Questionnaire Survey of the Methods Used in Household Doenjang Production in Korea

Abstract

This study examined the methods used in household doenjang (Korean soybean paste) production. Nine hundred fortythreeresponses were obtained using a nationwide, questionnaire-based survey (2018-2019) with non-probabilisticsnowballing sampling. Consistent with previous studies, the respondents were primarily over the age of 50 years (97.1%)and female (97.9%). In addition to soybeans, the most used ingredients were red pepper (85.8%) and charcoal (85.5%),which most respondents obtained through direct farming (50.4-59.9%). Seasonal production occurred later in the higherlatitude regions (Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, Chungcheong-do) (p < 0.01), which have lower average temperatures, andthe fermentation period was shorter in the lower latitude regions (Jeolla-do, Gyeongsang-do, Jeju-do) (p < 0.01), whichhave higher average temperatures. There were no significant regional differences in the season when doenjang was made,with most production occurring during January and February (81.1%). Most respondents (71.3%) made doenjang usinghomemade meju (soybean block used as a starter) in a traditional way to allow the microorganisms to be naturallyinoculated. These results could be used as a basis for future research on topics such as starter development, standardizedproduction, and safety of household doenjang.