JAN. i90«i SATTO.-FORMOSAN FERMENTATION ORGANISMS. 5 



with ; but his researches threw no light on the nature of that 

 species which produces alcohol during the mashing and is 

 contained in the Koji itself. On the other hand, he notes about 

 the " Shiro-koji " merely that it is mainly composed of a 

 species of Mucor. Usami/^ in his investigation of the " Awa- 

 mori," mentions the presence of two kinds of yeast in the 

 " Shiro-koji," but he gives no evidence of having examined the 

 matter in detail. 



By the kindness of Messrs. Kawakami and Nakahara I 

 have been able to get both kinds of the Koji, mash, and some 

 of the beverages on the market. Of these, the biological 

 analj'sis was undertaken and it will be obvious that the 

 problems which present themselves are two, namel}^ to find 

 out the fungus which acts on starch to convert it into a fer- 

 mentable form and to identify the yeast which has to do with 

 the decomposition of sugar into alcohol and carbonic anhy- 

 dride. 



The examination has revealed the existence of various 

 organisms, of which some are essential and others mere in- 

 truders or foreign organisms having nothing to do with the 

 changes in question. I venture to hope the following notes 

 will be found of some interest. 



I. Beni-koji. 



The " Beni-koji " presents in shape and size the appearance 

 of a rice grain and is of a dark purple red colour. When in a 

 dried state, the Koji-grain is brittle and very apt to break, 

 easily changing to powder of the same colour. By the usual 

 method I have isolated Monascus purpureus and a yeast, as 

 the constant and essential components of the Koji, which I 

 have examined. 



(1) Monascus purpureus Went. 



This species was at first found in " Ang-khak " of Java by 



1) Report of tlie College of Technology, Imperial University, Tokyo, 1901, No. 3, 

 p. 15. (In Japane.se). 



