Microbiological studies on the brewing 

 of Japanese Soja-Sauce. 



(Preliminary note). 



E. Saito. 



No adequate microbiological research has yet been carried out on the 

 brewing of Japanese Soja-Sauce. The chemical composition of the market 

 Soja lias been studied and published by Tahaua, Nagai, Kitao etc. Y. 

 Nishimura 1 ' has devoted himself to the study of the chemical changes 

 occuring during the processes of turning the raw materials, wheat and 

 bean, into kdji and moromi (mash). But his experiments with respect to 

 the microbiological analysis of the Icoji and moromi are not sufficiently 

 convincing to explain the complicated phenomena of the processes. The 

 object of the present work has been to find out what are those micro- 

 organisms which play the important parts during the fermentation. 



According to the experiments of the above named and other authors 

 it seems evident that the following kinds ,of chemical changes occur during 

 the processes. 



1. Saccharification of starch and decomposition of albumen. 



2. Formation of organic acid 2) in the mash. 



3. Formation of alcohol in the mash. (It seems very probable to me 



that the characteristic aroma of the Soja is closely connected 



with the formation of alcohol.) 

 I have been able to isolate the following microorganisms. They act 

 differently upon the Soja-material, and explain the above mentioned changes 

 in a satisfactory manner. Some of them are objectionable to the produc- 

 tion of good Soja. 



1. Bull. Coll. Agric, Tokyo, III, P. 191. 



2. Accoiding to the chemical investigation of my friend Mr. Suzuki lactic acid 

 predominates iu the mash and a)so in the Soja itself. 



