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

acteriologist Frederick Twort (in London) and in 1917 by
French-Canadian microbiologist Félix d’Hérelle (working at
the Pasteur Institute in Paris). Address: Faculty of Home Life
Science, Fukuoka Women’s Univ., Fukuoka, Japan.
511. Ohta, Teruo; Nakano, Masahiro; Kobayashi, Y.; Muto,
H. 1967. Dai ikkai Zenkoku Nattô Kanhyôkai no sôgô
seiseki [Report of the fi rst All-Japan “Natto” Exhibition,
April 1965]. Shokuryo Kenkyujo Kenkyu Hokoku (Report
of the Food Research Institute) No. 22. p. 68-91. March.
(Chem. Abst. 66:104143. 1967). [1 ref. Jap; eng]
• Summary: In order to promote consumer acceptability and
to rationalize the natto manufacturing process, 56 samples of
natto products were collected from throughout Japan. They
were submitted to sensory evaluation and chemical analysis,
and the soybean varieties and manufacturing facilities of
each natto maker were investigated. Results:
1. Soybeans: 59% were grown in China, 30% in Japan,
and 2% in the USA. The remaining 9% were a mixture of
these.
2. The distinctive factor of natto that received the
highest sensory evaluation is the production of suffi cient
mucous substance which shows long-lasting viscosity with
fi ne elastic threads that develop uniformly.
3. No correlation was found between the origin or type
of soybeans and the natto quality.
4. Natto is still made in the traditional way, and the scale
is mostly domestic or home based.
The outline of the natto-making process can be
summarized as follows: Soak the soybeans in water at 15-
20ºC for 15-20 hours or at 7-10ºC (winter) for 20-24 hours.
Steam under pressure for 30-40 minutes at 1 to 1.2 kg per
square cm, or for 15-30 minutes at 1.5 to 2.0 kg. Inoculate
with a pure-culture natto starter after the temperature of the
soybeans has decreased to: (a) 70ºC. (b) 40-60ºC. (c) Below
30ºC. These three traditional temperatures appear to make no
difference in the fi nal product. Pack 80-120 gm of weighed,
inoculated soybeans into a container made of wood shavings
or synthetic fi lm. Ferment the soybeans in the containers
(often with many containers on shelves in a rolling rack)
for 15-20 hours in a small incubation room, keeping the
temperature at 40-50ºC.
5. The shelf life of fresh natto has been prolonged by
the installation of cold storage (refrigeration). 30-45% of
natto makers sell their natto refrigerated, depending on their
location in Japan.
Natto given the highest scores in sensory evaluation had
the following characteristics: Moisture around 60%. Protein
water-solubility 45-60%. Protein decomposition rate (aminoacid
formation) 5-6%. Ammonia formation rate 4-5%.
Ph value 7.2 to 7.4. Curdmeter hardness 30-40 gm. unit.
Colorimetric Rd is 16-22. Address: 1-2. Food Research Inst.,
Shiohama 1-4-12, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 180
512. De, Sasanka S.; Russell, J.S.; Andrè, L.M. 1967.
Soybean acceptability and consumer adoptability in
relation to food habits in different parts of the world. USDA
Agricultural Research Service. ARS-71-35. p. 20-27. May.
Proceedings of International Conference on Soybean Protein
Foods. Held 17-19 Oct. 1966 at Peoria, Illinois. [1 ref]
• Summary: Contents: Traditional soy products in the Far
East: Soysauce, soy milk, bean curd, tempeh, natto and
miso, roasted soy fl our, kochu chang [Korean soybean miso],
sprouted beans. Introduction [of soybeans] in other countries:
Brazil, USSR, Africa, Latin America, Turkey. New types of
products: Defatted soy fl our, full-fat soy fl our and beverages
made from it developed by the Soybean Council of America.
Justifi cation: Cost of a pound of protein from different foods.
Beef $4.60. Pork $4.30. Poultry $1.50. Nonfat dry milk
solids $0.41. Dry beans $0.35. Soybeans $0.14. Attempted
introductions: India. Factors involved in adoptability.
“Kochu chang is produced in every household in Korea
from mashed boiled [soy] beans which are hung in bags for
2 to 3 months. The product is broken up, dried, and ground.
It is then mixed with ground red pepper [plus salt and water]
and kept for some time before use.”
This paper was presented by Leon Marie Andrè.
Note 1. This is the earliest English-language document
seen (Jan. 2007) that contains the term “roasted soy fl our.”
We read (p. 22): “This product is produced in small amounts
and consumed with rice cake [mochi]. There is hardly any
information on the nutritive value of the product.”
Note 2. This is the earliest English-language document
seen (March 2009) that uses the word “kochu chang” (or
“kochu-chang”) to refer to Korean-style red pepper and
soybean paste (miso). Address: 1-2. Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy; 3. FAO
Liaison Offi cer and adviser to UNICEF.
513. Fischer, R.W. 1967. The use of soy in food products.
Soybean Digest. May. p. 29, 31-32, 35-36, 38.
• Summary: An excellent overview, with considerable
history. Contents: Introduction. Grisly hand of hunger.
Soybean oil. Oriental soy foods. Soy fl our and grits (with a
good history of Berczeller, A.E. Staley, Shellabarger, Allied
Mills, J.R. Short Milling Co. and Wytase). Isolates and
concentrates. The war years (during and immediately after
World War II, soy fl our and grits come to be widely disliked).
New products and know-how.
“Oriental soy foods:... In the Orient soybeans have, for
centuries, played an important part in human diets as soy
milk for infants, shoyu, or soy sauce as we call it, miso, tofu,
tempeh, kinako, natto, yuba, etc.”
“Isolates and concentrates: In the mid-1930’s processes
for further refi ning the protein factors of soy began to
appear. The fi rst 70% soy protein concentrate was turned
out by Mead Johnson Co. using the Bonato process of sulfur
dioxide and sulfurous acid extraction, but was discontinued