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

1989–Nattosan. MG-0. Developed by Agriculture
Canada, Ottawa. Source: Richard Bernard 1992. “Additions
to Table 6 of USDA Technical Bulletin 1746.”
1989–Hartz 914 and Hartz 922. MG-6. Sources: Griffi s
and Widermann. 1992. Ibid. p. 6.
1989–SS201 and SS202. Developed at Iowa Agricultural
Experiment Station. Bernard, Richard L. 1999. “Summary
of research & breeding programs for food type soybeans.”
Urbana, Illinois. 3 p. Feb. Unpublished typescript.
1989–Suzumaru [Suzu-maru]. Developed by the
Hokkaido Central Agricultural Experiment Station,
Hokkaido, Japan. Sources: (1) Biological Abstracts, Vol.
87. No. 9. It yielded 30.9 tonnes per hectare on average in
performance tests during 1984-1987. (2) Hosoi, Tomohiro;
Kiuchi, Kan. 2003. “Natto–A food made by fermenting
cooked soybeans with Bacillus subtilis (natto).” In: Edward
R. Farnworth. 2003. Handbook of Fermented Functional
Foods. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. 390 p. See p. 227-
50. Natto makers prefer to use certain soybean varieties
such as Suzuhime and Suzumaru which are grown in
Hokkaido, Kosuzu in Iwate, Miyagi, and Akita Prefectures,
and Natto-Shoryo [= Natto-kotsubu] in Ibaraki Prefecture.
These Japanese cultivars are registered with the Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).
1989–TNS. Developed in Canada by Harvey Voldeng at
CES in Ottawa. Sources: (1) Source: Beversdorf et al. 1995,
p. 9. (2) Bernard, Richard L. 1999. Ibid.
1989–Vanatto. Developed in Virginia, USA. Source:
Chowning, Larry S. 1989. “Soybean marketing efforts
in Japan earn state honor for local farming operation.”
Southside Sentinel (Urbanna, Virginia). Feb. 2. Recently,
Montague Farms (owned by Bill Taliaferro of Center Cross
in Essex County) introduced Vanatto (which stands for
Virginia Natto), a brand of Virginia-grown soybeans for the
specifi c purpose of making natto. For nearly 5 years, the
Taliaferros worked to develop the market in Japan, knocking
on doors. “Since establishing the market in Japan, the
Taliaferros have over 40 growers in Maryland and Virginia
growing the small variety of soybean used to make natto.
1994–Pearl. Developed by Thomas Carter, USDA
plant breeder stationed at North Carolina State University
(NCSU). Pearl is adapted to North Carolina growing
conditions. Source: Seed World. 1994. “Soybean tailored to
natto market.” June. p. 58.
1995–Danatto. Bernard, Richard L. 1999. Ibid.
Pureunkong–1997. Plant Breeding Abstracts, Vol. 67
states: Pureunkong was selected from the cross between the
local cultivar Chungsaek- namulkong (green seed coat) and
L78-379 made in 1982.
2003–Natto-Shoryu. Grown in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Source: Hosoi and Kiuchi, 2003.
Date unknown–Chohakuzan. Bernard, Richard L. 1999.
Ibid. Chohakuzan is a small-seeded parent used for breeding
natto-type soybeans. Address: Founder, Soyinfo Center,
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 287
Lafayette, California.
889. Teraoka, Hisayuki; Morii, F.; Kobayashi, J. 1981.
Shokuhin-chû ni fukumareru 24 shu no genso ryô oyobi
ichi nichi no genso sesshu-ryô ni tsuite [The concentrations
of 24 elements in foodstuffs and the estimate of their daily
intake]. Eiyo to Shokuryo (J. of Japanese Society of Food
and Nutrition) 34(3):221-39. See p. 232-35. [Jap]
• Summary: The 24 chemical elements whose concentrations
are given are: potassium (K), phosphorus (P), magnesium
(Mg), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), silicon (Si), zinc
(Zn), manganese (Mn), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), boron
(B), strontium (Sr), lead (Pb), titanium (Ti), barium (Ba),
nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), molybdenum (Mo), silver (Ag),
cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), tin (Sn), and chromium (Cr).
Concentrations (in micrograms per 100 gm) of these
elements were measured in the following soyfoods:
Soybeans 1,200, tofu (momen/regular) 410 (average of 2
samples), tofu (natural foods, probably made with nigari)
280, tofu (kinugoshi/silken) 280, and natto 770.
These aluminum concentrations were about average
compared with the other foods tested. Examples of foods
with much higher aluminum concentrations were: kombu
seaweed 33,000, tsukushi (a vegetable) 22,000, white sesame
seeds 4,400.
Note: This is the earliest document seen (Aug. 2002)
that gives the concentration of aluminum in soybeans or
soyfoods. Address: Inst. for Agricultural and Biological
Sciences, Okayama Univ., Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan.
890. Ichishima, Eiji; Kato, M.; Wada, Y.; Kakiuchi, H.;
Takeuchi, M.; Takahashi, T.; Takimami, K.; Hirose, Y.
1982. Spore fatty acid composition in Bacillus natto, a food
microorganism. Food Chemistry 8(1):1-9. Jan. [23 ref. Eng]
• Summary: Natto is a popular and economical fermented
food in Japan. In 1976, 124,000 metric tons (tonnes) of natto
were produced. The growth of Bacillus natto on the surface
of natto soybeans creates compounds that are parts of its
characteristic tastes and fl avors, such as tetramethylpyrazine.
Address: 1-6. Dep. of Agricultural and Biological Chemistry,
Tokyo Noko Univ., Fuchu, Tokyo 183, Japan; 7-8. Central
Research Labs., Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Suzukicho, Kawasaki
220, Japan.
891. Taira, Harue; Katoh, Kazuhisa; Okazaki, Koichiro;
Ishida, Shigeki; Kawasaki, Yoshihiro; Shimokawara, Hiroshi;
Takei, Reiko; Kikuchi, Syoko; Murakami, Shunichiro;
Okubo, Soichiro. 1982. Daizu shijitsu no kansô shori hôhô
to sono hinshitsu ni tsuite. VI. Tei-suibun ganryô shijitsu no
futsûgata konbain shûkaku–kansô shori ga shijitsu no kakô
tekisei oyobi tôfu, nattô no kôjô seizô shiken ni oyobosu
eikyô [Infl uence of dry treatment after harvest on quality
of soybean seeds. VI. Infl uence of combine harvesting and
drying of low moisture seed on qualities for soybean food