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

kisa ni tsuite (1) [On the formation of mucilage by Bacillus
natto. VI. The mechanism of mucilage formation (1)]. Nihon
Nogei Kagakkai Shi (J. of the Agricultural Chemical Society
of Japan) 37(10):619-22. Oct. (Chem. Abst. 63:12021). [14
ref. Jap]
Address: Faculty of Home Life Science, Fukuoka Women’s
Univ., Fukuoka, Japan.
453. Muto, Shizuko; Takahashi, E.; Hara, M.; Konuma, Y.
1963. Soybean products as protein sources for weanling
infants. J. of the American Dietetic Association 43(5):451-
56. Nov. [12 ref]
• Summary: In Japan, the main protein sources for the
weanling infant, in the form of solid food, “are tofu (soybean
curd), natto (fermented soybean), and kinako (toasted
soybean fl our).”
Describes briefl y how each is made commercially. For
example, for kinako, the soybeans are dry heated in an oven
for about 25 minutes. The temperature inside the beans at the
time they are removed from the oven is about 105ºC. They
are then milled into fl our [probably after being allowed to
cool to room temperature] and sieved through a 70-mesh
screen. “The product has a pleasant odor, similar to freshtoasted
bread, and is brownish yellow in color. It is mixed
with sugar and is used as a coating for rice cakes.”
Nitrogen balance studies on infants fed these foods
showed that they “can be substituted at least in part for
animal foods in the solid diet of weanling infants with no
appreciable drawbacks on growth, digestibility, and nitrogen
retention.”
Note: The researchers seem to assume that animal-based
protein sources are nutritionally superior to plant-based
sources. Address: Aiiku Research Inst. of the Mother and
Child, Tokyo.
454. Standal, Bluebell R. 1963. Nutritional value of proteins
of Oriental soybean foods. J. of Nutrition 81(3):279-85. Nov.
[18 ref]
• Summary: Hawaii imports 680-907 metric tons/year of
soybeans from the United States mainland and most of it is
used for food. “Oriental soybean products are used daily by
all nationalities in Hawaii. They constitute important items
in the diet. All soybean products used in these islands, e.g.,
tofu, natto, miso, shoyu, and sprouts, are prepared from the
matured beans by the methods used in Japan and China.
A certain amount of the beans is grown locally and picked
green for use as will be described later” (p. 279).
The commercial process for making each product
is described. Concerning natto: “The preparation had
a characteristic cheesy odor which attracted fl ies and
apparently stimulated the appetite of rats. Agar smears of the
preparation show that it contained an almost pure culture of
gram-positive rods in long chains, without spore formation
for 2 days at 31ºC. Three brands of natto were available.”
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HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 163
The Net Protein Utilization (NPU) values, at 10%
protein in the diet for rats, were determined to be: powdered
whole egg (control) 90.4, edamame (green soybeans; “picked
green and used as a vegetable”) 72.2 (the highest of any
soyfood in this study), tofu 65.0, [soy] bean sprouts 56.0,
natto 44.4, and mung bean sprouts (Phaseolus aureus Roxb.)
35.6. Address: Dep. of Nutrition, Hawaii Agric. Exp. Station,
Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu.
455. Yanagihara, Toshiko; Komoda, Hayashi; Yoneyama,
Hitoshi.; Yamada, Masakazu. 1963. [So-called oriental
fl avour of various foods]. Shokuhin Eiseigaku Zasshi (J.
of the Food Hygienic Society of Japan) 4(6):348-53. Dec.
(Chem. Abst. 60:13787). [3 ref. Jap; eng]
• Summary: The various foods include fi sh-soy, “kusayano-himono”
(some dried fi sh), and natto (viscid steamed
soybeans fermented with Bacillus natto). The so-called
oriental fl avor was shown to consist mainly of the mixture of
acetic acid and iso-valeric acid. The latter acid may perhaps
be derived from leucine formed as a oxidatively decomposed
product of protein. Address: Dep. of Fermentation, Tokyo
Univ. of Agriculture, Setagaya-4, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo.
456. Yuwa, J.A. 1963-1964. Introduction of soyabeans into
Abuja [Emirate, south central Nigeria]. Samaru Agricultural
Newsletter 5:100-101. [Eng]
• Summary: Contents: Abuja Emirate. Introduction of
soyabeans. Production of soyabeans 1950-1962. Extension
activities on soyabeans: To improve the quality of exportable
seed, to increase yield per acre, to increase the acreage of
soyabeans grown in the Division. Other uses of soyabeans.
Abuja Emirate forms the southeastern corner of Niger
Province in Nigeria. It has a total population of over 71,739
people, occupying an area of about 2,337 miles. In 1941,
during World War II, Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture
introduced soyabeans as an additional cash crop in an
attempt to improve local living standards. 4 tons of Malayan
seeds were introduced and distributed among all the adult
taxpayers for planting. Farmers generally showed little
interest in growing soyabeans until 1950, when the Ministry
of Agriculture renewed its campaign for soyabean planting
and introduced another 4 tons of Malayan seed. Production
increased from only 8 tons (26 acres) in 1950/51, to a
record 561 tons in 1961/62. The crop is grown mostly in the
northern part of the Division. Abuja Town produces by far
the largest amount, followed by Kabo, Gwagwa, and Diko.
Starting in 1963/64 all soyabeans in the Division were sold
to the newly-formed Abuja Cooperative Society.
Concerning uses: “The Gwarrin Genge around Diko
have discovered that soyabeans can be used for making
‘Daddawa’ in place of the usual locust bean. The Koros
around Ija pound it into powder and use it in place of melon
seed to thicken their soup.”
Note 1. This is the earliest English-language document