Putrefaction of shochu mash often occurs in the case of a high temperature and low acidity of koji. We thus aimed for the early detection of putrefactive lactic acid bacteria（LAB）. In this report, we investigated putrefactive LAB at shochu distilleries in Miyazaki Prefecture by PCR using a specific primer（mleP）. The mleP genes used as indicators of putrefactive LAB were detected in one sample of the first mash and 33 samples of secondary mashes out of 110, with 32 samples being sweet potato mash. On researching pollution points in 4 distilleries, the mleP genes were detected in the transfer pumps and the mixer of the primary mash and sweet potato. For all shochu mashes, the mleP genes detected were confirmed in their normal states concerning organic acid and alcohol concentrations. Therefore, L. fermentum with the mleP genes does not affect fermentation when alcohol fermentation is normally performed by yeast, but these distilleries are always at risk of putrefaction.

We compared antioxidant characteristics ［2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl（DPPH） radical scavenging activity and oxygen radical absorbance capacity（ORAC）］ and the angiotensin I-converting enzyme（ACE） inhibitory activity of sake cakes with different polishing ratios after storage. Though DPPH radical scavenging activity, hydrophilic-ORAC, and total-ORAC of all the sake cakes used increased significantly after storage at 5 ℃ and 20 ℃, the lipophilic-OARC and ACE inhibitory activities of all sake cakes did not necessarily increase after storage. A hierarchical clustering heatmap suggested that sake cakes with a high rice polishing ratio may have higher antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activities after storage.