This study was carried out in order to analyzed the changes in nitrogen containing taste compounds of three different types of traditional Korean soy sauce with varing ripening period, and to investigates correlation between sensory characteristics and taste compounds contents via contents assay and sensory evaluation of soy sauce samples. Total nitrogen, ammonia type nitrogen and amino type nitrogen contents showed the highest value in Kyupjang. 17 kinds of free amino acid was detected in Chungjangs and 16 kinds of free amino acid was detected in Kyupjang. Nucleotides and their related compounds detected were hypoxanthin, xanthin, IMP, AMP, Inosine, ADP. Free amino acid and nucleotides and their related compounds contents were highest in Kyupjang. Nitrogen related compounds content of high concentration soy sauce ripened over 150 days increased similarly with Kyupjang. In the sensory evaluation of soy sauce taste, Chungjang samples acquired the highest score in the offensive taste test while Kyupjang marked highest score for sweet taste, nutty taste, taste preference. High concentration soy sauce ripend over 150 days yielded the result similar to that of Kyupjang. Sweet taste showed positive correlation with nitrogen compounds. The materials that showed positive correlation with nutty and traditional soy sauce taste and taste preference were nitrogen compound, IMP, AMP. Except for tryptophan, all free amino acid showed positive correlation with nutty and traditional soy sauce taste. Particulary, taste preference correlated to lysine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid.

• 박현경 | Park, Hyun-Kyung
• 손경희 | Sohn, Kyung-Hee