Ripening temperature affects the content and distribution of isoflavones in sufu, a fermented soybean curd

Abstract

SummarySufu, a fermented soybean curd, was prepared by ripening the salted tofu cubes in the Aspergillus oryzae‐fermented rice–soybean koji mash at 25, 35 or 45 °C for a period of 16 days. It showed that the 16‐day ripened sufu contains less total isoflavone content (629.29–739.68 μg g−1 dried matter) than the salted tofu before ripening (942.59 μg g−1 dried matter). Regardless of ripening temperature, ripening causes a major reduction in the content of β‐glucoside and malonylglucoside isoflavones along with a significant increase of aglycone isoflavone content. These changes were enhanced as the ripening period extended. Among the various treatments examined, sufu ripened at 45 °C showed the greatest increase in aglycone content coupled with the greatest decrease in malonylglucosides. The distribution of malonylglucosides decreased from an initial 40.32% in the tofu cube to 9.78% after 16 days of ripening at 45 °C. Meanwhile, the distribution of aglycone increased from 13.17% to 39.88%.