Study of volatile organic acids in freeze-dried Cheonggukjang formed during fermentation using SPME and stable-isotope dilution assay (SIDA)

Volatile organic acids in freeze-dried Cheonggukjang were quantified using a stable-isotope dilution assay (SIDA) according to the fermentation period. Five organic acids, acetic acid, propanoic acid, 2-methylpropanoic acid, butanoic acid, and 3-methylbutanoic acid, were identified using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) in conjunction with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The contents of volatile organic acids in Cheonggukjang were highly dependent on the fermentation period and they increased during fermentation. Moreover, the branched-chained organic acids (namely 2-methylpropanoic acid and 3-methylbutanoic acid) were formed earlier and were present at much higher contents than the corresponding straight-chained organic acids during Cheonggukjang fermentation.