A blended model vinegar containing about 7% gluconic acid was used as a seasoning vinegar, and sushi rice was prepared with it. There was no significant difference in terms of preference of sushi rice between a normal recipe(commercial vinegar 12ml, sugar 4.7g, salt 1g and cooked rice 100g) and the new recipe(blended model vinegar 11ml, sugar 4.6g, salt 0.5g and cooked rice 100g). We adopted a new method in which acetic acid bacteria completed acetic acid fermentation(increase of 1% in acidity) first and gluconic acid fermentation second, without the feeding of raw materials during its fermentation using
Komagataeibacter xylinus. The prototype vinegar(brewing vinegar) contained 7.9% gluconic acid, 2.2% acetic acid and 9.8% glucose(acidity of 4.9%). We also obtained the same result in the above sensory evaluation with the prototype vinegar. Thus, in sushi rice, it seems to be useful to use the brewing vinegar containing gluconic acid at high concentrations for the restriction(1/2) of salt. Because the buffer action of gluconic acid was weak in the low-concentration foods such as the sushi rice, unlike acetic acid, gluconic acid was easily neutralized by saliva, and it became easier to feel sweetness and saltiness with the restriction of salt. This mechanism to maintain tastiness was supported by sensory evaluations and titration with NaHCO
3.
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