The mechanism to produce the sweet flavor in the traditional Japanese spirit "imo-shochu"

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K02109
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 08030:Family and consumer sciences, and culture and living-related
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Yoshizaki Yumiko 鹿児島大学, 農水産獣医学域農学系, 准教授 (80452936)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 芋焼酎 / オレンジ色果肉サツマイモ / 甘い香気 / β-ダマセノン / 前駆体 / 発酵条件 / 蒸留条件

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we aimed to isolate a new precursor of β-damascenone (compound 2) in sweet potatoes with orange-colored flesh and to develop a protocol for increasing β-damascenone in imo-shochu by modifying the shochu-making procedures. Although we attempted to isolate the precursor from the sweet potato extract using various column chromatography methods, we were unsuccessful. Therefore, we conducted experiments to increase the β-damascenone in imo-shochu by adding the enzyme and/or adjusting the mash-pH at the time of distillation or changing the duration of distillation. The results showed that compound 2 has almost same characteristics as compound 1, suggesting that compound 2 is also a glycoside.

Free Research Field

発酵工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は，芋焼酎の特徴香気成分であるβ-ダマセノンの生成に関して製造工程との関係解明について着目したものである。サツマイモの甘い香気に寄与する前駆体構造が明らかになれば，新たな品種開発や選抜の新たな指標となることから，高品質サツマイモの作出に貢献することができる。加えて，ワインの香気においてもβ-ダマセノンの重要性は認知されていることから，本研究成果は世界の酒関係者の関心に合致するものであり，“焼酎”の国際的な認知度の向上とそれに伴う輸出拡大に結びつくものである。