Koji

Koji is a Japanese mould (Aspergillus oryzae) cultivated on rice, barley or soybean, the fundamental base of millennia-old Japanese fermentations (sake, miso, soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar). Koji was declared Japan's national fungus in 2006 by the Brewing Society of Japan. Contemporary three star chefs, notably in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Stockholm, use koji to marinate meats (kojizuke), create stocks (shio koji), produce koji cheeses and develop complex umami aromas. Koji culture requires a controlled environment at 30 degrees Celsius and 70 percent humidity (Source: Brewing Society of Japan, 2006).