A research group led by Professor Makoto Tokunaga of the Kyushu University Graduate School of Science has successfully removed the substances from Japanese sake that cause “old sake smell”. The results were reported at a meeting of the Chemical Society of Japan held on Mar. 29. “Old sake smell” (hineka in Japanese) is a pungent sulphur-like odor which results from sake being improperly aged or overaged. It is a pesky problem for brewers. Professor Tokunaga’s group was able to remove the sulphuric compounds that cause old sake smell by using small particles of gold to absorb them. Past attempts to remove the offending odor with activated carbon also affected the natural aromas of the sake, so expectations are high for this new method, especially since it could be used to remove old sake smell during exporting. The research team hopes to commercialize its method in the near future. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 3/30
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