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

Tofu Assoc., Federation of Japan Natto Manufacturers’
Cooperative Society, Wako Shokuryo Co. (makes natto;
Jacob Hartz in Arkansas supplies them with “936X” variety
small-sized natto soybeans; Wako also supplies Nihon Miso
Mfg. Plant), X-Can Far East Ltd. Korea: Seoul meeting
at embassy, Chung’s Food Ltd., Agriculture and Fisheries
Development Corp., Korean Soybean Curd Cooperative
Manufacturing Assoc. Singapore: Okura & Company Ltd.,
Eng Huat Pte. Ltd., Intraco. Malaysia: Yeo Hiap Seng Co.
Ltd. (the largest manufacturer of soymilk in Malaysia and
Singapore). Follow-up. Conclusion.
Each of the following members of the mission wrote a
chapter in this book, discussing each visit mentioned in the
contents: Peter H. Epp, Bernard Calhoun, Otis McGregor,
Richard I. Buzzell, M.D. Pennell (General Manager, R&D,
H.J. Heinz Company of Canada Ltd.), Michael Loh (Export
Development Specialist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and
Food).
Details are given on the soybean characteristics desired
for each type of soyfood product, especially in the chapter
by Dr. Buzzell. Popular soybean varieties include: For Miso:
Enlei [Enrei], Fujimejiro, Harcor.
For natto: The main natto specifi cations are: 1. Seed
size–small but fully developed, less than 5.0 mm diameter
if possible. 2. Round seed. 3. Total sugar content < 22%.
4. Oil content > 19%. 5. White / yellow hilum. Best natto
varieties: Jizuka (the smallest, from Ibaraki prefecture) and
Suzuhime (small, from Hokkaido), “two domestic [Japanese]
varieties used for superior quality natto, were priced at $100
U.S. for 60 kg. The U.S. varieties which have been, and
are being used presently, are not satisfactory. Both Nattawa
and Pioneer 1677 varieties should adapt well to the natto
product.” Jennett (H24) from the USA is good. (p. 5, “Natto
specifi cations Japan, unnumbered page near rear).
For tofu: Amsoy, Coles, Harcor.
Letter from Fred Brandenburg of OSGMB. 1994. Nov.
9. “Regarding export promotion before 1982, any activities
would have been part of larger government sponsored trade
missions. For example, in 1979 Otis McGregor participated
in a mission to Asia which was co-ordinated by Michael Loh.
It included a number of marketing boards and associations
from Canada.”
Note: This is the earliest document seen (Dec. 1998) that
(apparently) mentions the soybean variety Enrei. Address:
P.O. Box 1199, Chatham, ONT N7M 5L8, Canada. Phone:
519-352-7730.
895. Suzuki, Hiroshi. 1982. Daizu kakô shokuhin no
hinshitsu [Quality of processed soybean foods]. Nyu Fudo
Indasutori (New Food Industry) 24(2):42-49. Feb. [2 ref.
Jap]
• Summary: Discusses mostly natto and tofu. This journal
is published by the Tokyo Metropolitan Agric. Exp. Station.
Address: Tokyo-to Nogyo Shikenjo.
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 289
896. Welters, Sjon. 1982. Re: Recent developments with
soyfoods in Europe, and ties with macrobiotics. Letter to
William Shurtleff at Soyfoods Center, April 16. 6 p. Typed,
with signature on letterhead (photocopy).
• Summary: This letter, whose letterhead reads “Manna
Natuurlijke Levensmiddelen,” contains names and addresses
of many new soyfoods companies, many of them started by
people interested in macrobiotics. Names and addresses of
the following companies are given: Tofu Denmark (in Valby,
run by Per Fruergaard, a macrobiotic), Bernard Storup, Ab &
Paulien Schaft (Dutch, setting up a small shop in Baillestavy,
France, to make miso, shoyu, natto, and koji), Traditions du
Grain (Jean Luc Alonso is setting up a macrobiotic tempeh
shop in Ivry France; they will start this summer), Paul Jones
(Tofu shop in London), Saskia de Jong (may make miso in
Ireland), de Brandnetel (tofu shop in Antwerp, Belgium),
Jonathan (makes tofu, ganmo, seitan, mochi in Ekeren,
Belgium. Run by J. v. Ponseele), Seven Arrows (Leuven,
Netherlands; making tofu), Lima Foods (now sell miso made
at their plant and farm in France), Witte Wonder (Den Haag,
Netherlands), De Morgenstond (Bakkeveen, Netherlands),
Jakso (Heerewaarden, Netherlands. Run by Peter Dekker.
The fi rst and only shop making tempeh from organic
soybeans), Firma Lembekker (Amsterdam), Unimave
(Lisbon, Portugal), Jose Parracho (Setubal, Portugal),
Swame [sic, Swami] Anand Svadesha (Furth im Wald, West
Germany), Bittersuess (Cologne, West Germany. Attn:
Thomas Kasas/Karas). Three distributors of soyfoods and
natural foods in Germany are YinYang (Berlin), Rapunzel
(Heimraadshofe), and Mutter Erde (Werbelen). In Finland:
Luonnonruokakauppa AUMA (Helsinki). In Switzerland:
Verena Krieger of Sojalade (Engelberg, tofu shop), Hans
Rudolph Opplinger (Cham, tofu shop), Marty Halsley (Nyon,
tofu & tempeh), Restaurant Sesam (Bern). P. Ton van Oers
is a Dutch priest who works in Kananga, Zaire. The natives
have grown soya for 10 years and he is thinking of making
tofu and soymilk from them.
“In Great Britain the East West Centre is very active in
promoting soyfoods. As a part of the Kushi Institute program
they have home-scale processing, in which tofu, tempeh,
and miso-making are taught by Jon Sandler [Sandifer?]. He
is the tempehmaker of the EWC too at Community Health
Foundation, 188 Old St., London EC1. In the Netherlands,
a great deal of soyfoods promotion is done by the East West
Center and Manna. As you probably know, Manna was the
fi rst to introduce miso, tamari, shoyu, tempeh, tofu and koji
to the larger public and we are still the main promoters of
soyfoods as part of a more natural, vegetarian, and economic
diet. Manna has been followed by a lot of other distributors
of natural and health foods. We have two competitors in the
tofu business: Witte Wonder and De Morgenstond.
“At the moment I’m the only teacher giving lectures
on homescale miso-, tofu-, tempeh-, shoyu-, tamari-, natto-,