白麹 (白麹)

Shiro-koji was discovered and refined in Kagoshima for warm-climate honkaku shōchū; Japanese moyashi-ya producers maintain global monopoly on starter cultures.
Citric-acid pathway dominant (vs lactic-acid in yellow koji); essential for tropical-climate fermentation; alpha-amylase active.
Honkaku shōchū fermentation starter, sake-yeast alternative blends, specialty fermented condiments.
White-koji mold (Aspergillus luchuensis var. kawachii) — distinct from the yellow-koji of sake and miso, and from the black-koji of awamori. Discovered in Kawachi (Kagoshima) in the early 20th century, shiro-koji enables citric-acid-pathway fermentation that suits warm-climate honkaku shōchū production. Commercially supplied by the Akita Konno Shoten and other specialist starter-culture (moyashi-ya) producers. Distinct from existing shio-koji and amazake (which are koji-derived foods, not the starter mold itself).
| Jepang | Food product; specific koji starter culture; under MHLW good manufacturing practices |
|---|---|
| Uni Eropa | Food import; novel-food check for some applications |
| Amerika Serikat | GRAS by long history of use |
| Tiongkok | NMPA food / TCM context |