Characteristics of Soybean Curds Manufactured by Various Bitterns

To investigate the usability of the bitterns produced during salt manufacture, the characteristics of soybean curds coagulated with bitterns like solar salt bitterns (SSB), dehydrated salt bitterns (DSB), concentrated sea water (CSW) and bitterns produced during the storage of solar salt (BSS) were measured. The Mg contents of all the bitterns were the same, but the Na content of the BSS was 1.0-2.0 times as high as that of the other bitterns. The yield of the soybean curds did not differ with the addition of coagulants, except for the CSW. However, the soybean curds were acquired in large quantities by the DSB and CSW. The mg and Na contents of the soybean curds that were made with the bitterns were higher than those of . The heavy metals were below 3 ppm in the curds, especially those produced by the CSW, but Pb was not detected. Among the mechanical characteristics of the soybean curds, their adhesiveness was not affected by the coagulants, but the mechanical hardness of the curds produced by the DSB and CSW was lower. The sensory evaluation showed that the curds that were produced by the bitterns were more highly preferred than those produced by . In particular, the soybean curd that was made with the CSW was favored due to its soft texture. The results of this study, particularly the high yield of the curds that showed a soft texture, showed that the bitterns, especially the CSW, could be used safely and economically.