Stability of Isoflavone Isomers in Steamed Black Soybeans and Black Soybean Koji Stored under Different Conditions

Steamed black soybeans and black soybean koji, a potentially functional food additive, were stored at 4 or 25 degrees C with or without deoxidant and desiccant for 120 days. After storage, steamed black soybeans and koji showed various extents of reduction in isoflavone contents dependent on storage temperature, packaging condition, and the kind of isoflavone isomer. Generally, black soybeans and koji showed the highest residual of isoflavone when they were stored at 4 degrees C with deoxidant and desiccant. Under this storage condition, beta-glucosides (daidzin, glycitin, and genistein), acetyl glucosides; (acetyldaidzin, acetylglycitin, and acetylgenistin), manlonyl glucosides (malonyldaidzin, malonglycitin, and malonylgenistin), and aglycones (daidzein, glycitein, and genistin) in steamed black soybeans exhibited residuals of 100.1-100.9, 92.0-99.4, 90.0-94.0, and 77.2-78.8%, respectively, of their original contents after 120 days of storage. Meanwhile, the residuals found in black soybean koji were 77.8-90.0, 13.1-88.9, 66.7-85.5, and 76.4-80.6%, respectively.