Brewing Techniques of Douchi

Brewing Techniques of Douchi

Douchi brewing has a long history in China, and the records of Douchi production appeared in Qimin Yaoshu during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Douchi is a kind of healthy food, which has the functions of reducing blood lipid, anti-aging, anti-cancer, enhancing human immunity and so on. It is welcomed by people. It is made of high-quality black bean as the main raw material, Wuxiang, star anise and other traditional Chinese medicines, spices as supplementary materials, through fermentation, cooking, mildew washing, fragrance enhancement, dehydration and other processes. Douchi can be divided into three types: Mucor type, Aspergillus oryzae type and bacterial type, of which Mucor type is the best. Douchi brewing technology in China is mainly spread in Sichuan, Hunan, Chongqing and other places.

Douchi is one of the specialties of Eastern Sichuan and Chongqing. The production of soybean sauce in Yongchuan, Chongqing, began in 1644, about 17 years in Chongzhen, Ming Dynasty. By the time of the Republic of China, 13 workshops had been engaged in the production of soybean sauce. The authentic origin of Yongchuan Douchi is Yongchuan District of Chongqing City, where air pollution is less, temperature is suitable, average humidity is 84%, underground wells are rich in water resources, these natural conditions can promote the microbial reproduction mainly by Mucor, suitable for the production of Douchi. Yongchuan Douchi is a kind of Mucor Douchi. It takes soybean as raw material. Its production process includes more than ten processes, such as miscellaneous selection, washing, soaking, spreading, koji making, mixing, canning and late fermentation. It is necessary to make soybean ferment at low and normal temperature for up to one year under the function of microorganisms. Proteins in soybeans produce amino acids under the action of various enzymes, and eventually form bright black, delicious and moisturizing soybeans. Yongchuan Douchi is not only delicious and easy to digest, but also rich in nutrition, which has the function of keeping fit, and is widely welcomed by consumers at home and abroad.

Yongchuan Douchi is superior in quality and technology, but its hand-brewing method has high price and poor competitiveness in the current market economy. Measures should be taken to protect it as soon as possible.