Proteolysis during the fermentation of ethanol-supplemented miso

Steam-cooked soybeans mixed with rice koji (2:1, w/w) were ground into a fi ne paste, combined with NaCl (0 to 12.5%) or sucrose (0 to 25%), and supple mented with 15% ethanol for fermentation. The proteolytic activities decrea sed with NaCl or sucrose; the dose-response effect of NaCl was much more ef fective than that of sucrose. When fermented with 15% ethanol and 12.5% suc rose at various moisture contents from 30.6 to 53.0%, proteolysis increased proportionally to the increase of moisture content. Mechanical agitation e nhanced proteolysis. After 4 w of fermentation, free amino acid contents we re higher in products fermented without pH control than in products ferment ed with pH control.