Koji mold

Giri, A., Osako, K., and Ohshima, T. (2009b). Extractive components and taste aspects of fermented fish pastes and bean pastes prepared using different koji molds as starters. Fish. Sci. 75, 481M89. 

The glucamylase from Rhizopus delemar has been purified free from a-amylase and, later, crystallized. Activity was optimal at pH 4.5 and was diminished by calcium ions (compare, a-amylases). With amylose, amylopectin, glycogen, and soluble starch, the conversion into D-glucose exceeded 90% " and, since residual dextrins were not formed, amyloly-sis was not impeded by the (1 6)-interchain linkages. Enzymes showing similar activity are also produced by black-koji mold (Aspergillus awamori (Kawachi))" and the bacterium Clostridium acetohutylicum ... 

MATSUSHIMA, K YASHIRO, K., HANYA Y., ABE, K., YABE, K., HAMASAKI, T., Absence of aflatoxin biosynthesis in koji mold (Aspergillus sojae), Appl. Microbiol. BiotechnoL, 2001,55,771-776. 

Zhang, X. Y., Dai, A. L., Zhang, X. K. et al. 2000. Purification and characterization of chitosanase and exo-P-D-glucosaminidase from a Koji mold, Aspergillus oryzae IAM2660. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 64 1896-1902. 

Making rice malt (Koji) is the heart of sake brewing. Koji mold, Aspergillus oryzae, is sprinkled on the steamed rice after cooling the rice. Koji making is carried out in a special room controlled for humidity and temperature. Yeast starter is prepared with rice malt, steamed rice, yeast, and water. 

Koji production is one of the most important processes of soy sauce production. Equal volumes of steamed soybeans and crushed roasted wheat are mixed, seed Koji-mold is added to the mixture, and the mixture is kept for 3 days. 

Fig. 2.3 Schematic representation of microbial community (biofilm) formation in Fukuyama kurozu fermentation. Koji mold, yeasts, and lactic acid bacteria are floating or sunk to form a biofllm at the bottom of the pot, and acetic acid bacteria form a biofllm on the surface of the fermented broth (Figure is revised from the original figure by Furukawa et al. 2013)...

As we may expect, an interesting phenomenon was reported by Furukawa et al. (2011, 2013) in that almost all strains of A. pasteurianus formed biofilm (pellicles) in mixed culture with various lactic acid bacteria on the surface of the fermentation broth (Fig. 2.3). Yeast, koji mold, and lactic acid bacteria formed a biofilm and sank to the bottom of the pot. Okazaki et al. (2010) also found acetic acid bacterial pellicles on the mash surface and identified the dominant bacterial species as A. pasteurianus. 

Machida M, Yamada O Gomi K. 2008. Genomics of Aspergillus oiyzae learning from the Mstoiy of Koji mold and exploration of its future. DNA Res 15(4) 17 183. 

Soy Sauce. Soy sauce is a weU-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 oiy spergillus oyc e oi ispergillus 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 constmetion 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. 

Monascus spp. have been used as foods and medicines in the Orient for over 1000 years (Wong, 1982). In China and Taiwan, it has been called "Hong Qu," "Hon-Chi," "Anka," or "Ang-kak" using the Chinese or Taiwanese phonetic alphabet. The Japanese use the name "Beni Koji" or "red Koji." In the United States and Europe, it has been called "red rice," "red-mold rice," or "red Chinese rice." Many publications and commercial products use "red yeast rice," which is not an appropriate name for filamentous fungi. 

The Chinese counterpart for the word koji is qu, meaning bloom of mold. Made by growing molds on rice, barley, wheat, soybeans, or a combination, koji contains a great variety of enzymes that digest the starch, protein, and lipid components in raw materials. It is an intermediate product for making various fermented products such as fermented soy paste, soy sauce, soy nu ets, and Japanese sake. 

Good koji has a pleasant smell, lacks any musty or moldy odor, and is quite sweet in taste. The mature koji is taken out from the koji room to be mixed with salt to halt further mold development. Recently, a mechanical koji fermentor has been devel-... 

The introduction of the koji process to the West is chiefly due to the work of Takamine, which started in 1891 in the USA using wheat bran to make the preparation named Taka-Koji. Takamine introduced the technique of acclimatizing the mold to various antiseptics in order to minimize growth of contaminants during the process. The process was carried out on an industrial scale in rotating drum bioreactors. Large scale trials of the use of Taka-Koji instead of malt in distilleries were carried out in the plant of Hiram Walker Sons in Ontario Canada in 1913. This was marketed as a digestive aid imder the name of Takadiastase [8]. 

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