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To select appropriate microorganisms as starter cultures for the reliable and reproducible fermentation of soybean fermented products of Korean Doenjang, various ratios of fungi ( Aspergillus oryzae J, Mucor racemosus 15, M. racemosus 42) combined with Bacillus subtilis TKSP 24 were selected as either single, double, or multiple Meju strains for commercial mass production of Doenjang, followed by analysis of sensory characteristics. In the sensory evaluation, Doenjang BAM15-1 and BAM42-1, which were fermented with multiple strains (1:1:1), showed the highest sensory scores as compared to control. Based on sensory characteristics, 6 Doenjang samples were subjected to quantitative determination of amino acids, free sugars, and organic acids (volatile and nonvolatile) contents, followed by determination of biogenic amines. Total sweet taste amino acid contents were highest in BAM15-1 and BAM42-1 samples (333.7 and 295.8 mg/100 g, respectively) and similar that of control (391.1 mg/100 g). Samples BAM15-1 and BAM42-1 showed the relatively high volatile and nonvolatile organic acid contents (154.24, 192.26, and 71.31, 82.42 mg/100 g, respectively). In addition, BAM15-1 and BAM42-1 showed negligible biogenic amine formation, ranging from 0.00 to 1.02 and 0.00 to 3.92 mg/100 g, respectively. These findings indicate that determination of food components along with sensory and quality attributes using multiple microbial Meju strains as a starter culture may provide substantial results on improved quality fermented Doenjang products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six commercial Korean rice wines were described their sensory profiles by trained American panelists, and assessed acceptances by American subjects to identify the drivers of liking and disliking factors. Thirteen statistically different descriptive attributes were defined for Korean rice wines: aromas (apple, pear, earthy, peach, nutty, yeasty, honey), flavor (yeasty, nutty), taste (sweet, sour, bitter), and aftertaste (apricot). Samples A and F were characterized as sweet taste and fruity attributes, and sample C was characterized as being pear flavor and bitter taste. Sample B exhibited a strong earthy aroma, determined as the aroma of ginseng. The American subjects could not identify ginseng aroma due to their lack of experience in ginseng. Samples D and E were described as nutty and yeasty. In consumer test, consumer preference was skewed to sample A, for which the consumer preference revolved around the sweet, sour, and fruity characteristics of the sample by the principal component analysis. Few consumers expressed preference toward samples D and E, as evidenced by the lowest consumer acceptance ratings. Partial least squares regression revealed that the key liking factors of Korean rice wines were sweet, sour, and apricot flavors. Fruity characteristics (peach, apple, and pear) were also positively correlated with overall acceptance. The key disliking factors were yeasty and nutty characteristics. American subjects regarded Korean rice wine as belonging to the wine category, prompting them to grant the highest rank to sample A, which has similar characteristics to semisweet white wine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]