High-density cultivation of koji using sponge cake made from egg white and development of fermented egg white sauce

Abstract

For utilization of and high value addition to surplus egg white liquid,we developed a fermented egg white sauce. Aspergillus oryzae HO-117 was cultured using sponge cake made from egg white and bread flour with baking powder. A. oryzae exhibited favorable growth in sponge cake due to the medium's porous structure. Neutral and acidic protease and glutaminase activities of the high-density koji culture were 2 to3 times higher than in typical koji cultivated using delipidated soybean and wheat. The sponge cake koji was mixed with liquid egg white and salt to prepare egg white moromi. After fermentation of the moromi for 24 weeks at room temperature, the resultant egg white sauce showed a unique egg flavor, abundant umami taste, and lighter color compared with typical soy sauce. No egg white protein was detected in the fermented egg white sauce using the official egg allergen detection kit. Moreover, ovomucoid with protease-inhibitor activity was also undetected. © 2014, Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology.