Method for producing red vinegar and method for producing matured sake lees for red vinegar

Abstract

To provide a method for producing red vinegar, which can shorten the production period and facilitates separation of a raw material liquid for acetic acid fermentation containing aged components from sake lees after aging by filtration. [Solution] A method for producing red vinegar comprising the steps of: maturing sake lees containing 35-70% water by mass for 5-60 days at 50-75°C to obtain matured sake lees; regulating water evaporation during maturation to maintain the water content in the sake lees at 35% by mass or more; filtering the matured sake lees to obtain a matured sake lees filtrate; adding acetic acid bacteria to the matured sake lees filtrate to obtain an acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step; and acetic acid fermentation step of acetic acid fermenting the acetic acid fermentation raw material to obtain red vinegar.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing red vinegar using sake lees as a raw material and a method for producing matured sake lees used therein. [Background technology]

[0002] Akazu is a red vinegar used for sushi. Unlike so-called rice vinegar, which is obtained by acetic acid fermentation of sake made from rice, Akazu is obtained by fermenting sake lees, which remain after squeezing the sake mash during sake production, after maturing it.

[0003] In the conventional method of producing red vinegar, the sake lees remaining after squeezing the sake mash in sake production are placed in a barrel for maturation or the like and maturated for 3 to 10 years. Water is then added to the matured product, which is then filtered to obtain the filtrate as the raw material for acetic acid fermentation. Alternatively, water is added to the matured product, which is then used as the raw material for acetic acid fermentation as is, and then acetic acid bacteria and brewer's alcohol are added to carry out acetic acid fermentation to obtain red vinegar. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the conventional method of producing red vinegar requires 3 to 10 years for the aging of sake lees, which lengthens the overall production period, making it difficult to respond quickly to increased demand for red vinegar. In addition, the long storage period increases storage costs and the price. There are also problems with storing large quantities of raw materials and mass-producing red vinegar.

[0005] Furthermore, in order to obtain the raw material for acetic acid fermentation, water is added to the sake lees after aging, and the sake lees are crushed while transferring the aged components into the water, and then filtration is performed. However, after aging for 3 to 10 years, the water content of the sake lees has decreased and they have become very tightly solidified, which creates the problem that it is difficult to transfer the soluble components or soluble components derived from the sake lees into the water and to filter them.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing red vinegar which can shorten the production period and which makes it easy to separate the raw material liquid for acetic acid fermentation containing the aged components from the sake lees after aging by filtration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problems, the inventors conducted extensive research and discovered that by setting the water content of the sake lees to be aged within a predetermined range during the aging process and regulating the amount of water evaporation during aging to maintain the moisture content in the sake lees during aging at 35 mass% or more, the aging period can be shortened and the subsequent filtration of the aged sake lees becomes easier, and the present invention was completed based on this finding.

[0008] That is, the present invention (1) is a process for obtaining aged sake lees by aging sake lees containing 35 to 70% by mass of water at 50 to 75°C for 5 to 60 days, in which evaporation of water is suppressed during the aging process to keep the water content in the sake lees at 35% by mass or more; a filtration step of filtering the aged sake lees to obtain a filtrate of the aged sake lees; an acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step of adding acetic acid bacteria to the filtrate of the matured sake lees to obtain an acetic acid fermentation raw material; an acetic acid fermentation step of subjecting the acetic acid fermentation raw material to acetic acid fermentation to obtain red vinegar; The present invention provides a method for producing red vinegar having the above properties.

[0009] The present invention (2) also provides a method for producing red vinegar according to (1), characterized in that brewer's alcohol is added in the acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step.

[0010] The present invention (3) also provides a method for producing red vinegar as described in (1), characterized in that, after the filtration step, an alcoholic fermentation step is carried out in which the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained by the filtration step is alcoholically fermented to obtain a filtrate of matured sake lees after alcoholic fermentation, and the filtrate of the matured sake lees after alcoholic fermentation obtained by the alcoholic fermentation step is used as the filtrate of matured sake lees to be used in the acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step, and the acetic acid bacteria is added to the filtrate of the matured sake lees after alcoholic fermentation to obtain an acetic acid fermentation raw material, thereby carrying out the acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step.

[0011] The present invention (4) also provides a method for producing red vinegar according to (1), characterized in that the aging temperature of the sake lees in the aging process is 55 to 65°C and the aging period is 14 to 28 days.

[0012] The present invention (5) also provides a method for producing matured sake lees for red vinegar, which comprises a process for obtaining matured sake lees by maturing sake lees containing 35 to 70% by mass of moisture at 50 to 75°C for 5 to 60 days, and which is characterized by having an aging process in which evaporation of water is regulated during the aging process to maintain the water content in the sake lees at 35% by mass or more. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, a method for producing red vinegar can be provided which can shorten the production period and easily separate the raw material liquid for acetic acid fermentation containing the aged components from the sake lees after aging by filtration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] The method for producing red vinegar of the present invention includes a process for obtaining aged sake lees by aging sake lees containing 35 to 70% by mass of water at 50 to 75°C for 5 to 60 days, and a process for suppressing water evaporation during the aging process to maintain the water content in the sake lees at 35% by mass or more. a filtration step of filtering the aged sake lees to obtain a filtrate of the aged sake lees; an acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step of adding acetic acid bacteria to the filtrate of the matured sake lees to obtain an acetic acid fermentation raw material; an acetic acid fermentation step of subjecting the acetic acid fermentation raw material to acetic acid fermentation to obtain red vinegar; In the present invention, red vinegar refers to vinegar that is red to dark reddish brown in color.

[0015] The method for producing red vinegar of the present invention includes at least a maturation step, a filtration step, an acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step, and an acetic acid fermentation step.

[0016] The maturation step in the method for producing red vinegar of the present invention is a step in which sake lees containing 35 to 70% by mass of moisture are maturated at 50 to 75° C. for 5 to 60 days to obtain matured sake lees.

[0017] In the maturation step, the object to be maturated, i.e., the sake lees before maturation, is not particularly limited as long as it is the sake lees remaining after squeezing the sake mash in the production of sake. The sake lees before maturation are obtained by the production of sake, and therefore contain the koji mold and / or yeast used in the production of sake. The sake lees before maturation are maturated by the koji mold and / or yeast contained in the sake lees before maturation.

[0018] The koji mold contained in the sake lees before aging is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include yellow koji mold, black koji mold, white koji mold, and the like.

[0019] The yeast contained in the sake lees before aging is not particularly limited, but examples include sake yeast such as No. 6 yeast, No. 7 yeast, and No. 9 yeast, wine yeast (red and white), and champagne yeast.

[0020] Examples of sake lees before aging include sake lees obtained from polished rice for daiginjo sake with a polishing ratio of about 30 to 50%, sake lees obtained from polished rice for ginjo sake with a polishing ratio of about 50 to 60%, sake lees obtained from polished rice for honjozo sake with a polishing ratio of about 60 to 70%, and sake lees obtained from polished rice for ordinary sake or kijo sake with a polishing ratio of 70% or more.

[0021] The sake lees before aging contain alcohol. The content of alcohol in the sake lees before aging is not particularly limited and is, for example, 5 to 10% by mass.

[0022] The sake lees before aging contain water. The water content in the sake lees before aging is 35 to 70% by mass, preferably 40 to 65% by mass, and more preferably 45 to 60% by mass. By making the water content in the sake lees before aging within the above range, the aging period of the sake lees can be shortened. On the other hand, if the sake lees before aging are less than the above range, the moisture content is too low, making it difficult to proceed with aging, and the workability after aging is poor due to strong solidification. On the other hand, if the water content exceeds the above range, the total amount of raw materials and storage space will be too large due to the small solid content.

[0023] When the sake lees contain 35 to 70% by mass, preferably 40 to 65% by mass, and more preferably 45 to 60% by mass of water, the aging process may be carried out as is, or water may be added within the range of 35 to 70% by mass, preferably 40 to 65% by mass, and more preferably 45 to 60% by mass to adjust the sake lees before aging. When the water content of the sake lees is less than 35% by mass, water is added to the sake lees to adjust the water content to 35 to 70% by mass, preferably 40 to 65% by mass, and more preferably 45 to 60% by mass.

[0024] In the maturation step, the maturation temperature for maturing the sake lees is 50 to 75°C, preferably 52 to 70°C, and more preferably 55 to 65°C. By setting the maturation temperature within the above range, the maturation period of the sake lees can be shortened. On the other hand, if the maturation temperature is below the above range, the red color of the red vinegar will not develop as much, or bacteria will grow, preventing normal maturation. On the other hand, if the maturation temperature exceeds the above range, a large amount of antibacterial substances will be produced, and acetic acid fermentation will not occur or will occur very slowly in the subsequent acetic acid fermentation step, and the bitterness will also be strong.

[0025] In the maturation step, the maturation period for maturing the sake lees is 5 to 60 days, preferably 7 to 55 days, and more preferably 14 to 28 days. If the maturation period is shorter than the above range, maturation will be insufficient, and if it exceeds the above range, a large amount of antibacterial substances will be produced, and acetic acid fermentation will not occur or will occur very slowly in the subsequent acetic acid fermentation step, and the bitterness will also be strong.

[0026] In the method for producing red vinegar of the present invention, the evaporation of water is restricted during the maturation step, and the water content in the sake lees is kept at 35% by mass or more, preferably 40% by mass or more, and more preferably 45% by mass or more. By keeping the water content in the sake lees at or above the above range in the maturation step, the maturation period can be shortened, and filtration in the filtration step becomes easier. On the other hand, if the water content in the sake lees during maturation is less than the above range, the maturation period will be long, or filtration after maturation will be difficult.

[0027] The method for carrying out the aging step is not particularly limited as long as it is a method that can suppress evaporation of water during aging and maintain the water content in the sake lees at 35% by mass or more, preferably 40% by mass or more, and preferably 45% by mass or more. For example, the aging step can be carried out by filling sake lees before aging, which contains 35 to 70% by mass, preferably 40 to 65% by mass, and more preferably 45 to 60% by mass of water, into a container such as a 18-liter can that can regulate evaporation of water from the sake lees by sealing or reducing the exchange of air between the inside and the outside air, and storing the container at a predetermined aging temperature and for a predetermined aging period.

[0028] Then, by carrying out the maturation process, the sake lees are maturated by the koji mold and / or yeast and / or enzymes contained therein, and matured sake lees are obtained. The maturation process is necessary for producing umami components such as amino acids that give red vinegar depth of flavor, and is also necessary for producing the red pigment components specific to red vinegar. In addition, in the maturation process, sugar is produced by saccharification of starch. Therefore, by carrying out the maturation process, matured sake lees containing the umami components that give red vinegar depth of flavor, the red pigment components specific to red vinegar, and sugar can be obtained.

[0029] The filtration step in the method for producing red vinegar of the present invention is a step of filtering the matured sake lees obtained by the maturation step to obtain a filtrate of the matured sake lees. In the filtration step, the method of filtering the matured sake lees is not particularly limited, and examples of the filtering method include filtering with filter paper, filtering with filter cloth, and centrifugal separation.

[0030] The filtrate of matured sake lees obtained by the filtration process contains soluble components in the matured sake lees, and therefore contains umami components such as amino acids that give red vinegar depth of flavor, red pigment components specific to red vinegar, and sugars.

[0031] The filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained by the filtration process has a higher content of umami components such as amino acids that give red vinegar depth of flavor, red pigment components specific to red vinegar, and sugars than the filtrate obtained by adding water to sake lees matured by a conventional manufacturing method and filtering it. The filtrate of the matured sake lees is a deep reddish brown color. The sugar content of the filtrate of the matured sake lees is preferably 10 or more.

[0032] The matured sake lees to be filtered in the filtration process contain 35% by mass or more of water, so there is no need to add water to the matured product after aging and then filter it, as in the conventional method for producing red vinegar, and the matured sake lees after the aging process can be filtered as is. Note that the filtration process does not prohibit adding water to the matured sake lees and then filtering them, and in the filtration process, water can be added to the matured sake lees and then filtered as necessary.

[0033] In addition, since the matured sake lees to be filtered in the filtration process contain 35% by mass or more of water, filtration in the filtration process is easier than in conventional methods for producing red vinegar.

[0034] The acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step of the present invention is a step of adding acetic acid bacteria to the filtrate of matured sake lees to obtain an acetic acid fermentation raw material.

[0035] The type of acetic acid bacteria is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of carrying out acetic acid fermentation, and any acetic acid bacteria typically used for acetic acid fermentation in the production of vinegar can be appropriately selected and used.

[0036] The amount of acetic acid bacteria added to the filtrate of matured sake lees is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected within the range of normal use.

[0037] In the acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step, when the alcohol content in the filtrate of the matured sake lees is low, brewer's alcohol can be added to the filtrate of the matured sake lees in addition to the acetic acid bacteria. The type of brewer's alcohol is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include General Alcohol Traceable 95 Grade 1 (Japan Alcohol Sales Co., Ltd.). The amount of brewer's alcohol added is not particularly limited, and is, for example, an amount that results in an alcohol content of 5 to 15 mass %, preferably 8 to 12 mass %, in the acetic acid fermentation raw material.

[0038] The acetic acid fermentation process in the red vinegar production method of the present invention is a process in which acetic acid fermentation raw material is subjected to acetic acid fermentation to obtain red vinegar.

[0039] In the acetic acid fermentation step, the acetic acid fermentation temperature when the acetic acid fermentation raw material is subjected to acetic acid fermentation is 15 to 35° C., preferably 20 to 32° C., and the acetic acid fermentation period is 10 to 60 days, preferably 20 to 40 days.

[0040] The red vinegar obtained by carrying out the red vinegar production method of the present invention is red in color, has a sugar content of 10.0 to 12.0, and has a carbohydrate content of 11.0 to 14.0 g / 100 ml. When diluted 10 times with water and the diluted solution is evaluated using Jack's Scale, the red vinegar obtained by carrying out the red vinegar production method of the present invention is 60 mm or more.

[0041] In addition, in the method for producing red vinegar of the present invention, after the filtration step, an alcoholic fermentation step is performed in which the filtrate of matured sake lees obtained by the filtration step is alcoholically fermented to obtain a filtrate of matured sake lees after alcoholic fermentation, and the filtrate of matured sake lees after alcoholic fermentation obtained by the alcoholic fermentation step is used as the filtrate of matured sake lees to be used in the acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step, and acetic acid bacteria are added to the filtrate of matured sake lees after alcoholic fermentation to obtain an acetic acid fermentation raw material, thereby performing the acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step.

[0042] In the alcoholic fermentation step according to the method for producing red vinegar of the present invention, alcoholic fermentation is carried out using the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained by the filtration step. In the alcoholic fermentation step, alcoholic fermentation is carried out by yeast contained in the sake lees before maturation. In the alcoholic fermentation step, the alcoholic fermentation temperature during alcoholic fermentation is 5 to 25°C, preferably 10 to 20°C, and the alcoholic fermentation period is 10 to 40 days, preferably 20 to 30 days.

[0043] After the alcoholic fermentation step, the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained by alcoholic fermentation is used as the matured sake lees filtrate to be used in the acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step, and the acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step is carried out.

[0044] In the method for producing red vinegar of the present invention, by carrying out the maturation step and the filtration step, it is possible to obtain a filtrate of matured sake lees that is high in umami components such as amino acids that give red vinegar depth of flavor, red pigment components specific to red vinegar, and sugars. Therefore, according to the method for producing red vinegar of the present invention, since the content of red pigment components in the filtrate of matured sake lees is high, red vinegar with a deep red color can be obtained even if brewer's alcohol is added in acetic acid fermentation. On the other hand, in the conventional method for producing red vinegar, since the content of red pigment components in the raw material for acetic acid fermentation is not high, the red color of the resulting red vinegar becomes lighter when brewer's alcohol is added in acetic acid fermentation.

[0045] In addition, in the conventional red vinegar production method, if brewer's alcohol is not added during acetic acid fermentation in order to maintain the deep red color of the red vinegar, alcoholic fermentation is required to produce alcohol before acetic acid fermentation. However, in such a conventional red vinegar production method, the sugar in the raw material for acetic acid fermentation is consumed by alcoholic fermentation, and as a result, the sweetness of the red vinegar obtained through acetic acid fermentation is reduced. In contrast, in the red vinegar production method of the present invention, since the content of red pigment components in the filtrate of aged sake lees is high, even if brewer's alcohol is added in acetic acid fermentation, a deep red red vinegar is obtained, so brewer's alcohol can be added in acetic acid fermentation. Therefore, in the red vinegar production method of the present invention, the sugar produced in the aging process can be left in the red vinegar finally obtained, so that a red vinegar with a high sweetness can be produced.

[0046] In addition, for example, sake lees obtained from rice with a high degree of polishing (20-50%) contain little protein, amino acids, and lipids, so that red vinegar with a deep flavor cannot be obtained by conventional methods for producing red vinegar, and the range of choices for sake lees raw materials is narrow. In contrast, the method for producing red vinegar of the present invention uses a wide range of sake lees as raw materials, from sake lees obtained from rice with a high degree of polishing (20-50%) to sake lees obtained from rice with a low degree of polishing (50-98%), and can produce red vinegar with a deep red color, high sweetness, and deep flavor.

[0047] The method for producing matured sake lees for red vinegar of the present invention is a process for obtaining matured sake lees by maturing sake lees containing 35 to 70% by mass of moisture at 50 to 75°C for 5 to 60 days, and is characterized by having an aging process in which evaporation of water is regulated during the aging process to maintain the water content in the sake lees at 35% by mass or more.

[0048] The maturation process in the method for producing matured sake lees for red vinegar of the present invention is the same as the maturation process in the method for producing red vinegar of the present invention. EXAMPLES

[0049] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples, but these are merely illustrative and do not limit the present invention.

[0050] Example 1 <Manufacturing procedure> (ripening process) 15 kg of sake lees with a moisture content of 50% by mass was placed in a plastic bag (LLDPE / adhesive layer / NY / adhesive layer / LLDPE), the opening of the bag was tied with a cable tie, and the bag was sealed. The bag filled with sake lees was then placed in a 18L can and the lid was placed on it. Next, the 18-liter can containing the sake lees packed in the bags was placed in a thermostat set at 58 to 60°C and aged for 20 days to obtain aged sake lees A. After the aging was completed, the one-gallon can was opened and the moisture content of the aged sake lees A in the bag was measured, which was 45% by mass.

[0051] (Filtration process) Water was added to the aged sake lees A obtained above so that the content of the components derived from the sake lees was 375 g / L, and then the mixture was heated and stirred at 70° C. Next, the mixture was placed in a filter cloth and subjected to hanging filtration to obtain a filtrate of aged sake lees. The acidity, alcohol content, and BRIX of the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained were measured.

[0052] (Acetic acid fermentation process) To the filtrate of the aged sake lees obtained above, denatured alcohol and water were added so that the content of sake lees-derived components was 300 g / L, and a raw material for acetic acid fermentation with an acidity + alcohol content of 5.2% was obtained. Next, acetic acid bacteria were inoculated into the raw material for acetic acid fermentation, heated to 30 °C to initiate acetic acid fermentation, and acetic acid fermentation was carried out at 20 - 32 °C for 21 days. Then, the fermentation broth was heated to 70 °C for heat sterilization and then filtered through a 100-mesh filter to obtain red vinegar. Next, the acidity of the obtained red vinegar was measured and the color was evaluated.

[0053] <Results> (Filtration process) Filtration could be carried out by bag suspension filtration, and the filtrate of the aged sake lees was obtained. The acidity of the filtrate of the aged sake lees obtained by carrying out the filtration process was 0.36%, the alcohol content was 2.93%, and the BRIX was 11.1%. (Acetic acid fermentation process) It was confirmed that a film of acetic acid bacteria was formed on the surface of the fermentation broth before filtration. When the acidity of the red vinegar after filtration was measured, it was 4.3%. When the color of the red vinegar after filtration was evaluated, it was "qualified".

[0054] <Method for measuring acidity> Using the neutralization titration method with a sodium hydroxide solution, it was measured by manual titration.

[0055] <Method for measuring alcohol content> The alcohol content was measured by manual measurement using a Karl Zeiss immersion refractometer.

[0056] <Method for measuring BRIX> It was measured with a Digital Refractometer DBX-85 (manufactured by Atago Co., Ltd.).

[0057] <Evaluation of the color of red vinegar> The filtered red vinegar was diluted 10 times with water, and the diluted solution was evaluated using Jack's scale. A resolution of 60 mm or more was rated as "pass," and a resolution of less than 60 mm was rated as "fail." When red vinegar is diluted 10 times with water and the diluted solution is evaluated using Jack's Scale, if it has a resolution of 60 mm or more, it will have an appropriate color when used for sushi rice, and this was used as the evaluation standard above.

[0058] Comparative Example 1 <Manufacturing procedure> (ripening process) 15 kg of sake lees with a moisture content of 50% by mass was placed in a plastic bag (LLDPE / adhesive layer / NY / adhesive layer / LLDPE), the opening of the bag was tied with a cable tie, and the bag was sealed. The bag filled with sake lees was then placed in a 18L can and the lid was placed on it. Next, the 18-liter can containing the sake lees packed in the bags was placed in a thermostat set at 78 to 80°C and aged for 20 days to obtain aged sake lees B. After the aging was completed, the one-gallon can was opened and the moisture content of the aged sake lees B in the bag was measured, which was found to be 40% by mass.

[0059] (Filtration process) Water was added to the aged sake lees A obtained above so that the content of the components derived from the sake lees was 375 g / L, and then the mixture was heated and stirred at 70° C. Next, the mixture was placed in a filter cloth and subjected to hanging filtration to obtain a filtrate of aged sake lees. The acidity, alcohol content, and BRIX of the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained were measured.

[0060] (Acetic acid fermentation process) Denatured alcohol and water were added to the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained above so that the content of components derived from the sake lees was 300 g / L, and an acetic acid fermentation raw material with an acidity + alcohol content of 5.2% was obtained. Next, the acetic acid fermentation raw material was inoculated with acetic acid bacteria, heated to 30°C to initiate acetic acid fermentation, and carried out at 20 to 32°C for 21 days.

[0061] <Result> (Filtration process) Filtration was performed using hanging bag filtration, and a filtrate of matured sake lees was obtained. The acidity of the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained after the filtration process was 0.30%, the alcohol content was 1.91%, and the BRIX was 10.3%. (Acetic acid fermentation process) No film of acetic acid bacteria was observed on the surface of the fermentation liquid before filtration, indicating that acetic acid fermentation had not progressed. In Comparative Example 1, since acetic acid fermentation did not proceed, no further operations were carried out.

[0062] Comparative Example 2 <Manufacturing procedure> (ripening process) 15 kg of sake lees with a moisture content of 50% by mass was placed in a plastic bag (LLDPE / adhesive layer / NY / adhesive layer / LLDPE), the opening of the bag was tied with a cable tie, and the bag was sealed. The bag filled with sake lees was then placed in a 18L can and the lid was placed on it. Next, the 18-liter can containing the sake lees packed in the bags was placed in a thermostat set at 58 to 60°C and aged for 65 days to obtain aged sake lees C. After the aging was completed, the one-gallon can was opened and the moisture content of the aged sake lees C in the bag was measured, which was found to be 40% by mass.

[0063] (Filtration process) Water was added to the aged sake lees A obtained above so that the content of the components derived from the sake lees was 375 g / L, and then the mixture was heated and stirred at 70° C. Next, the mixture was placed in a filter cloth and subjected to hanging filtration to obtain a filtrate of aged sake lees. The acidity, alcohol content, and BRIX of the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained were measured.

[0064] (Acetic acid fermentation process) Denatured alcohol and water were added to the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained above so that the content of components derived from the sake lees was 300 g / L, and an acetic acid fermentation raw material with an acidity + alcohol content of 5.2% was obtained. Next, the acetic acid fermentation raw material was inoculated with acetic acid bacteria, heated to 30°C to initiate acetic acid fermentation, and carried out at 20 to 32°C for 21 days.

[0065] <Result> (Filtration process) Filtration was performed using hanging bag filtration, and a filtrate of matured sake lees was obtained. The acidity of the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained after the filtration process was 0.36%, the alcohol content was 2.49%, and the BRIX was 10.2%. (Acetic acid fermentation process) No film of acetic acid bacteria was observed on the surface of the fermentation liquid before filtration, indicating that acetic acid fermentation had not progressed. In Comparative Example 2, since acetic acid fermentation did not proceed, no further operations were carried out.

[0066] Comparative Example 3 <Manufacturing procedure> (ripening process) 15 kg of sake lees with a moisture content of 50% by mass was placed in a plastic bag (LLDPE / adhesive layer / NY / adhesive layer / LLDPE), the opening of the bag was tied with a cable tie, and the bag was sealed. The bag filled with sake lees was then placed in a 18L can and the lid was placed on it. Next, the 18-liter can containing the bags of sake lees was placed in a thermostat set at 58 to 60°C and aged for 3 days to obtain aged sake lees D. After the aging was completed, the one-gallon can was opened and the moisture content of the aged sake lees D in the bag was measured, which was 50% by mass.

[0067] (Filtration process) Water was added to the aged sake lees A obtained above so that the content of the components derived from the sake lees was 375 g / L, and then the mixture was heated and stirred at 70° C. Next, the mixture was placed in a filter cloth and subjected to hanging filtration to obtain a filtrate of aged sake lees. The acidity, alcohol content, and BRIX of the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained were measured.

[0068] (Acetic acid fermentation process) Denatured alcohol and water were added to the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained above so that the content of components derived from the sake lees was 300 g / L, and an acetic acid fermentation raw material with an acidity + alcohol content of 5.2% was obtained. Next, the acetic acid fermentation raw material was inoculated with acetic acid bacteria, heated to 30° C. to initiate acetic acid fermentation, and carried out for 21 days at 20 to 32° C. Next, the fermented liquid was heated to 70° C. for thermal sterilization, and then filtered through a 100 mesh filter to obtain red vinegar. Next, the acidity of the resulting red vinegar was measured and the color was evaluated.

[0069] <Result> (Filtration process) Filtration was performed using hanging bag filtration, and a filtrate of matured sake lees was obtained. The acidity of the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained after the filtration process was 0.36%, the alcohol content was 3.25%, and the BRIX was 11.0%. (Acetic acid fermentation process) It was confirmed that a film of acetic acid bacteria was formed on the surface of the fermentation liquid before filtration. The acidity of the filtered red vinegar was measured and found to be 4.3%. When the color of the red vinegar after filtration was evaluated, it was found to be "unacceptable." [Industrial Applicability]

[0070] According to the present invention, the production period of red vinegar can be shortened, so that red vinegar can be supplied promptly according to needs, and red vinegar can be provided at low cost.

Claims

1. A process for obtaining aged sake lees by aging the sake lees containing 35 to 70% by mass of water at 50 to 75°C for 5 to 60 days, in which evaporation of water is suppressed during the aging process to maintain the water content in the sake lees at 35% by mass or more; a filtration step of filtering the aged sake lees to obtain a filtrate of the aged sake lees; an acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step of adding acetic acid bacteria to the filtrate of the matured sake lees to obtain an acetic acid fermentation raw material; an acetic acid fermentation step of subjecting the acetic acid fermentation raw material to acetic acid fermentation to obtain red vinegar; A method for producing red vinegar having the above structure.

2. A process for obtaining matured sake lees by maturing sake lees containing 35-70% by mass of moisture at 50-75°C for 5-60 days, in which evaporation of moisture is suppressed during the maturation process to maintain the moisture content in the sake lees at 35% by mass or more; a filtration step of filtering the aged sake lees to obtain a filtrate of the aged sake lees; an alcoholic fermentation step of alcoholically fermenting the filtrate of the matured sake lees obtained by the filtration step to obtain a filtrate of the matured sake lees after alcoholic fermentation; an acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step of adding acetic acid bacteria to the filtrate of the matured sake lees after the alcoholic fermentation step to obtain an acetic acid fermentation raw material; an acetic acid fermentation step of subjecting the acetic acid fermentation raw material to acetic acid fermentation to obtain red vinegar; A method for producing red vinegar having the above structure.

3. The method for producing red vinegar according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that brewer's alcohol is added in the acetic acid fermentation raw material preparation step.

4. 3. The method for producing red vinegar according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the aging temperature of the sake lees in the aging process is 55 to 65°C, and the aging period is 14 to 28 days.

5. This method for producing matured sake lees for red vinegar comprises a process for obtaining matured sake lees by maturing sake lees containing 35 to 70% by mass of water at 50 to 75°C for 5 to 60 days, and a maturing process for suppressing water evaporation during the maturing process and maintaining the water content in the sake lees at 35% by mass or more.