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

Chinese cabbage and tofu miso soup (p. 71). Aveline Kushi’s
miso stuffed lotus root (p. 86). Tofu dressing (p. 91). Misotahini
spread (p. 92). Miso-sesame spread (p. 92). Misolemon
sauce (p. 93). Tofu dip (p. 93). Miso with scallions (p.
95). Tamari (description, p. 95). Tekka (made with Hatcho
miso, p. 96). Miso pickles (p. 100-01). Tamari pickles (p.
101). Tofu plaster (p. 130). Ume-Sho-Kuzu drink (with
umeboshi, tamari and kuzu, p. 131). Ume-sho-bancha (with
tamari, p. 131). Use of tamari, miso, and tekka (p. 132).
Also includes instructions for making amasake at home
(p. 116; it is a natural sweetener made from fermented sweet
rice), and a recipe for Amasake bread (p. 107), instructions
for making seitan at home (p. 46-47, using 3½ lb of hard
spring or hard winter whole wheat fl our; spring wheat fl our
produces a much softer texture of seitan than the winter
variety), and recipes for seitan stew, seitan-barley soup,
sauteed vegetables and seitan, stuffed cabbage with seitan,
and seitan croquettes (p. 47-49), plus recipes for leftover
seitan (p. 125). Address: East West Foundation, near Boston/
Cambridge, Massachusetts.
791. Tanaka, Teruo. 1979. Restriction of plasmid-mediated
transformation in Bacillus subtilis 168. Molecular & General
Genetics 175(2):235-37. Sept. *
Address: Mitsubishi Kasei Inst. of Life Sciences, 11
Minamiooya, Machida, Tokyo, Japan.
792. Tanaka, Teruo. 1979. recE4-Independent recombination
between homologous deoxyribonuceic acid segments of
Bacillus subtilis plasmids. J. of Bacteriology 139(3):775-82.
Sept. [18 ref]
• Summary: Note: As scientists move ever closer to the
heart of matter, the descriptions of what they observe,
and the words and terms they use, become increasingly
incomprehensible to the lay reader. Yet this research is the
cutting edge of science.
This is such an article, about plasmids, a particular
region of the Bacillus subtilis chromosome, and how new
plasmids are regenerated. Address: Lab. of Microbiological
Chemistry, Mitsubishi Kasei Inst. of Life Sciences,
Minamiooya 11, Machida-shi, Tokyo, Japan.
793. Ohta, Teruo; Takano, Kenji; Nikkuni, Ikumi;
Hashizume, K.; Saio, K. 1979. Shokuhin-yô daizu no chôki
hokan-chû no hinshitsu henka [Soybean quality change and
its infl uence on food processing]. Shokuhin Sogo Kenkyujo
Kenkyu Hokoku (Report of the National Food Research
Institute) No. 35. p. 56-70. Oct. [6 ref. Jap; eng]
• Summary: As soybeans were stored for 1 year, the changes
in their quality were measured and the effects of these
changes on natto, tofu, and aburage were investigated under
different temperatures (15, 25, and 35ºC) and humidity (RH
= Relative Humidity 60, 70, and 80%). New crop (recently
harvested) soybeans grown in the USA and China were used
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HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 262
in this experiment.
Soybean quality deteriorated with time, and there were
defi nite measurable changes in the ability to germinate /
sprout, acid values, titratable acidity, Nitrogen Solubility
Index (NSI), solids extracted in soakwater, and extraction
rates of protein and solids into soybean milk.
The passage of time in storage led to harder cooked
beans for natto, lower yield of soybean milk and tofu, lower
coagulation rate in tofu, and less ability to expand during
deep frying in aburage.
Increased temperatures and relative humidity increased
the rate of soybean quality deterioration as measured
above, and increased RH caused more deterioration than
the increased temperature. Therefore, soybeans awaiting
processing into natto, tofu, or aburage should be stored in
a cool, dry place. Address: National Food Research Inst.
(Shokuhin Sogo Kenkyujo), Kannon-dai 2-1-2, Yatabemachi,
Tsukuba-gun, Ibaraki-ken 305, Japan.
794. Taira, Harue; Taira, Hirokadzu; Mori, Y.; Ushirogi,
T.; Fujimori, I. 1979. Daizu shushi no kansô shori hôhô to
sono hinshitsu ni tsuite. IV. [Infl uence of dry treatment after
harvest on quality of soybean seeds. IV. Suitability for food
processing of stored seeds]. Shokuhin Sogo Kenkyujo Kenkyu
Hokoku (Report of the National Food Research Institute) No.
35. p. 160-71. Oct. [11 ref. Jap; eng]
• Summary: The effects of dry treatment (drying) after
harvest on the physical properties, chemical composition,
and suitability for food processing of soybean seeds were
investigated. The heat treatments were natural drying and air
drying using heated and non-heated air at 20, 30, and 40ºC.
The seeds were then stored at 15ºC with RH (Relative
Humidity) of 65% and 75%, at 30ºC with RH of 65% and
75%, and at room temperature and humidity in a paper bag
for 30, 60, 120, 180, 270, and 360 days, respectively. These
various storage conditions were further investigated for their
effects on suitability for food processing.
At a given RH, the seed moisture rose as the temperature
rose; many fi gures are given. Seed quality degenerated
as storage time increased. The following decreased:
absorbability of water in seeds, rate of germination,
extractability of protein from soaked seeds by hot water,
pH of soybean milk, and ratio of weight of steamed seeds
to raw seeds. And the following increased: soluble matter
and protein in soak water, moisture content, hardness and
darkness of color of steamed seeds.
Conclusion: Soybeans should be stored in a cool, dry
place, ideally at a temperature of 15ºC (50ºF) or below and
an RN of 75% or below. Remarkable deterioration was
observed at 30ºC with RH of 75%. Seeds heat dried at 40ºC
showed a signifi cant decrease in suitability for making miso,
natto, or cooked soybeans. Tofu making was less affected by
drying the seeds with heated air.
Reprinted from Proceedings of the Crop Science Society