Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a salt-free miso-like food having strong umami and rich flavor with strong taste. As a means to solve the problem, a liquid koji is prepared by culturing an aspergillus in a predetermined amount of lactic acid bacterium culture solution or a supernatant thereof. The thus-obtained liquid koji is added to a food material, and koji making is performed in a hermetically sealed koji-making machine while successively or intermittently supplying disinfected air thereto. Subsequently, a lactic acid bacterium culture solution or a supernatant thereof is mixed into the obtained koji, and optionally a food material is mixed therewith. The obtained mixture is provided as it is or in paste form to give moromi, and the moromi is hydrolyzed in the absence of salt.

Abstract: A rapid fermented type salt-free Miso-like food material which is favorable in taste and flavor, which has a strong umami, rich taste, thickness, and mouthfullness, and a reduced stuffy smell or astringent taste may be prepared in a method including: adding a Koji mold and a bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacterium culture fluid or a supernatant thereof to a food material; making Koji in a hermetically sealed Koji-making equipment while continuously or intermittently supplying clean air; mixing the bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacterium culture fluid or the supernatant thereof with the thus-resulting Koji, and further mixing one or more food materials as needed in an amount of 0.01 to 50 times weight of the Koji; forming a moromi-mash by making a paste from the mixture; and then hydrolyzing the moromi-mash in the absence of common salt, by adding any one of an alcoholic liquor, yeast, and dextrin to the Koji.