Physicochemical and sensory characteristics of commercially available rice-based Doenjang and their correlation to consumer acceptability for Korean young adults.

There is an increased demand for rice doenjang by consumers who are allergic to beans as well as for those seeking diverse flavors. The objective of this study was to characterize the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of commercially available rice-based doenjang in Korea and to identify the perception of Korean consumers about rice-based doenjang. Rice doenjang exhibited a lower pH, acid value, and an NH3-N content, as well as a higher total sugar, reducing sugar, and alcohol content than soybean doenjang. Descriptive analysis results revealed that rice doenjang made in Korea has similar aroma characteristics as in miso, such as Katsuobushi aromatic. The rice doenjang purchased from Japan was characterized by high intensities of sweet attributes, such as butter cracker, grape juice, and pineapple. Consumers preferred soybean doenjang instead of rice doenjang among three doenjang samples. These results suggest that the familiarity of soybean-based doenjang affects consumer preference and choice.

Descriptive Analysis of Seven Leguminous Plants in Korea.

Legumes are dicotyledonous plants, and they represent the third-largest plant family seeds distributed glo-bally. This study aimed to develop a lexicon for seven well-known legumes: kidney bean, mung bean, chickpea, green kernel black bean, black bean, soybean, and red bean. A sensory lexicon describing the aroma characteristics of legumes was developed, and the intensity of each aroma attribute was evaluated using a 15-point universal scale in SpectrumTM. Nine aroma terms were developed: boiled egg yolk, bean sprout, chicken breast, boiled chestnut, soymilk, green bean, raw peanut shell, soil odor, and mango. The lexicon identified nine descriptions for the sensory characteristics of legumes. Kidney bean, mung bean, and red bean had high green bean, bean sprout, and soil odor aromas, whereas soybean, green kernel black bean, black bean, and chickpea had strong boiled egg yolk, boiled chestnut, and chicken breast aromas. These results can aid food product developers with flavor optimization in product formulation.

Changes of Physiochemical and Enzymatic Activities of doenjang Prepared with Different Amount of Rice koji during 30 Days of Fermentation.

Koji is an intermediate fermentation agent, made by inoculating known microorganisms in grains, such as rice, beans, and barley, to hydrolyze starch or protein. The quality of koji can influence the final quality of doenjang. This study aimed to investigate changes in the physiochemical and enzymatic activities of doenjang prepared with different amounts of rice koji during a 30-day fermentation period. Three doenjang samples were prepared with varying levels of rice koji: K1 (11% reduced), K2 (control), K3 (11% increased). Physiochemical characteristics including pH, TA, acid value, moisture content, color, sugar and reducing sugar content, and enzymatic activities including α- and ß-Amylase, acidic and neutral protease activities. Samples were taken every 5 days for 30 days of fermentation period. The doenjang with a high content of rice koji had higher levels of total sugars, reducing sugars, alcohol, and protein enzyme activity than the doenjang samples with a lower content of rice koji (p < 0.05). However, no differences in the physiochemical and enzymatic activities were found between the doenjang made with a lower amount of koji and the control doenjang during fermentation (p > 0.05).

Pedicled perforator flap of stellate design.

The perforator flap has proven to be effective as both a free flap and a pedicled flap in the reconstruction of a variety of regions. Usually, a V-Y advancement pattern or simple ellipse is the design selected for pedicled perforator island flaps. On the other hand, the transposition of multiple perforator flaps or skin grafting on the donor sites is required for larger defects. The authors used a stellate design to elevate a perforator flap with large dimensions, whilst allowing the easier closure of the donor defect. This method was used for reconstructing the sacral (six cases), trochanteric (one case), and lower leg (three cases) regions. Although minor wound dehiscence at the donor sites was encountered in three cases, all the defects were reconstructed successfully using a single perforator flap. This design would be a valuable option for planning a pedicled perforator flap, particularly when a difficult donor closure is expected.