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

Daisen, P.O. Nirayama, Shizuoka, Japan.
517. Hesseltine, C.W.; Wang, Hwa L. 1967. Traditional
fermented foods. Biotechnology and Bioengineering
9(3):275-88. July. [8 ref]
• Summary: Contents: Summary. Introduction. Fish
fermentations. Soybean and peanut fermentations: Koji,
shoyu, miso, hamanatto, natto, ontjom, sufu, tempeh.
Discussion: Advantages of preparing foods by fermentation.
Address: NRRL, Peoria, Illinois.
518. Nutrition Reviews.1967. Soy fi bers–A new approach to
vegetable protein acceptability. 25(10):305-07. Oct. [6 ref]
• Summary: The subtitle summary states: “Fibers have been
formed from soybean protein and incorporated into meat
analogs. The process, its nutritional and economic aspects,
and the mechanism of fi ber formation are described.”
Traditional foods made from soybeans include tofu,
natto, miso, and tempeh. U.S. food manufacturers have
developed a new process for making “fi bers from isolated
soy protein, and for incorporating these fi bers into meat-like
analogs which may fi nd consumer acceptance as a meat
substitute in this country. These products should be cheaper
than meat and can be made as or more nutritious than meat
by addition of the missing vitamins and minerals.” The fi nal
products, meat analogs, typically contain (on a dry basis)
40% soy fi ber, 10% protein binder (usually egg albumin),
0-50% fat and/or 0-50% fl avors, colors, and supplemental
nutrients.
519. Kasuya, Ritsu; Ikehata, H.; Miyamoto, T.; Murata,
K. 1967. Nattô to tempeh no B-rui bitamin [B-vitamin
content of natto and tempeh]. Kaseigaku Zasshi (J. of Home
Economics of Japan) 18:362-64. [10 ref. Jap]
Address: Osaka, Japan.
520. Tanegashima, C.; Kirita, Y. 1967. [Investigation of
pyridine carbonic acids. III.]. Mukogawa Joshi Daigaku
Kiyo. Seikatsu Kagaku-hen (Scientifi c Reports of Mukogawa
Women’s Univ.–Domestic Science Series) 15:75-79. [Jap]*
521. Tsukasa, N.; Iso, N.; Suyama, Y. 1967. [Study on
natto’s mucilage. I. Physical and chemical properties of
the mucilage]. Meiji Daigaku Nogakubu Kenkyu Hokoku
(Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture, Meiji University)
22:45-50. (Chem. Abst. 69:92968. 1968). [Jap]*
522. Bose, Saradindu. 1967. Carrying capacity of land under
shifting cultivation. Calcutta: Asiatic Society. ix + 155 p. See
p. 33, 141. Illust. Maps (part fold.). 25 cm.
• Summary: Page 141 states that Bekang is a food made
from soyabean.
Note 1. Bekang is a fermented soyfood found in
Mizoram, a state in northeastern India.
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HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 182
Note 2. This is the earliest document seen (Jan. 2012)
that mentions Bekang, a close relative of Nepalese kinema
and Japanese natto. By implication, this is probably the
earliest document seen (Oct. 2010) concerning soybeans
in Mizoram, and the cultivation of soybeans in Mizoram.
Address: India.
523. Nakano, Masahiro. ed. 1967. Hakkô shokuhin
[Fermented foods]. Tokyo: Korin Shoin. 244 p. See esp. p.
81-101. [Jap]
• Summary: Includes sections on soymilk yogurt (cultured
with Lactobacillus bulgaricus) and nyu fu [fermented tofu].
Chapter 6, Nyu fu notes that this is an ancient food that
came from China and Taiwan, but has never become a part
of Japanese cuisine. In the United States (and in English) it is
known as “Soybean cheese” and “Vegetable cheese,” while
in China it is known as “Nyufu” as well as Chaw taufu, Sufu,
Funyu, etc.
6.1.2–Places of production and varieties: Nyufu is made
mainly in the middle to southern four coastal provinces
of China. These include (pinyin / Wade-Giles): Jejiang /
Chekiang (Jap: Sekkô), Jiangsu / Kiangsu (Jap: Kôso),
Fujian / Fukien (Jap: Fukken), Guangdong / Kwangtung
(Jap: Kanton). A lot of Nyufu is also made in Taiwan, which
is located off the coast of Fujian province.
Since nyufu has been produced for a long time over a
vast area, there are many varieties. A study conducted in the
1920s found the varieties shown in chart 6.1 in the Shanghai
market (Shanghai is in Jiangsu province near the mouth of
the Yangtze River).
(1) Pickled without mold on the tofu. (i) Jianning-dofu:
Drain then dry the tofu, add salt, and pickle in jiang or the
residue / dregs left after making soy sauce.
(ii) Doufuru: Drain then dry the tofu. Sprinkle it with
salt then pickle it in koji.
(2) Culture mold on small cubes of tofu until a fragrant
white mycelium surrounds each cube, then pickle.
(iii) Jiangrufu: Pickle in jiang or the residue / dregs left
after making soy sauce.
(iv). Honjiang rufu [red jiang fermented tofu]: Pickle in
a mixture of red rice / angkak (a red koji made by growing
Monascus mold on rice) and the residue / dregs left after
making soy sauce.
(v) Zaorufu: Pickle in sake lees.
(vi) Hongrufu: Pickle in red sake lees.
(vii) Jiujia rufu: Pickle in white sake / daku-shu, like
unrefi ned sake (doburoku).
(viii) Xiangrufu (fragrant rufu): Pickle in jiang with
olive leaves, fragrant mushrooms, etc.
Dr. Masahiro Nakano was born in 1907. Address:
National Food Research Inst., Tokyo.
524. Kameda, Yukio; Kanatomo, S.; Kameda, Y.; Saito, Y.
1968. A contact antitumor activity of Bacillus natto on solid