Koji making method
OwnerMasahiko Izumiinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a closed type Koji making method, gas is circulated by ventilation through a system comprising an oxygen inlet, a fan, various kinds of cyclones and a Koji making chamber. Aqueous vapor or steam is blown directly into the ventilation gas and its temperature and humidity are always maintained constant. According to the Koji making steps, temperature and humidity in the Koji making chamber are adjusted to an optimum value by opening and closing a by-pass line to effect the Koji making. Until germination of Koji-mould occurs, the ventilation gas is maintained substantially free of oxygen and the density of oxygen after the germination should be maintained at a necessary minimum value.
Claims7
In a Koji making method, in which ventilation gas is circulated through materials inoculated with Koji mould in a closed system including a ventilation line, a Koji making chamber and an exhaust line, the improvement comprising:
- directly blowing heated aqueous vapor into the ventilation gas to avoid infectious microbes in the gas and to control the temperature and humidity of the gas.
A process for making Koji using an apparatus comprising a Koji making chamber, a ventilation line leading to said chamber, removal means in said ventilation line for removing dust and infectious microbes from the gas passing through said ventilation line, an exhaust line leading from said chamber and connecting with said ventilation line upstream of said separation means, by-pass means connecting the ventilation line and the exhaust line in parallel with said chamber, control means for controlling the amount of ventilation gas passing through said by-pass means, means for adding ventilation gas, means for venting ventilation gas, means for adding oxygen containing gas, means for adding heated aqueous vapor to the ventilation gas, and means for circulating the ventilation gas through the system, comprising:
- adding Koji making starting materials to said chamber;
- causing ventilation gas which is an inert as substantially free of oxygen to circulate through the system, adding sufficient heated aqueous vapor to heat the ventilation gas for avoidance of infectious microbes and maintain the temperature thereof at 32-38.degree. C, and controlling said control means to maintain the germination temperature, humidity and flow rate in said chamber, until germination of the Koji-mould;
- and
- after germination of the Koji-mould continuing said steps of causing circulation and adding heated aqueous vapor, adding sufficient oxygen containing gas to said ventilation gas to maintain an oxygen concentration necessary for growth in the system and controlling said control means to maintain the growth temperature, humidity and flow rate in said chamber, until the Koji is completed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.