Development of GABA-enriched Non-centrifugal Brown Sugar;"Kokuto" by Lactic Acid Fermentation

Abstract

　γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enriched non-centrifugal brown sugar, "Kokuto", was developed by lactic acid fermentation method. Lactobacillus brevis NBRC 3345 was inoculated into sugar cane juice containing added sodium glutamate and yeast extract and cultured at 30℃. Addition of the yeast extract was necessary for GABA production by L. brevis NBRC 3345 from sugar cane juice. Sodium glutamate and yeast extract were added to the sugar cane juice to a concentration of 0.2% each. GABA-enriched Kokuto containing 275mg GABA per 100g Kokuto was made successfully from the juice fermented for 24h. Solid Kokuto could not be produced from juice fermented for 30h. However, it was possible to produce solid Kokuto containing 302mg GABA per 100g Kokuto, when fresh juice and fermented juice were mixed in a ratio of 1:4.