Potential production strategy for distilled soju by fermenting nonsteamed rice using commercial enzyme products

The production of distilled soju by fermenting nonsteamed rice was evaluated using commercial enzyme products. White koji and modified nuruk had alpha-amylase activities of 31.90 U/g and 3,532.71 U/g, respectively, and gluco-amylase activities of 698.32 U/g and 4,899.58 U/g, respectively. The enzyme products had activities of 5,604.15-225,182.00 U/g and 13,517.41-120,822.41 U/g, respectively. At enzyme concentrations of >800 mg/L, the Chung-moo-purified enzyme had an alcohol productivity of ≥19%. Nurukzyme R400, Sanferm Yied, and Diazyme X4 exhibited alcohol productivities of >19% at concentrations of >600 mg/L. The alcohol content of the vacuum distillates was 41.31%-44.86%. The volatile component with the alcohol content adjusted to 25% was analyzed and principal component analysis was performed. The volatile components in white koji, Diazyme X4, and Sanferm Yield were similar. The modified nuruk treatment group had a relatively high ethyl lactate content compared to the white koji treatment group. The Nurukzyme R400 treatment group had high contents of butyric acid and ethyl butyrate. The Chung-moo-purified enzyme was characterized by a low component content. Thus, when enzyme products were used in nonsteamed rice fermentation, no effect on the alcohol productivity and quality of vacuum distilled soju was observed, suggesting that it can replace white koji and modified nuruk.