Mechanized fermentation systems for the production of experimental soy sauce koji

Summary Mechanized methods are proposed for improving the technology of soy sauce production at the koji stage. A comparative study on roller and rotary fermenters has been conducted from three viewpoints, namely enzyme levels, chemical composition and soy sauce produced. The taste, aroma and colour of the soy sauce samples from these mechanized fermenters were similar and compared satisfactorily with good commercial soy sauce. The equipment shows promise for controlled solid substrate fermentations.