History of Natto and Its Relatives (1405-2012 - SoyInfo Center

Peking (at 86 Morrison Street, the name is written in Chinese
characters) where one can get a Chinese dinner of numerous
dishes prepared mostly from soybean products (chicken
meat, pork, ham and beef, manufactured from tofu). Also
discusses Dr. Yamei Kin.
A note at the end of this April issue states: “A reprint
of Dr. Horvath’s paper in booklet form may be obtained
from the Bureau of Economic Information. Price $1, Peking
Currency.–Ed.” Thus, these six articles were reprinted in
1927 as part of an 86-page monograph titled “The Soybean
as Human Food” (Peking, China). Address: M.D., Peking
Union Medical College, China.
184. Horvath, A.A. 1927. The soybean as human food.
Peking and Shanghai, China: Chinese Government Bureau
of Economic Information. Booklet Series No. 3. 86 p. May.
Reprinted from Chinese Economic Journal, Sept. and Nov.
1926, and Jan. to April 1927. No index. 21 cm. [38 ref]
• Summary: A very original and important book. Contents:
Preface by Macey F. Deming, Tappan New York, from an
address at a meeting of the National Soybean Growers’, held
at Washington, DC, Sept. 1925. Introduction. 1. General
ingredients of the various Manchurian beans. 2. Composition
of some Japanese soybeans and of the common American
varieties. 3. Value of the soybean as food. 4. Soybean oil for
food. 5. Refi ned soybean oil: As substitute for salad or frying
oil, as substitute for hardened oil and lard (hydrogenation),
in oleomargarine and vegetable butters. 6. Whole soybean as
food: Immature or green soybeans, mature or dry soybeans,
the digestibility of the boiled soybean seeds, boiled soybeans
as a food of predominant importance in China, soybean
coffee, soybean chocolate, soybean sprouts.
7. Soybean cake, soybean meal and soybean fl our for
food: Soybean press cake, soybean extraction meal, soybean
fl our (Berczeller, Soyama, Aguma, lecithin, Ehrhorn),
Sojawurze (Suppenwurze, Maggi cubes), digestibility
of soybean fl our, value for infants (p. 53, based on the
research of Dr. Ruhrah in the USA), some medical aspects
of the use of soybean fl our, soybean fl our in diabetes.
8. Soybean milk for food: Introduction, preparation of
soybean milk, properties (incl. inoculation with a culture
of yoghurt [yogurt] bacteria to give a curd-like acid mass),
market prices, composition, nutritive value, new methods
in the manufacture of soybean milk (Prof. Laxa in Prague
[Czechoslovakia], Li Yu-ying, Soyama), some dietetical
advantages and applications of the soybean milk, condensed
soybean milk and milk powder (Soy Lac soybean milk
powder made in America by Chard), soybean cake, soybean
meal and soybean fl our as material for soybean milk, yu p’i
and yu ba (yuba; also fu chu).
9. Soybean curd (tofu) for food: Preparation and types
(classical name is li chi), historical, present state (of tofu in
China), chemical composition, digestibility, utilization. 10.
Fermented soybean products for food. Soy sauce: Kibiki
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HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 107
and sobiki tamari, composition of various soy sauces. Natto.
Miso. Conclusion. Bibliography.
On page 9 we read: “An industry which promises to
be of importance in a further utilization of the soy bean is
the manufacture of ‘vegetable milk.’ At the present time
a factory in New York State is being equipped for this
purpose.” Address: Peking Union Medical College, China.
185. Yamamoto, Yoshihiko. 1927. Nattô-kin no kataraase ni
tsuite [The catalase enzyme from natto bacteria]. Jozogaku
Zasshi (J. of Brewing, Osaka) 4(11):922-39. [31 ref. Jap; ger]
• Summary: The German abstract is titled “Ueber Katalase
von Bacillus natto.” This laboratory is headed by Dr. Jun
Hanzawa. Address: Hokkaido Teikoku Daigaku, Nôgaku-bu
(Sapporo), Japan.
186. Yu-niti-ei. 1927. [Enzymes of natto-pilz]. Chosen Ikai
75:284-. [Jap]*
187. Nadkarni, Krishnarao Mangeshrao. ed. and pub. 1927.
The Indian materia medica. 2d ed. Bombay, India: K.M.
Nadkarni. 5 + xviii + 1142 + clxix + lxxxviii p. Index. 20
cm.
• Summary: The body of this book (1142 p.) appears to be
titled The Indian Materia Medica with Ayurvedic, Unami &
Home Remedies. Soybeans are mentioned in three different
places, almost as if each was thought to be different plant.
Page 313-14. “305. Dolichos Soja–(English–Soya bean,
German–Soja bohne, Bengali–Gari kulaj, Hindi–Bhatwan,
Kumaon–Bhut) is a species cultivated in some part of India
for its seeds which are eaten and which contain a high
percentage of protein and fat.”
Page 399: “396. Glycine Soja & G. Hispida are species
(English–Soya bean, Hindi–Bhatwan, Bengali–Gari kulay,
Kumaon–Bhut, Eastern Terai–Khajuwa) met with on the
tropical Himalayas from Kumaon to Sikkim and Khassia
and Naga Hills. A decoction of the root is said to possess
astringent properties.”
Page 803: “886. Soja Hispida or Glycine Soja (English–
Soya bean; Soy-bean) has taken the place of meat in the
diet of Chinese, Japanese and other Asiatics. Its notable
characteristics are its large proportion of assimilable protein
and fat, and its lack of starch and small content of sugar.
Being so highly nutritious, it is not adapted for use as a
side-dish, like ordinary vegetables, but, like meat, supplies a
chief food. Among the preparations mentioned as common
in China and Japan are ‘tofu’ resembling cottage cheese;
‘Shoyu or Soya’ which has been soaked to remove the skin
and then boiled and seasoned; ‘Miso’ or soy-bean milk,
prepared by soaking pulverized beans and straining; and
‘Natto’ obtained by fermenting the boiled beans. The lack
of starch gives the beans favour as a diabetic food, and
soy-bean meal and soy-bean bread have been prepared. The
beans have been also tried as a coffee substitute–(Popular