Phenolic Compounds in the Fermented Products

Part I. Origin of Ferulic Acid in Saké

Abstract

1) Rice grains contain ferulic acid and sinapic acid in the free form and those bound with sugar such as glucose and amino acid such as glutamic acid and those bound with lipid such as palmitic acid.
2) Fungi decomposed the bound forms of these phenolic acids to produce ferulic acid and sinapic acid, which are consumed by yeast and fungi. Some of these substances are transferred into saké.
3) The used yeast and fungus cannot transfer the methyl radical to catecholic compounds to form methoxy-phenolic compounds such as ferulic acid.
4) A fairly large part of ferulic acid found in moromi mash and saké is considered to be formed from these forms of ferulic acid.
5) The bound forms of these phenolic acids were isolated and examined for their nature. Compound 111-3, one of the major compounds among them is composed of 2 ferulic acid, 3 glucose, 1 glutamic acid and 2 calcium. Its nature was examined precisely.