A mold that makes the ferment Koji a precursor for the making of Amazake, Sake, Tamari and Miso

Aspergillus flavus var. Oryzae is a mold, which plays a significant role in Japanese cuisine. It is the most important among the koji mushrooms used for fermenting rice, to make sake, amazake, mirin, and miso. It has enzymes that are taken to promote digestion in digestive disorders. Tilactase is an enzyme from Aspergillus oryzae that is taken by persons with lactose intolerance. Unlike sugary fruit or milk, starch must be broken down into cereals in a process called “saccharification.” The mold releases enzymes that ferment the food by decomposing its carbohydrates and proteins and breaking them down into sugars and amino acids. Koji (blossom of the mold) is made from steamed rice, barley, soybeans, and other legumes. The mass is mixed with cultures of Aspergillus oryzae inoculated and incubated at 30 degrees for about three to four days. If it is made from rice, then the result is primarily moldy rice, which tastes sweet.
In Japan, this ferment is called koji and is used in the preparation of amazake, sake ( rice wine ) and shōchū, Japanese cereal brandy and the processing of soybeans for the production of miso, shōyu (soy sauce) or tamari.