ABSTRACT
CONTENTS 25.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 429 25.2 Soy Sauce Fermentation ......................................................................................................... 430
25.2.1 Background .............................................................................................................. 430 25.2.2 History ...................................................................................................................... 430 25.2.3 Outline of the Manufacturing Process of Soy Sauce ............................................... 431 25.2.4 Raw Materials .......................................................................................................... 431 25.2.5 Treatment of Raw Materials .................................................................................... 431
25.3 Soybean Paste (MISO) Fermentation (Rice-Miso and Barley-Miso) ..................................... 433 25.4 Sake (Japanese Rice Wine) Fermentation ............................................................................... 434
25.4.1 Outlines of the Manufacturing Process of Sake ...................................................... 434 25.5 Shochu (Japanese Spirits) Fermentation ................................................................................. 436 25.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 437 References .......................................................................................................................................... 438
25.1 Introduction Traditional fermented foodstuffs may be divided into six categories as follows: (1) alcoholic beverages fermented by yeasts; (2) vinegars fermented with Acetobacter or Gluconobacter; (3) fermented milk products treated with lactic acid bacteria; (4) pickles fermented with lactic acid bacteria in the presence of salt; (5) fermented fi sh or meat treated with enzymes together with lactic acid bacteria in the presence of salts; and (6) fermented plant proteins treated with molds, with or without lactic acid bacteria and yeasts in the presence of salt [1]. Since ancient era, people all over the world have developed traditional processes for the production of alcoholic beverages. The beverages are prepared principally by converting sugars present in the raw materials into alcohol by the action of yeasts. Vinegars have been made from almost all of these alcoholic beverages by converting the alcohol into acetic acid by the action of Acetobacter or Gluconobacter. Fruit wines have been made from sweet fruits such as grapes, apples, and oranges, and the corresponding vinegars made from these wines.
