The production of a new tempeh-like fermented soybean containing a high level of γ-aminobutyric acid by anaerobic incubation with Rhizopus

A cultivation procedure for the preparation of a new tempeh-like fermented soybean containing a high level of gamma-aminobutyric acid was developed. Steamed soybeans were incubated aerobically with Rhizopus microsporus var. oligosporus IFO 8631 for 20 h, and then anaerobically incubated for 5 h by replacement of the atmosphere with nitrogen. The GABA content in the aerobically fermented soybeans was about 30 mg per 100 g dry fermented soybeans, while the anaerobically cultivation was about 370 mg/100 g dry fermented soybeans. The incubation with several strains of Rhizopus species showed that all of R. microsporus var. oligosporus and R. oryzae examined accumulated GABA in the anaerobically fermented soybeans. In particular, R. microsporus var. oligosporus IFO 32002 and IFO 32003 showed the highest content of GABA (1,740 mg/100 g dry fermented soybeans and 1,500 mg/ 100 g dry fermented soybeans, respectively). Moreover, the free protein amino acids increased greatly in the fermented soybeans during the anaerobic cultivation.