204 



NISIIIMURA : THE CHEMISTRY OF 



the production of soja sauce so considerably. We have seen 

 before that all the principal changes are going on during the first 

 two months while the ripening of soja sauce takes one to two 

 years 



The question how this flavour is produced and whether its 

 formation could not be hastened seemed to me of considerable 

 interest. 



I supposed that the gradual production of alcohol has some 

 influence upon it and that this, together with those products 

 formed by the roasting of the wheat, would contribute to the 

 development of the flavour. 



Indeed when I mixed crushed roasted wheat with some sake 

 and digested the mixture for several weeks at 30°C., I observed 

 a very similar flavour ; the flavour was quite different when 

 instead of roasted wheat boiled soja beans were used. 



By roasting the wheat or barley there is produced some 

 maltol {Brand) which might perhaps gradually yield an ether 

 of the desired flavour. 



SUGGESTION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT 

 OF MANUFACTURE. 



As in the present state of the manufacture so much time is 

 required that a considerable loss of interest on capital is involved, 

 the most important desideratum would be to shorten the time of 

 manufacture. I have shown in the preceding pages that it is 

 not so much the retarded action of the enzymes which cause the 

 consumption of so much time, but principally the production of 

 the flavour. I have further pointed out that the slow production 

 of alcohol is evidently the cause of the slow development of 

 flavour. 



In the second place the materials of the wort should be 

 crushed very finely to increase the surface and open the contents 

 of the cells to the immediate action of the enzymes which have 

 been prepared by the Aspcrgilhis orynae during the koji 

 preparation. 



In the third place, it has to be taken into account that 

 during the 5 rather cold winter months the changes are almost 

 completely at a stand still. 



