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

type Ehrlich carcinoma cells. Chemical and Pharmaceutical
Bulletin 16(1):186-87. Jan. [2 ref]
• Summary: The authors have been searching for familiar
bacteria that have high selective toxicity on human tumor
cells. “The fi rst choice was the bacillus of ‘Natto’ (fermented
Japanese beans) which is a popular and cheap daily food for
Japanese.”
They found a strain (tentatively called KMD 1126)
of Bacillus natto (the natto bacterium) which had contact
antitumor activity in male inbred mice. “A mouse was
transplanted intraperitoneally with approximately 10 7
Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells.” A table shows in detail
the antitumor effect. The tumors on the treated side of each
mouse were either nonexistent or much smaller than those on
the untreated side.
Note: In medicine, ascites (also known as peritoneal
cavity fl uid) is an accumulation of fl uid in the peritoneal
cavity. The peritoneum is the smooth, transparent membrane
that lines the cavity of the abdomen of humans and other
mammals, and is folded inward over the abdominal and
pelvic viscera. Address: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Kanazawa Univ., Kanazawa, Japan.
525. Shibasaki, Kazuo; Asano, Mitsuo. 1968. [Histochemical
studies of soybean cotyledons]. Nippon Shokuhin Kogyo
Gakkaishi (J. of Food Science and Technology) 15(1):1-7. [6
ref. Jap; eng]*
Address: Dep. of Food Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture,
Tohoku University, Japan.
526. Hongo, Motoyoshi; Yoshimoto, Akihiro. 1968.
Formation of phage-induced gamma-polyglutamic acid
depolymerase in lysogenic strain of Bacillus natto: Short
communication. Agricultural and Biological Chemistry
32(4):525-27. April. [5 ref]
• Summary: Describes how the “lysogenic strain releases
phage-induced PGA depolymerase in its culture fl uid and the
enzyme may be able to cleave PGA to small peptides, but not
to glutamic acid.” Address: Lab. of Applied Microbiology,
Dep. of Agricultural Chemistry, Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka,
Japan.
527. Watanabe, Bunzo. 1968. The Japanese oilseed
processing industry. Soybean Digest. May. p. 36, 38.
• Summary: Tables show: (1) Imports of soybeans to
Japan during calendar year 1967 by country of origin:
USA 81%, Red China 19%, Other countries 1%. Total
imported: 2,169,000 metric tons (79,710,000 bushels). (2)
Consumption of edible refi ned oils and fats in Japan (1963-
1967). Per capita consumption rose from 13.58 lb in 1963
to 18.08 lb in 1967. (3) Total oils and fats production in
Japan (1963-1967), imports and domestically grown, by
oilseed type. Soybeans are by far the most important oilseed,
followed by rapeseed. Rice bran is the main domestic source
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 183
of oil. (4) Consumption of soybeans in Japan classifi ed
by utilization (1963-68, 1,000 metric tons). The following
fi gures are for 1968 (1,000 metric tons): Crushed for oil
1,739. Foods: Tofu and aburage 294. Miso 170. Natto 50.
Frozen tofu 40. Shoyu 15. Kinako 13. Other 70. The total
used for food grew from 497 in 1963 to 652 in 1968.
Photos show: (1) American Soybean Association (ASA)
executives seated around a table holding chopsticks at
tempura luncheon with Mr. Watanabe, who is president of the
Japanese Oilseed Processors Association, and other Japanese
oilseed offi cials. From left, Shohei Takai, managing director
Japan Oilseed Processors Association (JOPA); S. Yamada,
manager oils and fats division, Ajinomoto Co., Inc; Scott
Sawyers, ASA country director in Japan; Chet Randolph,
ASA executive vice president; Mr. Bunzo Watanabe; and
Hiroshi Higashimori, chief secretary JOPA. Tempura is a
substantial outlet for soy oil. (2) Portrait of Bunzo Watanabe.
Address: Japanese Oilseed Processors Assoc., Japan.
528. Saio, Kyoko; Watanabe, Tokuji. 1968. Daizu shokuhin
no bisai kôzô [Observations of the minute structure of
soybean foods, as seen under an electron microscope].
Nippon Shokuhin Kogyo Gakkaishi (J. of Food Science and
Technology) 15(7):290-96. [8 ref. Jap]
• Summary: Of the electron microscopic pictures taken
in the investigation on protein bodies and the protein in
soybean seeds, some were presented to elucidate their fi ne
structures and their changes in processing. No change in
protein bodies and spherosomes in intact cells of soybean
cotyledons occurred as a result of soaking in water overnight,
while remarkable changes, such as bursting of protein
bodies, curdling of their protein in mass without dissolving,
and converting of spherosomes into rather large oil
droplets, were observed after successive heat-steaming and
fermentation with Bacillus natto. In tofu gel, a network is
formed with protein microgranules, and oil droplets located
in groups along it. The meshlike structure of the fresh tofu
used to make dried frozen tofu (kori-dofu) is denser than that
of ordinary tofu. During freezing, protein microgranules are
localized and denatured by the growth of ice crystals (from
the online abstract at http://www.journalarchive.jst.go.jp/
english/).
This is the earliest document seen (Jan. 2012) that
describes the use of an electron microscope to examine
soyfoods. Address: Food Research Inst., Ministry of
Agriculture & Forestry, Koto-ku, Tokyo.
529. Ebine, Hideo; Sakano, K. 1968. [Production of miso
from natto]. Miso no Kagaku to Gijutsu (Miso Science and
Technology) No. 173. p. 23-. [Jap]*
Address: National Food Research Inst., Tokyo.
530. Kurisu, H.; Iwasa, A.; Iizawa, K. 1968. [Effect of tablets
of bacillus natto on the enteric bacterial fl ora in humans and