Volatile Components of Korean Soybean Paste Produced by Bacillus subtilis PM3

A strain producing soybean paste flavor was isolated from traditional Korean soybean paste. The isolate was identified as Bacillus subtilis PM3. The neutral fraction representing the traditional soybean paste aroma was obtained from the whole volatile components produced by B. subtilis PM3 in cooked soybean. Each separated peak from the neutral fraction of gas chromatogram was identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and Kovat's retention index, and the aromas of each peak were investigated by a sniffing test with the exercise panel. The twenty-nine components, including six character impact compounds and twelve components of flavors of Korean soybean paste, were confirmed. Some regions of gas chromatogram represented the soybean paste odor. It has been confirmed that traditional Korean soybean paste can be manufactured with the strain B. subtilis PM3.