JP6854013B2 - Jiuqu making equipment and koji making method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a koji making device and a koji making method for making koji as a raw material using a rotating drum.

Jiuqu plays an important role in the production of traditional fermented foods such as sake, shochu, miso and soy sauce. Jiuqu is steamed rice, rice bran, wheat, beans, etc. and propagated aspergillus. For example, rice that propagates aspergillus is called rice jiuqu. Conventionally, the amount of seed koji added, which is a "seed bacterium" in the production of rice koji, is 1.0 g (0.1% by weight) with respect to 1 kg of rice as a fermentation raw material. This means that the number of spores contained in the seed koji is about 20 × 10 ⁸ spores / g, so that the rice that is the raw material of the koji ^{is inoculated with 2 × 10 6} spores / g.

On the other hand, the work of mixing seed koji with steamed raw rice (seed mixing) is the most important process of koji production. If this seed koji is not sufficiently and evenly mixed with the raw rice, it causes goby (fermentation) loss (insufficient growth of hyphae of aspergillus and aspergillus grows only on a part of the surface of steamed rice). As a result, it may be one of the causes of being contaminated with various germs other than Jiuqu.

Since ancient times, all the koji making has been done by hand, but nowadays, the method of making koji using a machine is also used. For example, there is a well-known method for producing Jiuqu using a drum-type Jiuqu making machine having a rotating drum for accommodating grains such as rice and wheat as raw materials (Patent Document 1).

In Patent Document 1, a rotary raw material integrated processing koji making machine is used for the first half process of rice washing, dipping, draining, steaming, inoculation and koji making, and a large number of intervals of about 2 cm are used in the second half process of spore engraftment. It is described to use a sedimentary thin layer incubator with parallel plates.

The rotary raw material integrated processing koji making machine is provided with a raw material inlet / outlet for charging raw materials and seed koji into the device on the outer circumference of the rotary can body, and steam that supplies water or steam to the raw material inside the rotary can body. It is equipped with a water supply pipe, a main shaft and ventilation pipe that blows sterile air, and a wire net that supports raw materials. The position of the wire mesh inside the rotary can body is fixed to the lower part when washing rice, to the upper part when soaking, and to the lower part when draining. Further, the seed koji inoculation (seed mixing) is configured so that the seed koji is put in from the raw material inlet / outlet, and then the main body of the rotary can is rotated to mix the seed koji and the steamed raw material.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-179474

Seed mixing in koji making using a rotating drum type koji making device as described in Patent Document 1 is performed by directly putting the seed koji into a drum type device containing steamed rice and then rotating the drum. The method is to mix the koji and steamed rice and disperse the spores of the seed koji throughout the steamed rice. However, since the surface of the steamed rice has a strong adhesiveness, the spores of the seed koji that have been put into the apparatus and once adhered to the steamed rice do not easily peel off from the surface. Therefore, in order to sufficiently disperse the spores of the seed koji throughout the steamed rice in the apparatus, the reality is that a large amount of seed koji is added and added.

In addition, if the drum is rotated for an excessively long period in an attempt to mix the steamed rice and the seed koji well, there is a high risk that the steamed rice will become sticky and the aspergillus will not grow easily.

Therefore, there is a demand for a koji making device and a koji making method capable of sufficiently and evenly dispersing seed koji in a fermentation raw material and producing high-quality koji with good goby inclusion.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to be able to disperse the spores of the seed koji evenly over the steamed rice and to significantly reduce the amount of the seed koji used. It is an object of the present invention to provide a koji making device and a koji making method capable of making koji.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a koji making device that can be easily and inexpensively configured by using a ready-made device.

According to the present invention, the koji making device can rotate and stop rotating freely, and has a rotating drum for accommodating a raw material made of grains or beans, a duct for supplying an air flow (wind) into the rotating drum, and a duct for supplying the air flow (wind) into the rotating drum. It is mounted in a rotating drum and is equipped with a cassette for placing spores separated from the seed koji. The duct has an outlet for blowing out air flow, and the cassette is mounted in the vicinity of the outlet of the duct, and the air flow blown out from this outlet is configured to disperse the spores into the rotating drum that has stopped rotating. Has been done.

The duct was mainly used for cooling steamed rice and adjusting the fermentation temperature in the koji making process, but in the present invention, the duct is also used for supplying an air flow into the rotating drum. That is, the spores of the aspergillus spores sieved from the seed koji are placed on a cassette mounted near the outlet of the duct, and the spores are sprayed into the rotating drum by the air flow from the outlet to spread the seed koji. The spores can be mixed evenly on the surface of the steamed rice, and the amount of seed koji used can be significantly reduced.

It is preferable that the outlet is configured so that the base end is connected to the duct and the tip faces diagonally upward.

The cassette is formed so that the tip portion is inclined upward at a predetermined angle, and a mounting plate for mounting spores and a semi-cylindrical portion configured to cover at least the rear end portion of the mounting plate. It is also preferable to have.

It is also preferable that the cassette is detachably attached so as to be connected to the tip of the outlet.

It is also preferable that the duct is made of a hollow tube material arranged coaxially with the rotation axis of the rotating drum.

It is also preferable that the rotating drum has at least a raw material input port that can be covered with a net lid.

According to the present invention, further, the koji making method includes a sieving step of separating spores from seed koji using a sieve in advance, a raw material charging step of charging a raw material composed of grains or beans into a rotating drum, and raw material charging. The raw materials introduced in the step are washed with water and immersed in water, the raw materials soaked in a predetermined time are drained and steamed with steam, and the spores obtained in the sieving step are separated. A spore supply process for placing on a cassette provided near the outlet of a duct for supplying air flow (wind) into the rotating drum, and a spore supply process for supplying air flow into the rotating drum via the duct and on the cassette. It includes a spraying step of spraying spores into a rotary drum, and a mixing step of rotating the rotary drum and stirring and mixing the spores sprayed in the spraying step and the raw materials so as to be uniform.

It is preferable that the spraying step is performed in a state where the rotary drum rotates to an angle at which the net lid of the raw material input port is blocked by the raw material and the rotation is stopped.

The spore supply step, the spraying step, and the mixing step are repeated a plurality of times in this order, and after each of the multiple spore supply steps, the air flow is supplied (air blown) in the spraying step at a predetermined time, and the air flow is supplied a plurality of times. After each, it is also preferable to rotate the rotating drum for a predetermined time and perform a mixing operation of stirring and mixing the spores and the raw materials sprayed by each supply of air flow so as to be uniform.

According to the present invention, a duct is also used to supply an air flow into the rotating drum. That is, the spores of the aspergillus spores sieved from the seed koji are placed on a cassette mounted near the outlet of the duct, and the spores are sprayed into the rotating drum by the air flow from the outlet to spread the seed koji. The spores can be mixed evenly on the surface of the steamed rice, and the amount of seed koji used can be significantly reduced.

Further, the cassette is formed so that the tip is inclined upward at a predetermined angle, and is configured to cover a mounting plate for mounting spores and at least the rear end portion of the mounting plate. Since it is provided with a part and is detachably attached so as to be connected to the tip of the outlet, a ready-made device can be used, so that it can be realized at a low cost without increasing the cost.

It is a side view and cross-sectional view which shows schematic structure of the koji making apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view and a side view which show schematic structure example of the cassette of the koji making apparatus of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the main part of the koji making apparatus of FIG. 1 schematicly. It is a figure which shows the state of spraying the spore in the rotating drum in the koji making apparatus of FIG. It is a perspective view, the side view and the front view which show the other structural example of a cassette schematicly.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the Jiuqu-making apparatus and the Jiuqu-making method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the koji making device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A shows the koji device 100 from the side, and FIG. 1B shows the koji making device 100 as A-. It is shown in the A-line cross section. FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the cassette 40, FIG. 2A shows the cassette 40 in a perspective view, and FIG. 2B shows the cassette 40 (with the spore P mounted) on the side surface. .. FIG. 3 schematically shows a main part of the koji making device. FIG. 4 shows a state (rotational position of the rotating drum) when the spores are sprayed into the rotating drum.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the koji making device 100 according to the present embodiment accommodates a raw material R made of grains or beans, rotates around a horizontal rotation axis, and stops the rotation. It is composed of a rotating drum 10 that can be freely rotated, a hollow tube material that is arranged coaxially with the rotating shaft of the rotating drum 10, a duct 20 for supplying an air flow (wind) into the rotating drum 10, and a spore P. A cassette 40 for mounting the cassette 40 and a mounting bar 50 for mounting the cassette 40 are provided. Here, the spore P is a spore alone or a spore mixed with a substance such as fine powdered alpha starch. Further, in the Jiuqu making device 100, the duct 20, the cassette 40 and the mounting bar 50 are not rotated, and only the rotating drum 10 can be rotated.

The rotary drum 10 contains a raw material R made of grains or beans, and is formed from a cylindrical container arranged so as to be able to rotate around a horizontal rotation axis and stop the rotation at a predetermined angle. It is configured. The rotary drum 10 has a raw material input port for loading and unloading the raw material R, and the raw material input port is provided with a net lid 11. The rotary drum 10 is rotationally driven by a motor or the like. As the raw material R, rice and wheat (wheat, barley, rye, etc.) are mainly selected, but grains such as corn, buckwheat, and other minor grains and beans are also included.

The duct 20 is made of a hollow pipe material and is a ventilation pipe for supplying air into the rotating drum 10. This hollow tube material is arranged coaxially with the rotating shaft of the rotating drum 10, does not rotate, and also functions as a fixed spindle of the rotating drum 10. The duct 20 has an outlet 21 for blowing wind in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof. The outlet 21 is formed in a short cylindrical shape, its base end is connected to the duct 20, and its tip is provided so as to face diagonally upward. In addition, in order to prevent the raw material R from entering when the rotating drum 10 rotates, the outlet 21 may be covered with a net.

The cassette 40 is for placing the spore P separated from the seed koji. As shown in FIG. 2, the cassette 40 is formed so that the tip portion 41a is inclined upward at a predetermined angle θ (for example, θ = 0 to 90 degrees), and is a mounting plate for mounting the spore P. It includes a 41, a semi-cylindrical portion 42 formed so as to cover at least the rear end portion of the mounting plate 41, and a pair of mounting brackets 43. The mounting plate 41 is configured to be located substantially in the center of the outlet 21 when the cassette 40 is connected to the tip of the outlet 21. By inclining the tip portion 41a of the mounting plate 41 upward at a predetermined angle θ, the spores P are prevented from immediately falling downward when sprayed by the wind blown from the outlet 21, and the spores P are slanted by the wind. It will fly upward and can be sprayed more evenly. Further, since the mounting plate 41 is located substantially in the center of the outlet 21, it is possible to prevent the spores P blown out by the wind under the mounting plate 41 from falling down. Further, the cassette 40 is detachably attached so as to be connected to the tip of the outlet 21. In the present embodiment, the cassette 40 is mounted by hooking a pair of mounting brackets 43 on the mounting bar 50 above the outlet 21. Moreover, the cassette 40 can be easily removed.

Next, a koji making method using the koji making device 100 according to the present invention will be described.

The koji making method according to the present invention can include a sieving step of separating spores from seed koji in advance using a sieve, rotating around a horizontal rotation axis, and stopping the rotation at a predetermined angle. A raw material charging step of charging the raw material R made of grains or beans into the rotary drum 10, a water washing and dipping step of washing the raw material R charged in the raw material charging step with water and then immersing the raw material R in water, and a raw material immersed in a predetermined time. The spores P obtained in the steaming step of draining water and steaming with steam, the cooling step of steamed rice, and the sieving step with the rotation of the rotating drum 10 stopped at a predetermined angle are transferred to the outlet 21 of the duct 20. The spore supply process to be placed on the cassette 40 installed at the tip and the air flow (wind) are supplied into the rotating drum 10 in a state where the rotation is stopped at a predetermined angle through the outlet 21 of the duct 20, and the spore P is rotated. A spraying step of spraying into the drum 10 and a mixing step of rotating the rotating drum 10 and stirring and mixing the spores P sprayed in the spraying step and the raw material R so as to be uniform are provided.

The specific working procedure is to separate the spores P from the seed koji in advance using a sieve and collect the spores P. In the koji making operation, first, the raw material R (rice in this example) made of grains or beans is put into the rotary drum 10. Next, the charged raw material R is washed with water and immersed in water. Here, washing with water is performed a plurality of times. In addition, since the immersion absorbs water to the center of the rice grains, it is necessary to control the immersion time, water temperature, and the like. Next, the raw material R immersed in the predetermined time is drained. Here, the rotary drum 10 is rotated so that the net lid 11 of the raw material input port is located below, and excess water is discharged through the net lid 11. Next, steam is supplied to the rotary drum 10 to steam the immersed raw material R. In the steaming process, rice starch is changed from β-type (raw starch) to α-type (steamed rice) to make it more susceptible to the action of saccharifying enzymes. Next, while rotating the rotary drum 10, air is supplied into the rotary drum 10 to cool the steamed rice. Next, the cassette 40 is installed at the tip of the outlet 21 of the duct 20, and the spore P is placed on the mounting plate 41 of the cassette 40. Next, the rotary drum 10 is rotated, the net lid 11 of the raw material input port is rotated to a position where the raw material R is blocked, and air is supplied into the rotary drum 10 in a state where the rotation is stopped (see FIG. 4) to generate spores P. It is sprayed in the rotating drum 10. Here, the ventilation time is set to, for example, about 1 minute. Further, by arranging the net lid 11 at a position where the raw material R is blocked, the spore P is prevented from being blown to the outside of the rotating drum 10, and the spore P is allowed to enter the steamed rice layer when the wind passes through the steamed rice layer. In the process, spores come to adhere to the surface of steamed rice. Next, the ventilation is stopped, the rotating drum 10 is rotated for a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes), and the sprayed spore P and the raw material R are stirred and mixed so as to be uniform. It is preferable to repeat the above-mentioned spore supply, spraying, and mixing operations (seed operation) a plurality of times (for example, three times). Then, after mixing the spores P and the raw material R, the rotating drum 10 is used to make the jiuqu so that the temperature of the raw material R does not exceed a preset temperature.

(Example 1, Example 2 and Example 3)
Jiuqu making using the Jiuqu making device according to the present invention was carried out as follows. 500 kg of raw rice was put into a rotating drum and washed a plurality of times. Then, it was immersed in water, drained, and steamed. While rotating the rotating drum, an air flow (wind) was supplied into the rotating drum to cool the steamed rice. Next, with the rotating drum stopped, a cassette was installed at the tip of the outlet of the duct, and a predetermined amount of seed koji spores (see the amount of seed koji used and the number of seed koji spores in Table 1) were placed on the cassette mounting plate. I put it. The rotary drum was rotated by a predetermined angle and placed at a position where the net lid of the raw material inlet was blocked by steamed rice. With the rotation stopped, air was supplied into the rotary drum for 1 minute, and spores were scattered in the rotary drum. After stopping the ventilation, the rotating drum was rotated for 5 minutes, and the spores scattered in the steamed rice were stirred and mixed so as to be dispersed. A series of operations (air medium seed mixing operation) related to spore supply to the mounting plate of the cassette described above, spore spraying by blowing air for 1 minute, and mixing by drum rotation for 5 minutes were repeated three times. Table 1 shows the results of observing an increase in the product temperature by keeping the entire rotating drum warm after the mixing step.

(Comparison example)
As a comparative example, Jiuqu was produced by the conventional method as follows. 500 kg of raw rice was put into a rotating drum and washed multiple times. Then, it was immersed in water, drained, and steamed. While rotating the rotating drum, air was supplied into the drum to cool the steamed rice. Next, a predetermined amount of seed koji (see the amount of seed koji used and the number of seed koji spores in Table 1) was dropped from the inlet from which the raw rice was charged. Then, the rotating drum was rotated for 1 minute, and the spores put into the steamed rice were stirred and mixed so as to be dispersed. A series of operations related to the above-mentioned charging of seed koji from the charging port and mixing by drum rotation for 5 minutes was repeated three times.

As shown in Table 1, in the koji making according to Example 2 and Example 3, the product temperature increased even though the number of spores per 1 g of steamed rice was about 60% as compared with the conventional method (comparative example). It turned out to be fast. Further, in Examples 2 and 3, it was found that the concentration of carbon dioxide gas concentration after 36 hours when 250 g of each Jiuqu was cultured in a container having a volume of 40 L was also high. These results support the increased growth rate of Jiuqu as a result of the spores being evenly mixed on the surface of the steamed rice.

Further, visually, when the rice jiuqu was observed 15 hours after mixing the seed jiuqu by the method of the present invention from Example 2 to Example 3, the goby circumference (spores of the aspergillus spores germinated) as compared with the conventional method. It grew well and the hyphae appeared white), and it grew clearly and evenly throughout the steamed rice.

As is clear from the above, when the spores are sprayed by wind (mixing with air medium seeds), the growth rate is clearly accelerated even though the number of mixed spores per 1 g of steamed rice is reduced. That is, it was found that the required number of spores per gram was 55% of the conventional one.

When the koji making device 100 and the koji making method of the present invention are used, it is clear that not only the amount of seed koji used can be significantly reduced, but also good quality koji in which the koji grows more evenly can be produced.

As described above, the koji making device 100 of the present embodiment accommodates a raw material R made of grains or beans, and is a rotating drum capable of rotating around a horizontal rotation axis and stopping the rotation thereof. A cassette composed of 10 and a hollow tube material arranged coaxially with the rotation axis of the rotation drum 10, a duct 20 for supplying air into the rotation drum 10, and a spore P separated from the seed koji. 40, the duct 20 has an outlet 21 for blowing out an air flow, the cassette 40 is mounted in the vicinity of the outlet 21 of the duct 20, and the spore P is stopped rotating by the wind blown from the outlet 21. It is configured to be sprayed in the rotating drum 10.

As a result, the spores P of the seed koji can be uniformly mixed on the surface of the raw material R (steamed rice), and the amount of the seed koji used can be significantly reduced. In addition, the steps of washing, dipping, draining, steaming, seeding and koji making of raw materials can be performed in the same device.

Further, the cassette 40 is formed so that the tip portion 41a is inclined upward at a predetermined angle, and covers the mounting plate 41 for mounting the spore P and at least the rear end portion of the mounting plate 41. Since the ready-made device can be used by being provided with the configured semi-cylindrical portion 42 and being detachably attached so as to be connected to the tip of the outlet 21, the cost is not increased. , Can be realized at a low cost.

In the koji making device 100 of the above-described embodiment, the cassette 40 is formed so that the tip portion 41a is inclined upward at a predetermined angle, and the mounting plate 41 for mounting the spore P and the mounting plate 41 thereof. Although a configuration example including a semi-cylindrical portion 42 formed so as to cover at least the rear end portion of the plate 41 has been described, the present invention is not limited thereto. Other shapes, for example, cassette 40A as shown in FIG. 5 may be used.

FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the cassette 40A, FIG. 5A shows the cassette 40 in a perspective view, and FIG. 5B shows the cassette 40A (with the spore P mounted) on the side surface. FIG. 3C shows the cassette 40A from the front. As shown in FIG. 5, the cassette 40A is formed so that the tip portion 41a is inclined upward at a predetermined angle θ, and the mounting plate 41A for mounting the spore P and the rear end of the mounting plate 41A. It includes an inclined plate portion 42A formed so as to cover the upper portion, and a pair of mounting brackets 43A. The angle θ can be appropriately set within the range of 0 to 90 degrees, if necessary. Further, the inclination angle of the inclined plate portion 42A can also be set as needed. When this cassette 40A is used, a better spraying effect can be obtained.

Further, in the koji making device 100 of the above-described embodiment, an example in which the cassette 40 is mounted by being hooked on the mounting bar 50 above the outlet 21 via the mounting bracket 43 has been described, but the present invention has been described. It is not limited to this. For example, it may be directly attached to the outlet 21.

Further, in the koji making method of the above-described embodiment, an example in which the spore P is placed on the cassette 40 after the cassette 40 is installed has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the cassette 40 may be filled with the spore P in advance, and then the cassette 40 may be installed in the rotating drum 10.

Further, in the koji making method of the above-described embodiment, an example in which the spore supply, spraying, and mixing operations (seed operation) are repeatedly performed a plurality of times (for example, three times) has been described, but the present invention is limited thereto. It's not a thing.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes various redesigned forms within the scope of the invention without departing from the gist of the invention described in the claims.

The present invention can be used for the purpose of mixing spores more evenly on the surface of steamed rice and significantly reducing the amount of seed koji used.

10 Rotating drum 11 Net lid 20 Duct 21 Outlet 40, 40A Cassette 41, 41A Mounting plate 41a Tip 42, 42A Semi-cylindrical part 43, 43A Mounting bracket 50 Mounting bar 100 Jiuqu device P Spore R Raw material

Claims (9)

It can rotate and stop freely, and has a rotating drum for accommodating raw materials made of grains or beans, a duct for supplying an air flow into the rotating drum, and a duct mounted in the rotating drum and separated from the seed koji. Equipped with a cassette for placing spores
The duct has an outlet for blowing out an air flow, and the cassette is mounted in the vicinity of the outlet, and the air flow blown out from the outlet causes the spores to be scattered in the rotating drum which has stopped rotating. A koji making device characterized in that it is configured in such a manner. The koji making device according to claim 1, wherein the outlet is configured so that the base end is connected to the duct and the tip is directed obliquely upward. The cassette is formed so that the tip portion is inclined upward at a predetermined angle, and a mounting plate for mounting the spores and a semi-cylinder configured to cover at least the rear end portion of the mounting plate. The koji making device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a shape portion. The koji making device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cassette is detachably attached so as to be connected to the tip of the outlet. The koji making device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the duct is made of a hollow tube material coaxially arranged with the rotation axis of the rotating drum. The koji making device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the rotary drum has at least a raw material input port that can be covered with a net lid. A sieving step that separates spores from seed koji using a sieve in advance,
Raw material input process of inputting raw materials consisting of grains or beans into a rotating drum,
A water-washing soaking step in which the raw material charged in the raw material charging step is washed with water and immersed in water,
A steaming process in which the raw material soaked in a predetermined time is drained and steamed with steam.
A spore supply step of placing the spores obtained in the sieving step on a cassette provided near the outlet of a duct for supplying an air flow into the rotating drum, and a spore supply step.
A spraying step of supplying an air flow into the rotating drum through the duct and spraying the spores on the cassette into the rotating drum.
A koji-making method comprising a mixing step of rotating the rotating drum and stirring and mixing the spores sprayed in the spraying step and the raw materials so as to be uniform. The production according to claim 7, wherein the spraying step is performed in a state where the rotary drum is rotated to an angle at which the net lid of the raw material input port is blocked by the raw material and the rotation is stopped. Jiuqu method. The spore supply step, the spraying step, and the mixing step were repeated a plurality of times in this order.
After each of the plurality of spore supplys, an air stream was supplied for a predetermined time in the spraying step.
After each of the plurality of air flow supplies, the rotating drum is rotated at a predetermined time, and a mixing operation is performed in which the spores sprayed by each air flow supply are mixed with the raw material. The koji making method according to claim 7 or 8.

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