Abstract
Ferulic acid (FA) and ethyl ferulate (EF) in sake and mirin samples were quantified. Concentrations of FA and EF in the sake and mirin samples showed high correlations (r = 0.91 and 0.89, respectively). The highest level of EF in the sake samples was ca. 14-fold that of the mirin samples. Thresholds of FA and EF in a sake sample were estimated using a pipette method as 0.075 mg/L and 0.39 mg/L, respectively, by eight assessors in their twenties. The FA threshold was far lower than the highest level of FA in the sake samples, which suggested that FA might affect the sensory quality of sake. FA added to the sake sample showed unpleasant bitter, astringent, “egumi”, or irritating taste characteristics. Sensory and instrumental analyses suggested that EF has the ability to mitigate the taste of FA in sake.
