IO 
RESEARCHES ON THE MANUFACTURE 
which contained in the fresh state 3-63%. 5 It is furthermore very 
likely that some of the carbohydrates are destroyed by processes 
identical with or resembling those which yield marsh gas from 
organic substances, if the latter are kept under water in absence 
or deficiency of oxygen. The conditions to which the raw 
materials are subjected in miso manufacture are not very different 
from the latter. Another portion of the carbohydrates along with 
the albuminoids probably furnishes the material for the formation 
of the cellular membranes of the mycelium and for the organic 
acids, of which we found to be present in the 3rd sample 0.037% 
of volatile (calculated as acetic) and 0.411% of fixed (calculated 
as lactic) acids 5 in the free state. 
d) The crude fibre slightly increases in the dry matter of the 
fermenting mass, probably in consequence of the destruction of 
the other organic components. A portion of it is likely to be 
reformed by the fungus as membrane of new cells. 
e) The relative increase of the ash including common salt 
shown by the tables was to be anticipated on account of the 
destruction of organic matter. 
f) The solubility of the fermenting dough gradually diminishes, 
because the saccharification and dissolution of albuminoids do 
not keep pace with the destruction and volatilisation of the 
organic substance, the latter processes being obviously accom¬ 
plished to a larger extent than the former. 
g) The mixture becomes in the course of the fermentation 
relatively richer in water, which is also a consequence of the 
gradual loss of dry organic matter. The evaporation of water 
from the vat, though restricted by the lid, is certainly not entirely 
prevented and does not counterbalance or outweigh the loss of 
solid matter. 
Having taken into account in the preceding chiefly the 
alterations which concern the percentage composition of miso 
5 Further determinations of alcohol and free acids will be found at a later 
part of this paper in the record of analyses of different varieties of miso. It is 
probable that also small quantities of acetone are produced during the fer¬ 
mentation. 
