supermarkets and restaurants. In the acid hydrolysis process, defatted soybean flour is refluxed with hydrochloric acid to hydrolyze the proteins. The hydrolysate is then filtered, neutralized, and botded. 

In the case of A. niger TBUYN-2, Aspergillus sojae, and Aspergillus usami, () myrtenol (S ) was further metabolized to 7-hydroxyverbenone (2S ) as a minor product together with () oleu ropeyl alcohol (204 ) as a major product (279, 280). () Oleuropeyl alcohol (204 ) is also formed from (-)-a-terpineol (34) by A. TBUYN-2 (Noma et al., 2001) (Figure 19.168). 

The main sources of chitin in the diet are mainly the higher fungi that contain about 1% of chitin, such as cultivated common mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) (1.3-8.0% of dry matter) and shiitake mushrooms Lentinula edodes) containing 3.6-8.1% chitin in dry matter. Fermented soybeans and fermented rice used in the preparation of oriental foods contain chitin derived from moulds Aspergillus oryzae and A. sojae). Fungi contain up to 42% chitin (e.g. A. niger). Baker s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae) contains around 2.9% chitin, which becomes part of the baked products. 

For the food industry, SSF has its credibihty as one of the oldest known processes. SSF has been associated with production of traditional fermented foods such as koji, Indonesian tempeh, and Indian ragi. The oldest known fermentation of rice hy Aspergillus oryzae was used to initiate the koji process the mold Penicillium roquefortii has been used for cheese production for 4000 years, and soja sauce has been produced in Asia and bread in Egypt since 3000 years ago [3,10], and all these mark the importance ofthe process. SSF got totally neglected... 

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