Studies on Components of Synthetic Sake

Abstract

The authors studied the differences in components between natural andsynthetic sake from the point of buffer action. The total alkali titration curves of natural and synthetic sake were divided into several fractions. i.e., the acid (pH 4.0-6.8), the salt (6.8-8.0), the high molecules (8.0-9.4), the amino acid (9.4-10.3) and the sugar (10.3-11.4) fractions, and the titration volumes of each fraction were measured. According to these results, the acid fraction of synthetic sake showed strong buffer action, while the sugar and the salt fractions, especially the latter, showed weak buffer action. These results in synthetic sake were markedly different from those obtained in natural sake.
In order to make the buffer action of synthetic sake similar to that of naturalsake, the buffer actions of various components in synthetic sake were investigated. According tothe results, it was possible to convert the titration curve of synthetic sake almost equal to that of natural sake, by increasing the quantities of organic and inorganic acids together with the addition of ammonium salts. The synthetic sake made by adding these components had the acid content about 10% higher, and the salt content about 3.6 times as much as compared with those of the normal synthetic sake.
In spite of increased amounts of these components in it, the new synthetic sakegave a thin taste, and decreased in the astringent taste on sensory test.
Therefore, the authors suggested that a well-balanced synthetic sake can be produced on the basis of the results mentioned above.