Pure-white koji mold established by Akita Konno received Japan Food Industry Excellent Company Award and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award in 1997.

As a result of repeated improvement research on a series of previous koji molds, we succeeded in developing the white strain. This pure-white koji mold developed ahead of industry was determined to possess the same enzyme activity when compared with the parent strain and was identified mycologically as Aspergillus oryzae and the same.
No need to change the previous procedure for making koji in which completed koji maintains persistently pure white color. Please buy and use koji starter in our highly regarded products since its launch.
Pure-white koji starter
Package form
powder type: one bag contains 70g product for making 200kg koji.
White koji No.1
This koji starter yields long-length mycelia with relatively slow growth during the first half of the process for making koji. Characterized by strong diastatic power and a loosely formed de-koji with the flourishing mycelia on the streamed rice.
White koji No.2
This koji starter yields middle-length mycelia with pleasing flavor, and pure-white completed koji. Characterized by a completed koji tightly formed with flourishing mycelia, perfectly-shaped koji and no brown discoloration. Suitable for sale and making floating rice koji and etc.
White koji No.3
This koji starter yields middle- and short-length mycelia. Characterized by rapid growth during the first half of the fermentation process and a strong penetration into steamed rice and diastatic activity. Most suitable for making miso koji and processing uses.
Yukikomachi
This koji starter yields middle and short-length mycelia. Characterized by a strong penetration into steamed rice and diastatic activity and a moderate growth initiation and growth rate. Widely used for making amazake, miso and processing uses.
Suzuran
This pure-white koji starter yields middle-length mycelia with relatively rapid growth during the first half of the fermentation process for making koji and is easy-to-use. Characterized by a strong protease activity and most suitable for making miso koji.
Shirakami
This koji starter yields middle- and short-length mycelia which stretch actively inside the steamed rice and a fragile mass of the koji can be produced. Suitable for a mechanically making koji.
Pure-white koji starter | The length of the fungal filament formed | Levels of temperature changed during fermentation process | Levels of aromatic odor | Itashimari | Adnation time of spores | S-amylase | α-amylase | NPA | ACP | Degree of brownish discoloration in koji made |
White koji No.1 | long | slow rise in the beginning | sweet | lax | White | 465 | 2550 | 90 | 22800 | + |
White koji No.2 | medium | normal | good | strong | White | 222 | 1100 | 72 | 13300 | – |
White koji No.3 | medium-short | sharp rise in the beginning | good | rather strong | White | 390 | 1790 | 86 | 18700 | – |
Yukikomachi | medium-short | normal | good | rather lax | White | 470 | 2230 | 85 | 18000 | – |
Suzuran | medium | sharp rise in the beginning | good | rather lax | White | 337 | 2050 | 92 | 20900 | ± |
Shirakami | medium-short | normal | good | lax | White | 478 | 2200 | 84 | 17800 | – |
Enzyme activities (represented per dry weight) were measured by means of the of the petri dish method at our laboratory in accordance with the standard method of analysis in National Research Institute of Brewing (only acid carboxypeptidase) and in Laboratory of Shinshu Miso Institute (the others), respectively. All values may change depending on the difference in raw materials and in methods of making koji. Accordingly, data is an example and is no guarantee of the absolute value.