Sterilized soy sauce

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a soy sauce which can be produced by the present brewing method and which has the original flavor of soy sauce and is not easily deteriorated by heat and has excellent aroma retention and storage properties. The above object can be achieved by a heat-sterilized soy sauce containing 30 ppb or more of phenethyl acetate, a heat-sterilized soy sauce containing 30 ppb or more of phenethyl acetate and having a reduction rate of phenethyl acetate of 5% or less after aging at 25°C for one week, and the present brewed heat-sterilized soy sauce.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a heat-sterilized soy sauce. Background Art

[0002] In the case of this brewing method, soy sauce is manufactured by the following method: a seed koji containing Aspergillus is inoculated and cultured in a mixture of a protein raw material such as soybeans that has been denatured by heat and a starch raw material such as wheat that has been alpha-activated by heating to obtain soy sauce koji, the obtained soy sauce koji is then added to salt water, and soy sauce mash is obtained by lactic acid fermentation and maturation, the obtained soy sauce mash is then subjected to yeast fermentation and maturation to obtain matured mash, the obtained matured mash is then subjected to pressing and filtering to obtain raw soy sauce, and the obtained raw soy sauce is then sterilized by heating, etc.

[0003] In the above-mentioned conventional soy sauce manufacturing method, the process is continuously performed until the soy sauce koji is obtained to the matured mash. That is, yeast or the like is added to the soy sauce koji obtained from the soy sauce koji by lactic acid fermentation, etc., thereby performing yeast fermentation or the like. In addition, yeast fermentation is performed by adding yeast to the soy sauce koji and leaving it for about several weeks to about several months. In addition, the maturation period of the soy sauce koji is usually more than 3 months. The following patent document 1 describes a method for shortening the maturation period, but even so, it takes 1 to 2 months.

[0004] In the past, soy sauce was not only used for cooking by itself, but also used as soup, seasoning sauce, citrus vinegar soy sauce, etc. by mixing with soup, vegetables, fruits, etc. In addition, it can also be used as a raw material for seasonings such as side dishes for home-cooked dishes by mixing with various raw materials and sterilizing the retort bag.

[0005] Prior art literature

[0006] Patent Literature

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-2264 Summary of the invention

[0008] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0009] However, when using soy sauce as described above, there are problems of heat degradation due to strong heat application, and problems with aroma retention and storage properties due to storage for a certain period of time. In addition, other than these known methods, there is almost no known soy sauce that is less likely to be heat-degraded and has excellent aroma retention and storage properties.

[0010] Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a soy sauce which can be produced by the present brewing method and which, in addition to having the original flavor of soy sauce, is less susceptible to heat deterioration and has excellent aroma retention and storage properties.

[0011] Means used to solve problems

[0012] In order to solve the above problems, the inventors reconsidered the ingredients and manufacturing method of the soy sauce obtained by the present brewing method, and repeatedly conducted trial and error experiments to see whether a soy sauce excellent as a seasoning could be obtained. In addition, in the process, it was found that the soy sauce obtained by the method described in Patent Document 1 contained a very small amount of phenethyl acetate in addition to ethyl caprate and ethyl caprylate. It is well known that phenethyl acetate has a rose-like fragrance. In addition, the content of phenethyl acetate in commercially available soy sauce is less than the detection limit.

[0013] Therefore, the present inventors repeatedly conducted further trial and error experiments on the conditions under which the amount of phenethyl acetate increases, and found that the content of phenethyl acetate increases in the initial stage of yeast fermentation, and when the yeast fermentation period reaches a certain time or more, the content of phenethyl acetate decreases.

[0014] Based on these findings, the researchers heat-sterilized yeast fermentation products containing a sufficient amount of phenethyl acetate, and surprisingly succeeded in producing heat-sterilized soy sauce that can maintain the phenethyl acetate content and can be preserved.

[0015] The present inventors have finally succeeded in creating a heat-sterilized soy sauce containing a predetermined amount of phenethyl acetate. The present invention was completed based on such findings and successful examples.

[0016] Therefore, according to one aspect of the present invention, the following solutions are provided.

[0017] [1] A heat-sterilized soy sauce containing 30 ppb or more of phenethyl acetate.

[0018] [2] A heat-sterilized soy sauce containing 30 ppb or more of phenethyl acetate, wherein the reduction rate of phenethyl acetate is 5% or less after aging at 25°C for one week.

[0019] [3] The heat-sterilized soy sauce according to [1] or [2], wherein the soy sauce is local brewed soy sauce.

[0020] [4] A method for producing soy sauce containing phenethyl acetate, comprising:

[0021] The step of subjecting the soy sauce koji to lactic acid fermentation using soy sauce lactic acid bacteria to obtain soy sauce moromi, and subjecting the soy sauce moromi to solid-liquid separation treatment to obtain soy sauce moromi liquid;

[0022] The step of subjecting the soy sauce moromi juice to a heat sterilization treatment or an enzyme inactivation treatment to obtain a heat sterilized soy sauce moromi juice; and

[0023] A step of subjecting a heat-sterilized soy sauce moromi juice to yeast fermentation using soy sauce yeast to obtain a soy sauce containing phenethyl acetate.

[0024] Effects of the Invention

[0025] According to the heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention, the contained phenylethyl acetate can make the flavor of food and cooking better. The heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention can be produced by this brewing method, so it can be industrially produced together with or instead of commercially available soy sauce. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 This is a graph showing the measurement results of phenethyl acetate in yeast fermentation of liquid fermented soy sauce carried out in Example 1 as described in Example 1 described later.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a graph showing the results of measuring phenethyl acetate in samples of the test group with and without heat sterilization performed in Example 2 as described in Example 1 described later. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail, but the present invention is not limited to the matters of this clause, and various embodiments can be adopted as long as the object of the present invention is achieved.

[0029] Unless otherwise specified, each term in this specification is used in the sense commonly used by those skilled in the art and should not be interpreted as having an undue limitation. In addition, the speculations and theories made in this specification are made based on the insights and experiences of the inventors so far, and therefore the present invention is not limited to such speculations and theories.

[0030] The meaning of "content" is the same as concentration, which refers to the ratio of the amount of the ingredient to the total amount of soy sauce. However, the total amount of the content of the ingredient is not more than 100%.

[0031] The term "ppm" is a unit with a commonly known meaning. Specifically, 1 ppm is 1 / 10 6 , is 1mg / L(w / v).

[0032] The term "ppb" is a unit with a commonly known meaning. Specifically, 1 ppb is 1 / 10 9 , converted to 1ng / g in grams.

[0033] The term "and / or" means any combination of any one or more than two or all combinations of the listed related items.

[0034] The "to" in a numerical range is a range that includes the values ​​before and after it. For example, "0% to 100%" means a range of more than 0% and less than 100%. "Greater than" and "less than" do not include the values ​​that follow them, and indicate the lower limit and upper limit, respectively. For example, "greater than 1" means a value greater than 1, and "less than 100" means a value less than 100.

[0035] "Containing" means that elements other than those explicitly indicated as contained may be added (synonymous with "at least containing"), including "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of". That is, "containing" can mean containing the explicitly indicated elements and any one or more elements, consisting of the explicitly indicated elements, or consisting essentially of the explicitly indicated elements. As elements, restrictions such as components, processes, conditions, and parameters can be listed.

[0036] "Flavor" refers to the aroma transmitted from the oral cavity to the nose when held in the mouth (retronasal), the taste felt by the tongue when held in the mouth (taste), or both.

[0037] The number of digits in an integer value matches the number of significant digits. For example, 1 has 1 significant digit, and 10 has 2 significant digits. Also, the number of digits after the decimal point in a decimal value matches the number of significant digits. For example, 0.1 has 1 significant digit, and 0.10 has 2 significant digits.

[0038] The heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention is a heat-sterilized soy sauce having a predetermined amount of phenethyl acetate. The heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention has the original flavor of soy sauce, but by making the content of phenethyl acetate a predetermined amount, it can be made into a soy sauce that is less likely to be heat-degraded and has excellent aroma retention and storage properties compared to conventional soy sauces. The effect of phenethyl acetate that it is less likely to be heat-degraded, has excellent aroma retention and storage properties, and as a result, can make the flavor of the soy sauce itself and / or the flavor of ingredients and cooked food better is sometimes called a "flavor improvement effect".

[0039] Soy sauce (also called shoyu) refers to a substance generally known to be used as a seasoning. Soy sauce is defined in, for example, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' notice "Soy Sauce Quality Label Standard" and "Japanese Agricultural and Forestry Standards for Soy Sauce".

[0040] Phenethyl acetate is a generally known compound including a structure represented by the following formula (I).

[0041]

[0042] The content of phenethyl acetate in the heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention is an amount at which the flavor-improving effect can be confirmed, specifically, it is 30 ppb or more, and from the viewpoint of exerting an excellent flavor-improving effect, it is preferably 50 ppb or more, and more preferably 100 ppb or more. However, phenethyl acetate itself has the fragrance of roses, and the threshold value of the fragrance is about 3000 ppb. Therefore, when the content of phenethyl acetate is sufficiently high, specifically, when phenethyl acetate is contained at more than 20000 ppb, it is possible to give the heat-sterilized soy sauce a different flavor that is not desired when eaten. Therefore, the upper limit of the content of phenethyl acetate is preferably an amount less than 20000 ppb, more preferably less than 15000 ppb, further preferably less than 10000 ppb, and further preferably less than 3000 ppb.

[0043] As described above, the content of phenethyl acetate may be 30 ppb or more, but in order to exert a better flavor improvement effect, it is preferably 30 ppb to 20,000 ppb, more preferably 30 ppb to 15,000 ppb, and even more preferably 30 ppb to 3,000 ppb. It should be noted that "30 ppb to 3,000 ppb of phenethyl acetate" means, for example, 3,000 ng to 300,000 ng (= 300 μg) of phenethyl acetate per 100 ml of heat-sterilized soy sauce.

[0044] The heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention exerts a flavor-improving effect that cannot be obtained by conventional soy sauce by making the content of phenethyl acetate the above-mentioned amount. On the other hand, the flavor-improving effect of phenethyl acetate can be masked by 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine originally contained in conventional soy sauce. Therefore, regarding the content of 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine in the heat-sterilized soy sauce, for example, it can be listed as an amount in which the flavor-improving effect of phenethyl acetate is not inhibited, preferably 50 ppb or less, more preferably 20 ppb or less, further preferably 10 ppb or less, and further preferably 5 ppb or less. The lower limit of the content of 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine in the heat-sterilized soy sauce is not particularly limited, and can be less than the detection limit, that is, it can be substantially 0 ppb.

[0045] The heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it has a flavor-improving effect and that the original flavor of soy sauce is obtained by containing soy sauce ingredients and utilizing HEMF (4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone) and the like. Therefore, the content of HEMF in the heat-sterilized soy sauce is preferably 20 ppm or more, more preferably 30 ppm or more, and even more preferably 40 ppm or more. The upper limit of the content of HEMF can be appropriately set according to the desired original flavor of the soy sauce, and is typically about 200 ppm.

[0046] The contents of phenethyl acetate and alcohol in the heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention can be measured by the method described in Examples below. The contents of 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine and HEMF can be measured by the method described in Patent Document 1.

[0047] The method for producing heat-sterilized soy sauce according to one embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a method that can obtain heat-sterilized soy sauce having a phenethyl acetate content of a predetermined amount, but is preferably produced by this brewing method. In this case, unlike the conventional brewing method, the soy sauce mash obtained by lactic acid fermentation is used for yeast fermentation after removing insoluble solid components.

[0048] As a specific example of the method for producing heat-sterilized soy sauce, there can be cited a method including the following steps: a step of obtaining a soy sauce mash obtained by the soy sauce production method of the present brewing method; a step of removing insoluble solid components from the obtained soy sauce mash to obtain a soy sauce mash juice; a step of using the soy sauce mash juice to perform yeast fermentation to obtain raw soy sauce; and a step of heat-sterilizing the obtained raw soy sauce to obtain heat-sterilized soy sauce. As another specific example of the method for producing heat-sterilized soy sauce, there can be cited a method including the following steps: a step of obtaining a soy sauce mash obtained by the soy sauce production method of the present brewing method; a step of removing insoluble solid components from the obtained soy sauce mash to obtain a soy sauce mash juice; a step of heat-sterilizing the soy sauce mash juice to obtain a heat-sterilized soy sauce mash juice; and a step of using the heat-sterilized soy sauce mash juice to perform yeast fermentation to obtain heat-sterilized soy sauce. Hereinafter, non-limiting specific examples of each step will be described.

[0049] As a process for obtaining soy sauce mash, the following process can be listed: inoculating seed koji into a soy sauce raw material which is a mixture of soybeans denatured by cooking, wheat that has been fried, boiled and crushed, etc., and ventilating the koji for about 2 to about 4 days at 20°C to 40°C to obtain soy sauce koji, then adding the soy sauce koji to a saline solution with a salt concentration of 20% by mass to 30% by mass, and further optionally adding soy sauce lactic acid bacteria to the substance obtained, and subjecting it to lactic acid fermentation for 10 to 200 days at 20°C to 40°C while appropriately stirring, thereby obtaining soy sauce mash.

[0050] The raw materials of soy sauce are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include soybeans such as whole soybeans and defatted soybeans; wheat such as wheat, barley, rye, and coix; wheat bran, rice, and corn.

[0051] The koji is not particularly limited as long as it is a koji that is generally available for soy sauce production, and examples thereof include Aspergillus oryzae ( Aspergillus oryzae )、Aspergillus sojae( A.sojae) etc. The soy sauce lactic acid bacteria are not particularly limited as long as they are soy sauce lactic acid bacteria that are usually available in soy sauce production, and examples thereof include halophilic tetragenococcus ( Tetragenococcus halophilus s) and other salt-tolerant lactic acid bacteria.

[0052] In the process of obtaining soy sauce mash, when the amount of starchy raw materials such as wheat and rice in the soy sauce raw materials is small, the content of reducing sugars decreases, and it is possible that soy sauce mash that can be properly fermented with yeast cannot be obtained. Therefore, in the soy sauce raw materials, the amount of starchy raw materials such as wheat and rice is preferably an amount that can obtain a soy sauce mash with a high content of reducing sugars. However, in the case of obtaining a soy sauce mash with a high content of reducing sugars by adding reducing sugar components such as glucose, fructose, maltose, granulated sugar, and mirin to the soy sauce mash, it is not limited to this. That is, the soy sauce koji contains an adjusted soy sauce koji, which is obtained by inoculating a seed koji in a protein raw material such as soybeans to make koji and then adding a reducing sugar component to adjust the soy sauce koji with a high total nitrogen component. It should be noted that reducing sugar refers to the direct reducing sugar described in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' notice "Japanese Agricultural and Forestry Standards for Soy Sauce".

[0053] The step of obtaining the moromi liquid may include subjecting the moromi to a generally known solid-liquid separation process or a solid-liquid separation process and a sterilization process to remove insoluble solid components to an extent that phenethyl acetate is produced by yeast fermentation in the later stage, thereby obtaining the moromi liquid.

[0054] As solid-liquid separation treatment and sterilization treatment, filtration treatment using filter materials such as diatomaceous earth, membrane filtration treatment using various permeable membranes such as MF membrane and UF membrane, squeeze filtration treatment using a press using filter cloth, heating treatment to increase the temperature to kill microorganisms, etc. can be listed. These can be used alone or in combination and repeated once or multiple times. In order to properly synthesize phenylethyl acetate by yeast fermentation in the later stage, the juice of soy sauce mash is preferably the juice after most of the soy sauce lactic acid bacteria are removed together with the insoluble solid content. The content of lactic acid bacteria in the juice of soy sauce mash is not particularly limited, for example, it is preferably 1.0×10 8 pcs / ml or less, more preferably 1.0×10 7 pc / ml or less, more preferably 1.0×10 6 Therefore, the soy sauce moromi liquid is preferably the liquid obtained by removing the insoluble solid content and soy sauce lactic acid bacteria from the soy sauce moromi.

[0055] The process of obtaining raw soy sauce can be exemplified by the following process: using the juice of soy sauce mash, fermenting with yeast used in the soy sauce manufacturing method of the present brewing method known so far, to obtain raw soy sauce. As soy sauce yeast, for example, Zygosaccharomyces rouxii ( Zygosaccharomyces rouxii ), Zygosaccharomyces bailii ( Z.bailii ), Candida etschulensis ( Candida etchellsii ), Candida rugosa ( C. versatilis ) and other salt-tolerant yeasts.

[0056] Yeast fermentation can be carried out under conditions suitable for the type and amount of soy sauce yeast, and during a period until the amount of alcohol (ethanol) produced reaches a maximum amount. However, when the yeast fermentation period is too long, the amount of phenethyl acetate reduced by esterase or the like is greater than the amount of phenethyl acetate produced by yeast fermentation, and sometimes the content of phenethyl acetate decreases. Therefore, it is preferred that yeast fermentation be terminated before the content of phenethyl acetate decreases, or even before the alcohol concentration reaches a maximum value. As a specific example of yeast fermentation, in the case of using Zygosaccharomyces rouxii ( Zygosaccharomyces rouxii ) In the case of soy sauce yeast, the method can be exemplified by carrying out the method at room temperature, preferably 15° C. to 30° C., for about 5 to 60 days, preferably about 7 to 45 days.

[0057] After the yeast fermentation is completed, the aging period begins. Yeast fermentation ends when the alcohol concentration reaches approximately the maximum value. More specifically, it is preferred to end the yeast fermentation when the average alcohol production rate over the last 10 days reaches 0.2% (v / v) or less, but the target alcohol concentration can also be set in advance. Since the content of phenylethyl acetate decreases during the aging period, the aging can preferably be completed at room temperature, preferably at 15°C to 30°C, within 30 days, more preferably within 20 days, and further preferably within 10 days. In the manufacturing process of soy sauce, the fermented and matured mash is usually squeezed to obtain raw soy sauce and stored for a long time in the state of raw soy sauce, but in the present method, an implementation method is adopted in which the aging storage period starting from the end of yeast fermentation is completed within the above conditions without distinguishing between aging and storage.

[0058] After the aging is completed, the heating and sterilization process is entered. The process of obtaining the heat-sterilized soy sauce can be listed as the process of obtaining the heat-sterilized soy sauce by performing the heat sterilization adopted in the soy sauce manufacturing method of the present brewing method known so far. The conditions for heat sterilization are conditions under which the content of phenylethyl acetate does not decrease when the obtained heat-sterilized soy sauce is stored, that is, conditions under which the esterase derived from Aspergillus is inactivated. For example, conditions such as 70°C to 125°C, preferably 70°C to 90°C, 1 second to 60 minutes, preferably about 1 minute to about 30 minutes, etc. can be listed. In addition, other treatments (enzyme inactivation treatment) that inactivate the esterase derived from Aspergillus can be implemented instead of the heat sterilization treatment. As such a treatment, for example, a treatment to remove the esterase derived from Aspergillus can be listed, and specifically, a membrane treatment using a UF membrane can be listed. The soy sauce obtained by the UF membrane treatment can be called the soy sauce obtained by the treatment equivalent to the heat sterilization treatment, that is, the heat sterilized soy sauce, and can also be called the UF membrane treated soy sauce.

[0059] Since the raw soy sauce before heat sterilization is obtained by using the liquid of soy sauce mash from which the insoluble solid components have been removed in advance, it is a yeast fermentation product with a small solid content, and it can also be heat sterilized. In addition, in order to remove yeast, residues, etc. in the raw soy sauce, solid-liquid separation treatment in the later stage of yeast fermentation used in the usual soy sauce production method, such as squeezing, filtration, and sediment removal, can be performed before or after heat sterilization.

[0060] As described in the examples described later, the possibility that the esterase that reduces the amount of phenylethyl acetate is derived from soy sauce koji is high. Therefore, the heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention can be a soy sauce obtained by heat-sterilizing soy sauce or the liquid of soy sauce koji and inactivating the esterase from koji, followed by yeast fermentation, in addition to the soy sauce obtained by heat-sterilizing raw soy sauce. In this case, instead of the process of obtaining raw soy sauce, the process of heat-sterilizing the liquid of soy sauce koji and obtaining the heat-sterilized liquid of soy sauce koji and the process of using the heat-sterilized liquid of soy sauce koji for yeast fermentation to obtain the heat-sterilized soy sauce are implemented. In this case, by heat-sterilizing the liquid of soy sauce koji, the reduction of phenylethyl acetate in the aging period can be suppressed, so the aging period can adopt the aging period (for example, 10 days to 100 days to 1 year) adopted in the manufacturing method of soy sauce of the usual brewing method. The conditions for heat sterilization may be the same as those for heat sterilization described above. In this case, the soy sauce obtained after yeast fermentation preferably contains 30 ppb or more of phenethyl acetate and has a reduction rate of phenethyl acetate of 5% or less after aging at 25°C for one week.

[0061] The heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention can be made into a container-packed heat-sterilized soy sauce which is put into a container and sealed. The container is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include packaging containers such as a film bag, a retort bag, a vacuum bag, an aluminum container, a plastic container, a bottle, and a can made of metals such as aluminum, paper, plastics such as PET and PTP, and glass as raw materials. The heat-sterilized soy sauce in the container can be circulated and sold independently.

[0062] Specific examples of heat sterilized soy sauce according to one embodiment of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the heat sterilization set described in Examples 1 and 2 of Example 1 described later. It should be noted that the content of 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine in the soy sauce produced by the same method as the test solution described in Example 1 of Example 1 was 5 ppb or less and the content of HEMF was 20 ppm or more.

[0063] The heat sterilization soy sauce of one mode of the present invention can be used in the same manner as the common heat sterilization soy sauce. That is, the heat sterilization soy sauce of one mode of the present invention can be used for the cooking and processing methods of various ingredients alone, or mixed or combined with vegetable ingredients, meat, fish, yeast extract, meat extract, fruit juice, spices, chemical seasonings, spices, and soup, acidulant, amino acid, nucleic acid, organic acid, protein hydrolyzate, sugar, wine, mirin, alcohol, thickener, emulsifier, inorganic salts and other seasoning ingredients. For example, the heat sterilization soy sauce of one mode of the present invention can be used for various dishes such as Japanese food, European and American food, and Chinese food, specifically, can be used for fried food, barbecue, udon noodles, soba noodles, ramen, hamburgers, meatballs, Chikuzen boiled, Japanese potato stew, soy sauce grilled fish, curry, stew, mixed vegetables, meat tofu, etc., but not limited to this.

[0064] As a non-limiting specific embodiment of the heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention, for example, the heat-sterilized soy sauce having the following contents of phenethyl acetate and 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine:

[0065] Content of phenylethyl acetate: 30ppb~20000ppb

[0066] Content of 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine: 0 ppb to less than 20 ppb

[0067] As a non-limiting specific embodiment of the heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention, for example, the heat-sterilized soy sauce having the following contents of phenethyl acetate and HEMF:

[0068] Content of phenylethyl acetate: 30ppb~20000ppb

[0069] HEMF content: 20ppm~200ppm

[0070] As a non-limiting specific embodiment of the heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention, for example, the heat-sterilized soy sauce having the following contents of phenethyl acetate, 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine and HEMF:

[0071] Content of phenylethyl acetate: 30 ppb to 20,000 ppb, preferably 30 ppb to 3,000 ppb

[0072] Content of 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine: 0 ppb to less than 20 ppb

[0073] HEMF content: 20ppm~200ppm

[0074] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples, and the present invention can take various forms as long as the problems of the present invention can be solved.

[0075] Example 1

[0076] Example 1 Evaluation of the production behavior of phenylethyl acetate in yeast fermentation

[0077] [1-1. Purpose of evaluation]

[0078] The production behavior of phenethyl acetate in yeast fermentation of liquid fermented soy sauce was evaluated. Hereinafter, the yeast fermentation method of the present invention is assumed to be liquid fermentation.

[0079] [1-2. Preparation of test solution]

[0080] The test solution was prepared by producing the liquid fermented soy sauce shown below.

[0081] Aspergillus sojae Aspergillus sojae ) was inoculated into a mixture of steamed soybeans and crushed roasted wheat in a ratio of 6:4, and koji was made for 43 hours by a conventional method to obtain soy sauce koji.

[0082] 100 parts by mass of the obtained soy sauce koji was added to 116 parts by mass of saline (salt concentration 25% (w / v)), and soy sauce lactic acid bacteria ( Tetragenococcus halophilus ), and lactic acid fermentation was carried out for 20 days at 15° C. to 25° C. under appropriate stirring according to a conventional method. The soy sauce mash after the lactic acid fermentation was squeezed, and the obtained squeezed liquid was filtered using diatomaceous earth and membrane filtered using a UF membrane to obtain a liquid fermentation stock solution as soy sauce mash juice.

[0083] The liquid fermentation stock solution was added to a 250 mL Duran bottle (N=2), and salt-tolerant soy sauce yeast ( Zygosaccharomyces rouxii ), covered with a stopper, and yeast fermentation was carried out at 25°C for 4 weeks. One test group was heat sterilized at 80°C for 30 minutes, and the other test group was not heat sterilized. Then, yeast fermentation was carried out in the same way for 8 weeks. Samples were taken every other week and stored at -20°C. Alcohol, phenylethyl acetate, 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine and HEMF in the samples were measured 12 weeks after yeast fermentation. 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine and HEMF were measured according to conventional methods.

[0084] [1-3. Determination method of phenethyl acetate]

[0085] The aroma components in the gas phase were adsorbed onto the fiber by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME). Divinylbenzen / Carboxen / Polydimethylsiloxane (DVB / CAR / PDMS) fiber (75 mm, DVB / CAR / PDMS, fused silica, 24Ga; Merck) was used as the SPME fiber, and the equilibrium conditions were set to 40°C for 5 minutes, and the adsorption conditions were set to 40°C for 20 minutes.

[0086] The collected aroma components were introduced into GC-MS "GCMS QP-2010Ultra" (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) using an automatic sampler "AOC5000" (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) and analyzed. The analysis was performed at n = 4. The conditions in GC / MS were set as follows.

[0087] Measurement mode: Scan

[0088] Column: DB WAX 60×0.25 mm, id 0.25 μm (Agilent)

[0089] Carrier gas: Helium

[0090] Linear flow rate: 40cm / min

[0091] Oven temperature: 40°C (hold for 3 minutes) → 5°C / minute → 110°C → 10°C / minute → 240°C (hold for 5 minutes)

[0092] Ion source temperature: 240°C

[0093] Delivery pipe temperature: 240℃

[0094] Ionization mode: EI

[0095] Mass range: 30m / z~250m / z

[0096] Measurement time: 2 minutes to 35 minutes

[0097] Target ion of phenethyl acetate: 104 m / z

[0098] As described above, the peak area of phenethyl acetate was calculated using GC-MS. The correction of the peak area was performed using LOWESS smoothing based on the results obtained by analyzing the quality control samples prepared by mixing the samples to be analyzed in equal amounts.

[0099] [1-4. Quantitative method for alcohol]

[0100] Alcohol (ethanol) was measured by GC-FID under the following conditions according to the conventional method.

[0101] <GC-FID analysis conditions>

[0102] Measurement device: GC-2014AF (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)

[0103] Column: porapack q (80 - 100 mesh) (manufactured by GL Sciences Inc.)

[0104] Inlet temperature: 230 °C

[0105] Temperature condition: Hold at 155 °C (7 minutes)

[0106] Carrier gas: Nitrogen

[0107] Linear flow rate: 20 mL / minute

[0108] Detector temperature: 250 °C

[0109] [1-5. Evaluation results]

[0110] The measurement results of phenethyl acetate for each sample are shown in Figure 1 . As Figure 1 shown, the amount of phenethyl acetate increased from the start of fermentation until 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, the content of phenethyl acetate was 229 ppb, the content of 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine was 1.9 ppb, the content of HEMF was 84 ppm, and the content of alcohol was 2.1%.

[0111] Then, in the test group without heat sterilization, the content of phenethyl acetate decreased significantly. On the other hand, in the test group with heat sterilization, although the decrease in the content of phenethyl acetate was suppressed, it did not increase. It should be noted that the final content of phenethyl acetate in the test group without heat sterilization was 21.5 ppb.

[0112] From the above results, it can be seen that in yeast fermentation using a liquid fermentation stock solution, the content of phenethyl acetate increases within 4 weeks after the start of fermentation, and after 4 weeks after the start of fermentation, the amount of phenethyl acetate reduced by the degrading enzyme is greater than the amount of phenethyl acetate generated by yeast fermentation, and can be maintained by heat sterilization 4 weeks after the start of fermentation. In addition, it can be seen from this that in order to obtain soy sauce containing phenethyl acetate at a high concentration, it is preferable to set the yeast fermentation period to about 4 weeks.

[0113] Example 2 Evaluation of the effect of heat sterilization timing on the reduction of phenylethyl acetate

[0114] [2-1. Purpose of evaluation]

[0115] The liquid fermentation stock solution after lactic acid fermentation was sterilized by heating to inactivate esterase derived from soy sauce koji and lactic acid bacteria, and then yeast fermentation was performed, and the suppression of the decrease of phenethyl acetate was evaluated based on this.

[0116] [2-2. Evaluation method]

[0117] A liquid fermentation stock solution was obtained in the same manner as in 1-2 above.

[0118] The obtained liquid fermentation stock solution was sterilized by heating at 80°C for 30 minutes, and then added to a 200 mL Duran bottle, and sown with salt-tolerant soy sauce yeast ( Zygosaccharomyces rouxii ), covered with a stopper, and fermented with yeast at 25°C for 4 weeks (heat sterilization group). It should be noted that the yeast fermentation was carried out in the same manner except that heat sterilization was not performed, and this was used as the untreated group. The content of phenethyl acetate was measured for the samples of the heat sterilization group and the untreated group (N=4 for analysis).

[0119] [2-3. Evaluation results]

[0120] The results of the determination of phenethyl acetate in each sample are shown in Figure 2 .

[0121] like Figure 2 As shown in the figure, the amount of phenethyl acetate in the heat sterilization group was more than 10 times that of the untreated group. From this result, it can be seen that the esterase and the like in the liquid fermented soy sauce are likely to be derived from the soy sauce koji. Therefore, it can be seen that the amount of phenethyl acetate increases by inactivating the esterase and the like before or after the yeast fermentation of the liquid fermentation stock solution.

[0122] Example 3 Evaluation of the decomposition activity of phenethyl acetate by enzymes derived from Aspergillus

[0123] [3-1. Purpose of evaluation]

[0124] The decomposition activity of phenethyl acetate in the liquid fermentation stock solution was evaluated.

[0125] [3-2. Evaluation method]

[0126] 1 g of 98% pure phenethyl acetate (manufactured by Sigma-Aldrich) was added to a 100 ml volumetric flask and fixed to volume with 95% ethanol to prepare a phenethyl acetate stock solution (1 g / 100 ml). Next, the phenethyl acetate solution added to each test soy sauce described later was made uniform to 100 μl, and the phenethyl acetate stock solution was diluted with water so that the content of phenethyl acetate reached a predetermined concentration with respect to each test soy sauce, thereby preparing each phenethyl acetate solution.

[0127] A phenethyl acetate solution was added to the liquid fermentation stock solution in such a manner that the content of phenethyl acetate reached 30 ppb. As the liquid fermentation stock solution, Aspergillus sojae ( Aspergillus sojae ) were used as seed koji.

[0128] The liquid fermentation stock solution of each group was divided into two groups, one group was heat-sterilized at 80°C for 30 minutes and then incubated at 25°C for 24 hours (heat-sterilized group), and the other group was not heat-sterilized but incubated at 25°C for 24 hours (untreated group).

[0129] For the A strain heat sterilization group, the A strain untreated group, the B strain heat sterilization group and the B strain untreated group, the content of phenethyl acetate after incubation treatment was measured.

[0130] [3-3. Evaluation results]

[0131] Table 1 shows the measurement results of phenethyl acetate in each test group and the decomposition rate (reduction rate) calculated based on the content of phenethyl acetate before incubation (30 ppb).

[0132] [Table 1]

[0133]

[0134] As shown in Table 1, although the decomposition activities of phenethyl acetate were different between the strain group A and the strain group B, both decomposed phenethyl acetate by 40% or more. However, it was found that the decomposition of phenethyl acetate could be suppressed in all groups by heat sterilization.

[0135] From these results, it was found that by heat-sterilizing the yeast fermentation stock solution, a liquid fermentation stock solution and heat-sterilized soy sauce having a reduction rate of phenethyl acetate of 30% or less when stored at 25°C for 24 hours could be obtained.

[0136] Example 4 Evaluation of the Decomposition Activity of Phenylethyl Acetate during the Ripening Period

[0137] [4-1. Purpose of evaluation]

[0138] The decomposition activity of phenethyl acetate during the aging period was evaluated.

[0139] [4-2. Evaluation method]

[0140] The liquid fermentation stock solution was added to a 250 mL Duran bottle (N=2), and salt-tolerant soy sauce yeast ( Zygosaccharomyces rouxii ), covered with a stopper, and yeast fermentation was carried out for 4 weeks at 25° C. The yeast fermentation period was judged to be over from the production of alcohol and phenylethyl acetate at this time, and the subsequent period was regarded as the aging period, and the amount of phenylethyl acetate after the start of the aging period was measured.

[0141] [4-3. Evaluation results]

[0142] Table 2 shows the measurement results of phenethyl acetate after a certain aging period.

[0143] [Table 2]

[0144]

[0145] As shown in Table 2, although the decomposition activity of phenylethyl acetate in soy sauce tends to decrease after the aging period begins, the weekly reduction rate is not less than 5%. Figure 1 As shown, the phenylethyl acetate in soy sauce did not decrease after heat sterilization.

[0146] From these results, it is understood that a heat-sterilized soy sauce having a reduction rate of phenethyl acetate of 5% or less when aged at 25°C for one week can be obtained.

[0147] Example 2

[0148] Example 1 Evaluation of the influence on the flavor of soy sauce

[0149] [1-1. Preparation of test soy sauce]

[0150] 1 g of 98% pure phenethyl acetate (manufactured by Sigma-Aldrich) was added to a 100 ml volumetric flask and fixed to volume with 95% ethanol to prepare a phenethyl acetate stock solution (1 g / 100 ml). Next, the phenethyl acetate solution added to each test soy sauce described later was made uniform to 100 μl, and the phenethyl acetate stock solution was diluted with water so that the content of phenethyl acetate relative to each test soy sauce reached a predetermined concentration, thereby preparing each phenethyl acetate solution.

[0151] Soy sauce and each phenethyl acetate solution were mixed and dissolved by stirring so that the content of phenethyl acetate was 0 ppb (no addition), 30 ppb, and 50 ppb, thereby preparing 100 ml of each test soy sauce. It should be noted that "Kikkoman Specially Selected Whole Grain Soy Sauce" (manufactured by Kikkoman Co., Ltd.) in which phenethyl acetate was not detected was used as the soy sauce.

[0152] The prepared test soy sauce was subjected to the following tests 1 to 3. Specifically, in test 1, the temperature of the prepared test soy sauce was brought to 80°C using a hot water bath, and then rapidly cooled in ice and maintained at about 25°C. In test 2, the prepared test soy sauce was stored in a thermostat at 60°C for 2 days. In test 3, the prepared test soy sauce was stored in a thermostat at 5°C for 2 days.

[0153] [1-2. Sensory evaluation method]

[0154] For the test soy sauce of each test group, panelists (5 persons A to E) who were good at distinguishing the flavor of soy sauce were asked to take the test soy sauce with a spoon and eat it at room temperature of about 25°C, and the intensity of the heat deterioration smell, soy sauce aroma and astringency that overflowed from the mouth to the nose during eating were evaluated.

[0155] "Heat deterioration smell" is the unpleasant smell and steamed smell (a smell that makes your nose feel blocked) that are unique to soy sauce heated at high temperatures and are felt when held in the mouth. "Soy sauce aroma" is the refreshing fruity aroma of soy sauce that is felt when held in the mouth from heat-sterilized soy sauce that has not been subjected to a heating treatment (i.e., commercially available soy sauce). "Astringent" is a flavor that remains in the mouth after eating.

[0156] The sensory evaluation is based on the test soy sauce without the addition of phenylethyl acetate as the evaluation standard ("0"), and the strength of the evaluation items of each test soy sauce is evaluated with the following 9 levels. It should be noted that when implementing the sensory test, the group is trained in discussing and evaluating the flavor of the soy sauce. Specifically, the flavor characteristics of the soy sauce are discussed and compromised among the group members so that each group member reaches a consensus. In addition, in order to ensure the effectiveness of the sensory test, several test soy sauces are used to train the group in evaluation and confirm the reproducibility of the evaluation of each group member. After performing these operations, the flavor of each test soy sauce is evaluated using the group.

[0157] -4: Feels very weak compared to the benchmark

[0158] -3: Feels quite weak compared to the benchmark

[0159] -2: Felt weak compared to the benchmark

[0160] -1: Slightly weaker than the benchmark

[0161] 0: The feeling is the same as the evaluation standard

[0162] 1: Slightly stronger than the benchmark

[0163] 2: Compared to the evaluation benchmark, the feeling is strong

[0164] 3: Compared to the benchmark, the feeling is quite strong

[0165] 4: Compared to the evaluation baseline, the feeling is very strong

[0166] [1-3. Sensory evaluation results]

[0167] Sensory evaluations of the evaluation items "heat deterioration smell", "soy sauce aroma", and "astringent taste" were performed on each test soy sauce, and the obtained results are shown in Tables 3A to 3C.

[0168] [Table 3A]

[0169]

[0170] [Table 3B]

[0171]

[0172] [Table 3C]

[0173]

[0174] As shown in Tables 3A to 3C, in Tests 1 and 2 in which the test soy sauces were subjected to heat treatment, the test soy sauces to which phenethyl acetate was added had a stronger soy sauce aroma and reduced heat deterioration odor and astringency compared to the test soy sauces to which phenethyl acetate was not added, which served as the evaluation standard.

[0175] In Test 3, in which the test soy sauce was stored without being subjected to a heat treatment, the test soy sauce to which phenethyl acetate was added had a slightly stronger soy sauce aroma and a less astringent taste than the test soy sauce to which phenethyl acetate was not added. It should be noted that in this case, no heat deterioration odor was detected in any of the test soy sauces.

[0176] From the above results, it can be seen that phenethyl acetate has the effect of improving the flavor of soy sauce and the effect of suppressing the deterioration of the flavor of soy sauce.

[0177] Example 2 Evaluation of the effect of citrus vinegar and soy sauce on the flavor of fruit juice (1)

[0178] [2-1. Preparation of experimental citrus vinegar soy sauce]

[0179] 1 g of 98% pure phenethyl acetate (manufactured by Sigma-Aldrich) was added to a 100 ml volumetric flask and fixed to volume with 95% ethanol to prepare a phenethyl acetate stock solution (1 g / 100 ml). Next, the phenethyl acetate solution added to each test citrus vinegar soy sauce described later was made uniform to 100 μl, and the phenethyl acetate stock solution was diluted with water so that the content of phenethyl acetate relative to each test citrus vinegar soy sauce reached a predetermined concentration, thereby preparing each phenethyl acetate solution.

[0180] Soy sauce, orange juice, vinegar, sugar, glutamic acid, water and each phenylethyl acetate solution were added to a stainless steel tube in the amounts shown in Table 4 below, and stirred and mixed and dissolved at about 40°C to prepare 100 ml of each test citrus vinegar soy sauce. It should be noted that the soy sauce used was "Kikkoma Specially Selected Whole Soybean Soy Sauce" (manufactured by Kikkoman Co., Ltd.) in which no phenylethyl acetate was detected. The orange juice used was a non-heated filling product of pure fruit juice. In addition, the concentration of phenylethyl acetate means that when the phenylethyl acetate is 10 ppb, the phenylethyl acetate is 1000 ng relative to 100 ml of the test citrus vinegar soy sauce.

[0181] The prepared test citrus vinegar soy sauces were used as test citrus vinegar soy sauces before heating, and were respectively referred to as test citrus vinegar soy sauces 1-1 to 8-1. The test citrus vinegar soy sauces 1-1 to 8-1 were heated to 80° C. using a hot water bath, and then rapidly cooled in ice to maintain at about 25° C. The resulting products were used as test citrus vinegar soy sauces after heating, and were respectively referred to as test citrus vinegar soy sauces 1-2 to 8-2.

[0182] [Table 4]

[0183]

[0184] [2-2. Sensory evaluation method]

[0185] For test citrus vinegar soy sauces 1-1 to 8-1 and test citrus vinegar soy sauces 1-2 to 8-2, panelists (3 persons A to C) who were good at distinguishing the flavor and aroma of fruit juice took the test citrus vinegar soy sauce with a spoon at room temperature of about 25°C and ate it while smelling the aroma.

[0186] The evaluation items were "juice flavor", "sourness" and "other tastes" when eating and "fresh citrus aroma" when smelling.

[0187] "Flavor of juice" is the flavor of juice felt when the test citrus vinegar soy sauce is consumed and held in the mouth. "Sourness" is the sourness felt by the tongue when the test citrus vinegar soy sauce is consumed and held in the mouth. "Other tastes" are any of the astringency and bitterness (peeling feeling) felt by the tongue when the test citrus vinegar soy sauce is consumed and held in the mouth. "Fresh citrus aroma" refers to the sour aroma of grass produced when citrus is squeezed, which is felt at the initial stage of comparison without the test citrus vinegar soy sauce in the mouth and only by the nose.

[0188] The sensory evaluation is based on the heated test citrus vinegar soy sauce 1-2 without the addition of phenylethyl acetate as the evaluation standard ("0"), and the strength of the evaluation items of each test citrus vinegar soy sauce is evaluated with the following 9 levels. It should be noted that when implementing the sensory test, the group is trained in discussing and evaluating the flavor and aroma of the fruit juice. Specifically, the characteristics of the flavor and aroma of the fruit juice are discussed and compromised among the group members so that each group member reaches a consensus. In addition, in order to ensure the effectiveness of the sensory test, several test citrus vinegar soy sauces are used to train the group in evaluation and confirm the reproducibility of the evaluation of each group member. After performing these operations, the flavor and aroma of the fruit juice are evaluated using the group members.

[0189] -4: Feels very weak compared to the benchmark

[0190] -3: Feels quite weak compared to the benchmark

[0191] -2: Felt weak compared to the benchmark

[0192] -1: Slightly weaker than the benchmark

[0193] 0: The feeling is the same as the evaluation standard

[0194] 1: Slightly stronger than the benchmark

[0195] 2: Compared to the evaluation benchmark, the feeling is strong

[0196] 3: Compared to the benchmark, the feeling is quite strong

[0197] 4: Compared to the evaluation baseline, the feeling is very strong

[0198] [2-3. Sensory evaluation results]

[0199] The results of sensory evaluation of the evaluation items "juice flavor", "miscellaneous taste" and "fresh citrus aroma" for each test citrus vinegar soy sauce are shown in Tables 5A to 5C. It should be noted that no significant difference was found among the test citrus vinegar soy sauces regarding the evaluation item "sourness".

[0200] [Table 5A]

[0201]

[0202] [Table 5B]

[0203]

[0204] [Table 5C]

[0205]

[0206] As shown in Tables 5A to 5C, compared with the heated test citrus vinegar soy sauce 1-2 without adding phenylethyl acetate, which was used as the evaluation standard, the heated test citrus vinegar soy sauces 2-2 to 7-2 with phenylethyl acetate added had a strong sense of the flavor of the juice and the aroma of fresh citrus, and reduced unpleasant tastes. In addition, by comparing the test citrus vinegar soy sauce 1-1 without adding phenylethyl acetate and the test citrus vinegar soy sauce 1-2, it can be seen that the more preferred aroma is impaired by heating. From these results, it can be seen that by adding phenylethyl acetate to the citrus vinegar soy sauce, the deterioration of the aroma caused by heating the juice can be suppressed.

[0207] In addition, from the test results of the test citrus vinegar soy sauces 1-1 to 7-1 before heating, it can be seen that by adding a larger amount of phenylethyl acetate, the flavor is improved compared to the case where phenylethyl acetate is not added. However, the test citrus vinegar soy sauces 8-1 and 8-2, in which the concentration of phenylethyl acetate added is 5000 ppb, could not be subjected to sensory evaluation due to the rose flavor of phenylethyl acetate or the overall flower-like flavor. It should be noted that when the test citrus vinegar soy sauce 8-2 was eaten with yudofu, the flower-like flavor was still obvious, and there was a sense of disharmony, which showed that it was not suitable as citrus vinegar soy sauce.

[0208] From the above results, it is understood that phenethyl acetate has an effect of enhancing the flavor of fruit juice and an effect of suppressing the deterioration of the flavor caused by heating of fruit juice.

[0209] Example 3 Evaluation of the effect of citrus vinegar and soy sauce on the flavor of fruit juice (2)

[0210] [3-1. Preparation of experimental citrus vinegar soy sauce]

[0211] The heated test citrus vinegar soy sauces 9-1 to 13-1 and 9-2 to 13-2 were obtained in the same manner as in Example 2 except that the blending amounts were set as shown in Table 6 below. Each test citrus vinegar soy sauce was filled into a 100 ml transparent bottle, and the test citrus vinegar soy sauces 9-1 to 13-1 were stored at 5° C. for 15 days, and the test citrus vinegar soy sauces 9-2 to 13-2 were stored at 40° C. for 15 days. It should be noted that the pH value of each test citrus vinegar soy sauce was measured, and the pH value of all the test citrus vinegar soy sauces was within the range of 3.87 to 3.90.

[0212] [Table 6]

[0213]

[0214] [3-2. Sensory evaluation method]

[0215] In the same manner as in Example 2, the test citrus vinegar soy sauces 9-1 to 13-1 and the test citrus vinegar soy sauces 9-2 to 13-2 were tested by sensory evaluation for "juice flavor", "sour taste", "miscellaneous taste" and "fresh citrus aroma". However, the evaluation standard was the test citrus vinegar soy sauce 9-1 as a product stored at 5°C without the addition of phenylethyl acetate.

[0216] [3-3. Sensory evaluation results]

[0217] The results of sensory evaluation of the evaluation items "juice flavor", "miscellaneous taste" and "fresh citrus aroma" for each test citrus vinegar soy sauce are shown in Tables 7A to 7C. It should be noted that no significant difference was found among the test citrus vinegar soy sauces regarding the evaluation item "sourness".

[0218] [Table 7A]

[0219]

[0220] [Table 7B]

[0221]

[0222] [Table 7C]

[0223]

[0224] As shown in Tables 7A to 7C, the preferred aroma ("juice flavor", "fresh citrus aroma") of the test citrus vinegar soy sauce 9-2 stored at 40°C without the addition of phenethyl acetate was weak, and the unpreferable flavor ("miscellaneous taste") was strongly felt. However, as shown in the results of the test citrus vinegar soy sauces 10-2 to 13-2, there was a tendency that the preferred aroma was strongly felt and the unpreferable flavor decreased depending on the amount of phenethyl acetate added. In addition, the same tendency was also obtained from the test results using the test citrus vinegar soy sauce stored at 5°C.

[0225] From the above results, it is understood that the citrus vinegar soy sauce to which phenethyl acetate was added can be stored in a form having a preferred fruit juice flavor regardless of temperature conditions.

[0226] Industrial Applicability

[0227] The heat-sterilized soy sauce of one embodiment of the present invention can improve the flavor of food and cooked food, and can be produced by the present brewing method, so it can be industrially produced and used together with or instead of commercially available soy sauce.

[0228] Cross-reference to related applications

[0229] This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-056774, filed on March 26, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A heat-sterilized soy sauce containing 30 ppb or more of phenylethyl acetate, wherein the soy sauce is the soy sauce defined in the notice "Japanese Agricultural and Forestry Standards for Soy Sauce" issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.

2. A heat-sterilized soy sauce containing 30 ppb or more of phenethyl acetate and having a reduction rate of phenethyl acetate of 5% or less after aging at 25°C for one week, wherein the soy sauce is the soy sauce defined in the notification "Japanese Agricultural and Forestry Standards for Soy Sauce" of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.

3. The heat sterilized soy sauce according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The soy sauce is brewed soy sauce.

4. A method for producing a soy sauce containing phenylethyl acetate, comprising: The step of subjecting the soy sauce koji to lactic acid fermentation using soy sauce lactic acid bacteria to obtain soy sauce moromi, and subjecting the soy sauce moromi to solid-liquid separation treatment to obtain soy sauce moromi liquid; The step of subjecting the soy sauce moromi juice to a heat sterilization treatment or an enzyme inactivation treatment to obtain a heat sterilized soy sauce moromi juice; and The step of subjecting the heated and sterilized soy sauce moromi juice to yeast fermentation using soy sauce yeast to obtain soy sauce containing phenethyl acetate, The soy sauce is the soy sauce defined in the notice "Japanese Agricultural and Forestry Standards for Soy Sauce" issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.

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