Editing Soy sauce (section)

=== High-salt liquid-state fermented soy sauce ===
High-salt liquid-state fermentation (HLF) of soybeans depends heavily on microbial activity, metabolism and enzymatic hydrolysis of macronutrients. Most traditional approaches fall into the scope of HLF.<ref name=ZH-D/>

*During HLF, {{transliteration|ja|koji}}-infused soybeans are exposed to air so that hydrolytic enzymes of the mold can continuously break down macronutrients within the soybean.
*Ample water, usually about 2 to 2.5 times the weight of the feed,<ref name=ZH-D/> is required to support sufficient microbial growth.
*High salt concentration (17–20%) is required to selectively inhibit microbial activity.
* HLF is generally carried out at {{cvt|15–30|°C}}, and requires a long ageing period, usually from 90 to 180 days.<ref name="FengEtAl">{{cite journal|last1=Feng|first1=Yunzi|last2=Cai|first2=Yu|last3=Su|first3=Guowan|last4=Zhao|first4=Haifeng|last5=Wang|first5=Chenxia|last6=Zhao|first6=Mouming|title=Evaluation of aroma differences between high-salt liquid-state fermentation and low-salt solid-state fermentation soy sauces from China|journal=Food Chemistry|date=February 2014|volume=145|pages=126–134|doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.07.072|pmid=24128458}}</ref> In the aging period, constant stirring of {{transliteration|ja|moromi}} (a mash/mixture of wheat (optionally), salt, soy beans, water, and fermenting yeast) is required for distributing nutrients, as well as flavoring compounds evenly. In some cases, moromi is exposed to direct sunlight to facilitate the decomposition of macronutrients.
*Due to the high salinity of HLF moromi, only anaerobic halophiles can survive in the medium. Also, the {{cvt|15–30|°C}} temperature range allows only the growth of mesophiles. Similar to the fermentation of [[Pickling|pickles]], the primary lactic acid fermentation of sugars by halophiles reduces the pH of moromi down to acidic range.<ref name="FengEtAl"/> Low pH further limits the growth of undesirable microbes, but favors the growth of fermentative yeast which contributes to secondary fermentation that generates various flavoring compounds and odorants.