Fermented soybean Mejus were prepared in the laboratory with varying lengths of fermentation and the changes in the Chemical composition during the Meju making were determined. The moisture of cooked soybean was gradually evaporated during the Meju fermentation, and after 2 months of fermentation the water level reached to the level of the raw soybean. The concentrations of crude fat, crude protein and ash of the dry matter of soybean did not change considerably during soaking, cooking and Meju fermentation of up to 3 months, whereas carbohyrates decreased significantly during soaking and Meju fermentation. The percentage retention of the nutrients were 58% for carbohydrates and 93% for crude fat and crude protein.
The nitrogen solubility of soybean decreased drastically during cooking, from 79% to 21%, while Meju fermentation increased it to approximately 30% in the first week and this level remained constant for the duration of the fermentation. The concentration of free amino nitrogen in total nitrogen of soybean decreased during cooking, from 7% to 3%, but fermentation of Meju liberated it to the level of raw soybean. The concentration of free amino-nitrogen in the total-N of soybean was increased by cooking and further increased during Meju fermentation.
The amino acid pattern of soybean did not change significantly during soaking, cooking and the Meju fermentation up to 3 months. Serine and the basic amino acids, lysine, arginine and histidine, decreased to the range 81~87% of the raw soybean during the first month of Meju fermentation and thereafter remained almost constant. The total amino acid per 16g nitrogen was 99g incooked soybean and 93g in 1 month Meju, indicating a 6% reduction.
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