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

History of miso in Europe: Early European references,
1900-1949, 1950-1982.
History of miso in the United States and Canada: Early
developments (1896-1929), 1930-1959, growth of interest
in miso (1960-1982; Shibasaki and Hesseltine at the NRRC,
Peoria, Illinois, Ichiro Ouchi, the macrobiotic movement,
Herman Aihara, George Ohsawa, Miso and Aveline Kushi in
Boston, Massachusetts, Noboru Muramoto, George Gearhart,
Thom Leonard, Allen Ginsburg and Gary Snyder, Mt.
Tamalpias, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Miyako Oriental
Foods, Kanemasa Miso Co., Ohio Miso Co., Shin-Mei-Do,
American Miso Inc., South River Miso Co., Joel Dee and
Miso-Cup), miso’s future in the West.
Miso in other countries: Israel, India, Latin America
(Brazil, Mexico), Africa.
Illustrations: Evolution of Chinese characters. Hideyoshi
Toyotomi and a robber on the bridge (Hatcho miso history,
p. 219). Making miso-damari (p. 220). Graph of the miso
market in Japan (1880-1980) (p. 226). Ohio Miso letterhead
and logo (p. 238). U.S. miso imports, production and
consumption (1970-1983) (p. 240). Page 219: “The origins
of modern shoyu can be traced more clearly to the mid 1200s
when the Japanese priest Kakushin returned from China,
having learned there the technique for preparing Kinzanji
miso. Establishing himself at Kokoku-ji temple near the
town of Yuasa...” Address: Soyfoods Center, P.O. Box 234,
Lafayette, California 94549. Phone: 415-283-2991.
977. Oda, Lorraine. 1983. Tofu enjoys increasing popularity.
Hawaii Herald. Oct. 7. p. 5. Friday.
• Summary: Jack Tsuneyo Uyehara manages Aloha Tofu
Factory Inc. His father, Kamesaburo, brought the plant in
1951 from a pig farmer, Kamehachi Shimabukuro, who used
the okara for pig feed. Back then the factory was located on
Dillingham Blvd. and produced only tofu and abura-age.
Today the plant on Akepo Lane in Kalihi produces each
week: 3,500 pieces of soft, fi rm, and mini-tofu, 6,000 pieces
of aburage, 2,000 packages of natto, and enough atsu-age
and nama-age to supply stores in Oahu. The four Uyehara
brothers run the company.
Note: This is the earliest document seen (Dec. 2001) that
contains industry or market statistics for natto by individual
companies. Address: Editorial Asst., Honolulu.
978. Hara, Toshio; Zhang, J-Ren; Ueda, Seinosuke. 1983.
Identifi cation of plasmids linked with polyglutamate
production in Bacillus subtilis (natto). J. of General and
Applied Microbiology (Tokyo) 29(5):345-54. Oct. [26 ref]
• Summary: “Fourteen of 18 strains of Bacillus subtilis
(natto) were found to harbor plasmids.” Twelve strains,
which required biotin for growth and produced a viscous
substance, contained a single plasmid species. These
plasmids, which included four whose names are given,
“were classifi ed into the same type of pUH1, the functional
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 317
plasmid encoding gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-
GTP) gene,” based on their molecular weights and restriction
patterns.
The regulatory gene for polyglutamate synthesis is
encoded on a 5.7 kb plasmid, pUH1.
Note: Plasmids of this type are known as “natto
bacterium plasmids.”
Whereas many strains of Bacillus subtilis have been
found to “contain a number of endogenous plasmids,
the physiological role of these plasmids has not yet been
identifi ed.” Address: Dep. of Food Science & Technology,
Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu Univ., Hakozaki, Fukuoka
812, Japan.
979. Hesseltine, C.W. 1983. The future of fermented foods.
Nutrition Reviews 41(10):293-301. Oct. [20 ref]
• Summary: Contents: Advantages of food fermentation,
factors having an adverse effect on the use of fermented
foods, nutritional and economic data on some fermented
foods, future changes in fermented foods, factors that may
lead to growth in the use of fermented foods (scientifi c
interest in fermented foods, prevention of food poisoning,
fermentation and increased shelf life, improvement of the
physical properties of the product, interest in natural products
of plant origin, modifi cation of the substrate, interest in more
healthy food, necessity of increased consumption of plant
materials as population increases, cultural and religious
grounds, and migration of people since World War II).
Summary. Contains considerable information on fermented
soyfoods. Address: NRRC, Peoria, Illinois.
980. Leviton, Richard. 1983. Soyfoods in your kitchen:
The variety is infi nite! Your Good Health: Review & Digest
1(6):16-18. Oct.
• Summary: An introduction to tofu and tofu products, tofu
main dishes, tofu desserts, tempeh, miso, soysage, “green
soybean pods in plastic bags,” soynuts, natto, Hamanatto,
and yuba.
Gives recipe names and ideas for each soyfood type,
but no actual recipes. Concludes with the thought: “If you
remember this diversity of applications of tofu and tempeh...
never again will you comment, ‘Tofu is nice but it’s just a
bland white block.’” Address: Colrain, Massachusetts 01340.
981. Nagayama, Hisao. 1983. Kenkô-shoku nattô [Natto, the
health food]. Tokyo: Nosan Gyoson Bunka Kyôkai (Asakusa
7-61, Minato-ku). 209 p. Illust. 19 cm. [Jap]
• Summary: This popular book, fi lled with funny (sometimes
naughty) cartoons discusses all aspects of natto, its history,
nutritional value and health benefi ts, how to make natto at
home, and even how to grow soybeans. It contains 80 natto
recipes, each illustrated. The book was fi rst printed in Oct.
1983; 6th printing Sept. 1986. Hisao Nagayama was born
in 1934. Address: Toyotama-kita 4-31, Nerima-ku, Tokyo,