P123: Globalization for “Makolli” by Improving Functional Quality with Korean Traditional Fermentation

Takju(Korean rice wine) is low alcoholic beverage with about 6%(w/w) ethanol. It is called “makolli” or “Milky wine”. Recently, someone call it “drunken rice”, “makcohol” or “markelixir”. Takju means cloudy alcohol that has a pearly alcohol, like milk. The characters of takju are low degree alcohol, carbonated drink, and color of pearl. Takju is made of rice, nuruk (fungi for saccharification), yeast and water.

We improved takju with purple sweet potato. Alcohol brewed from crude rice wine with purple sweet potato was 16.7±0.2% under conditions of steamed rice 70%, steamed purple sweet potato 30%, improved nuruk (with rare rice, Hankook Enzyme Co.) 0.2%, yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) 0.08% and at 25°C for 10 days. Specially, antioxidant activity and color for takju with purple sweet potato were the highest and stabilized at pH 3~5. The cyanidin 3-glucoside(C3G) is the main anthocyanin pigments of purple sweet potato, as red natural pigment. The extraction of the pigment was accomplished easily even from fermentation. The takju with purple sweet potato will be desirable value-added products for the agricultural association or brewery.

The researchers have been making not only takju but also promoting Korean traditional alcoholic beverages in order to consume surplus rice. We should try to solve technical challenges for future prospects of the Korean traditional alcoholic beverages in the fields of manufacturing methods (microbial fermentation), alternative sweeteners, conservation methods, hygienic conditions and expert training.