16 
RESEARCHES ON THE MANUFACTURE, 
bably a little greater. In the loss of organic matter tbe albu¬ 
minoids bave certainly a slight share, as in both kinds of 
grain about 12 % of their original quantity was decomposed 
into simpler nitrogenous bodies, among which exists a small 
proportion of ammonia. The total quantity of nitrogen ap¬ 
plied appears not to have undergone any perceptible loss, as 
the slight decrease in the case of rice lies entirely within the 
limits of experimental errors and, in the case of barley, may 
have been caused by the mechanical treatment of the grain 
rather than by evaporation of ammonia or liberation of ele¬ 
mentary nitrogen. The crude fat (ether extract) shows, as in 
all fermenting or decaying materials, a remarkable increase, 
due to a formation of organic acids and other compounds 
soluble in ether. Some fibre , too, is newly formed by the 
fungus for its cellular membranes, and the slight increase of 
ash is caused by the application of well water with which the 
koji is sometimes besprinkled during the manufacture. 
The destruction concerns chiefly the carbohydrates, of which 
disappear from 100 parts of seeded dry rice applied, altogether 
17.66%, of the barley 24.06%. Owing to the formation 
of a considerable quantity of dextrin, maltose, and glucose 
the solubility of the koji shows an increase as compared with 
the steamed grain. It must, of course, be kept in mind that 
the solubility of a substance which contains ferments is depend¬ 
ent on the temperature and quantity of water used for ex¬ 
traction and on the time during which the water is allowed 
to act on the substance. Hence absolutely accurate figures can 
hardly be obtained for the solubility of a specimen of koji. 
With regard to the active properties of koji it appears to 
have been at once recognized by all those who have judicious¬ 
ly observed the process of saké brewing that this material is 
prepared and applied because of its saccharifying power, but 
the action of koji on starch and other carbohydrates was 
studied as early as in 1881, in which year R. W. Atkinson 
published elaborate researches on this subject. This author 
seems to have decisively ascertained that koji contains a 
