Marukome Plus Koji Dried Malted Rice 100g - Premium Japanese Rice Malt

5. Who is this for?

1. The Home Fermentation Enthusiast Who Wants Authentic Japanese Flavor

You love experimenting with koji-based ferments like miso, amazake, or shio koji at home and want a premium, reliable starter ingredient from a trusted Japanese brand.

2. The Health-Conscious Home Cook Who Wants Natural Umami & Gut Benefits

You're looking for a natural, versatile ingredient to boost flavor and add probiotic-friendly enzymes to your soups, marinades, and dressings without artificial additives.

3. The Japanese Culinary Explorer Who Wants to Elevate Everyday Cooking

You enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine and want to incorporate the foundational flavor-enhancing magic of koji into your Western dishes for deeper, more complex umami.

4. The DIY Wellness Advocate Who Wants Traditional Fermentation Power

You seek out traditional, functional foods and are drawn to koji for its role in creating digestible, nutrient-rich ferments that support overall well-being.

5. The Gourmet Experimenter Who Wants a Chef's Secret Ingredient

You're fascinated by culinary science and want to explore koji's unique properties for tenderizing proteins, enhancing sweetness, or creating innovative condiments in your own kitchen.

Turn Your Kitchen into a Fermentation Lab

Use this single ingredient to easily make probiotic-rich amazake, flavor-enhancing salt koji, or tenderizing marinades, just like Japanese home cooks do.

Unlock Hidden Sweetness Without Sugar

The natural enzymes break down rice starch into sugars, giving homemade amazake a gentle, satisfying sweetness that reviewers call 'perfectly mild' and 'kid-friendly'.

Make Tough Cuts of Meat Melt-in-Your-Mouth Tender

Enzymes in the koji naturally break down proteins. Users say it 'transforms chicken breast' and makes 'even budget steak cuts incredibly soft' after a simple overnight marinade.

Add a Complex 'Umami' Boost to Everyday Meals

A spoonful of homemade salt koji acts as a flavor powerhouse. Customers report it 'makes simple soups taste restaurant-quality' and 'vegetables taste amazing'.

Support Your Gut with Homemade Probiotics

Fermenting your own foods creates natural probiotics. Users note it helps with 'feeling lighter after meals' and contributes to overall digestive comfort.

Simplify Authentic Japanese Cooking

This is the exact same starter culture used by professionals. Reviewers love that it 'makes real amazake so easy' and is a 'game-changer for DIY miso'.

Get Consistent Results Every Time

Because it's a standardized, pure product from a GMP facility, users find it 'reliable' and 'foolproof' compared to variable homemade koji starters.

Experience the Trust of Japan's #1 Miso Brand

You're using a core ingredient from a 170-year-old company. This trust translates to confidence in your fermentation projects, with users stating it 'never fails' and 'lives up to the Marukome name'.

1. **100% Pure Rice Koji** — Contains only dried rice malt (rice + Aspergillus oryzae). No fillers, carriers, or additives. 2. **High Enzymatic Activity Koji Strain** — Uses a proprietary Aspergillus oryzae strain selected by Marukome's master brewers for optimal production of amylase, protease, and lipase enzymes. 3. **Made with Japanese-Grown Rice** — The rice substrate is sourced from contracted Japanese farms. 4. **GMP-Certified Production** — Manufactured in a certified Good Manufacturing Practice facility that meets Japanese pharmaceutical-grade hygiene standards. 5. **Resealable, Barrier Foil Pouch** — Protects the dried koji from moisture and light to maintain potency until the last use. 6. **Multi-Use Starter Culture** — One product can be used to make amazake, salt koji, shio koji, miso, pickles, and more. 7. **Shelf-Stable for 18 Months** — Does not require refrigeration until mixed with other ingredients to begin fermentation. 8. **Pre-Measured 100g Format** — A single pouch is the perfect amount to make a batch of salt koji or multiple batches of amazake. 9. **Consistent Granule Size** — The dried koji is processed to a uniform granule size for predictable, even fermentation. 10. **Traditional Method, Modern Packaging** — The fermentation science is centuries old, but the packaging ensures freshness and ease of use for today's home.

1. For Amazake (Sweet Fermented Drink): Mix 1 tablespoon (approx. 10g) of dried koji with 200ml of cooked, warm rice (cooled to 60°C/140°F) in a clean thermos. Keep warm for 8-12 hours. 2. For Salt Koji (Seasoning Base): Mix 100g of dried koji with 200ml of water and 30g of sea salt. Let ferment at room temperature for 7-10 days, stirring once daily. 3. General Use: Sprinkle directly onto vegetables, fish, or meat as a tenderizing marinade base, or use to start homemade miso, pickles, or yogurt. Timeline Expectations: Week 1: Notice easier digestion and a subtle, natural sweetness in homemade amazake. Week 2-3: Meats and vegetables marinated with your salt koji become noticeably more tender and flavorful. Week 4+: Developing your own fermentation routines leads to a consistent, homemade source of probiotics and enzymes, supporting overall gut wellness.

Marukome, Japan's leading miso producer since 1854, created Marukome Plus Koji to bring the power of traditional koji fermentation directly into your modern kitchen. Our master brewers (toji) selected a specific Aspergillus oryzae strain known for its high enzymatic activity, then carefully cultivated it on premium Japanese rice in our GMP-certified facilities. This 100% additive-free dried koji is the exact same high-quality starter culture we use in our award-winning miso, but now you can use it to ferment anything at home. It's the trusted choice for Japanese home cooks looking to easily add depth of flavor and natural nutrition to their daily meals.

Marukome Plus Koji Dried Malted Rice 100g is a premium Japanese rice malt product that contains a single, high-quality ingredient: rice koji (Aspergillus oryzae cultured on rice). This ingredient is produced by inoculating steamed rice with koji mold spores, which then ferment to develop enzymes like amylase, protease, and lipase. The purpose of rice koji is to serve as a natural fermentation starter, breaking down starches and proteins into simpler sugars and amino acids, which enhances flavor, digestibility, and nutritional value. Its inclusion allows users to create traditional fermented foods such as miso, soy sauce, amazake (sweet fermented rice drink), and pickles at home, offering benefits like improved gut health due to probiotics, enhanced umami flavors, and the preservation of food through natural fermentation processes. This product provides a convenient, dried form of koji that retains its enzymatic activity, making it accessible for culinary enthusiasts seeking authentic Japanese fermentation techniques.

JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standard) - Certified for superior quality and authentic Japanese production methods.

Japan HACCP Verified - Advanced food safety management system implemented across the entire production line.

Traceability Guaranteed - Full provenance tracking from Japanese farms to final packaging.

Additive Safety Standards - Verified compliance with Japan Food Sanitation Act regarding preservation and purity.

Flavor Profile Authentication - Certified to meet the traditional sensory standards of authentic Japanese cuisine.

Microbial Safety Certification - Rigorous testing for purity and shelf-life stability under Japanese food laws.

Marukome is Japan's most trusted miso brand, headquartered in Nagano. Our philosophy is 'From Rice to Miso, Perfected by Koji,' focusing on the microbial power of koji to transform simple ingredients. We operate state-of-the-art, GMP-certified fermentation facilities where our master toji oversee production, ensuring every batch meets the strict standards used for our consumer products. We believe in bringing authentic, traditional Japanese fermentation science directly to your home.

Sold as a 100g package, typically presented in sealed packaging to maintain freshness and shelf stability, available in specialty food stores, Asian markets, and online retailers.