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

illustrations. Shows how to make natto, tofu, and soy sprouts
at home. A large color photo (p. 10-11; 2-page spread), titled
“All made from soybeans,” shows kinako, miso, shoyu,
soymilk, yuba in a bowl of clear soup, ganmodoki, aburaage,
cooked whole soybeans (nimamé), okara sauteed with
vegetables, dengaku (made with tofu and miso), and atsuagé.
Address: Daizu kairyo no dai-ichi ninsha [President,
Takeya Miso Co., Nagano, Japan].
1000. Herrmann, Karl. 1983. Exotische Lebensmittel.
Inhaltsstoffe und Verwendung [Exotic foods. Ingredients and
uses]. Berlin, Heidelberg, & New York: Springer-Verlag. x +
175 p. Illust. 21 cm. See p. 111-19. Sojabohnenprodukte. [18
ref. Ger]
• Summary: The chapter on legumes contains brief
introductions to soybeans, green vegetable soybeans
(unreife Sojabohnen), soy sprouts (Sojabohnensprossen,
Sojabohnenkeimlinge), soymilk (Sojamilch), tofu (Tofu,
Sojaquark), soy sauce (Sojasosse, Shoyu), miso (Miso,
Sojapaste), tempeh (Tempeh), fermented tofu (Sufu,
chinesischer Sojabohnen-Käse), and natto (Natto,
fermentierte ganze Sojabohnen). Tables shows the nutritional
composition of tofu, deep-fried tofu pouches (Aburage),
dried-frozen tofu (Kori-Tofu), yuba (Yuba), roasted soy fl our
(Kinako), and miso, plus defatted soybean meal (entfettetes
Sojabohnenmehl; 51% protein), and soybean concentrate
(Sojabohnen Konzentrat; 64.9% protein). Address: West
Germany.
1001. Hesseltine, C.W. 1983. Microbiology of Oriental
fermented foods. Annual Review of Microbiology 37:575-
601. [50 ref]
• Summary: Contents: Introduction. Historical account.
Importance of mixed cultures. Microorganisms used.
“The Japanese Food Agency, Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry, and Fisheries (1979), gave the following fi gures for
1979: miso, 567,776 tons; shoyu, 1,252,431 kiloliters; and
natto, 158,000 tons. In Korea, 35% of the 442,803 metric
tons of soybeans produced is fermented. Indonesia uses
about 75,600 tons of soybeans in making tempeh.
“There is considerable ancient writing in Chinese
publications about foods made by fermentation, but the fi rst
scientifi c reports are only about 100 years old. From 1878
until the beginning of World War I, there was an explosion
of papers and reports dealing with fermented foods and
drinks... In general, studies between 1881 and 1914 were
devoted to the description of the product and the local name
and to the isolation and description of the microorganisms
associated with the fermentation. A number of organisms
new to science were described and illustrated. Additional
information was given on the action of the fungus on the
substrate, suggested uses of the fungus in processes that
could be exploited in European technology, and a description
of the substrate preparation, food use, and native methods of
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 323
food preparation.
“This period of research ended abruptly with the advent
of World War I, as the exchange of students and cooperation
between Japan and Germany ceased. Food fermentation
studies resumed in the 1950s and today considerable interest
exists. This renewed interest stems from the concern with
nutrition, the great enthusiasm for vegetarian and natural
foods, the search for less expensive, high-protein foods,
the infl uence of foreign students studying in the West, the
need to expand export markets, the need to add products to
convenience foods to add zest and fl avor, and the interest in
the activities of microorganisms used in fermented foods.”
Address: NRRC, Peoria, Illinois.
1002. Joshi Eiyo Daigaku. 1983. Tôfu kukkingu [Tofu
cooking]. Tokyo: JED Shuppan-bu. Kyo no Okazu No. 9.
128 p. Illust. Index. 19 cm. [Jap]
• Summary: Contents: From tofu in Japanese to tofu in
English: Modern thoughts on tofu. Ikuko Hisamatsu’s
healthy tofu menu: Homemade tofu, western style tofu
recipes, second generation tofu products and recipes, okara,
natto, soymilk. Fujiko Sakami’s Japanese style recipes:
Homemade second generation tofu products taste better,
Japanese style tofu recipes, okara. Seiko Osato’s Chinesestyle
recipes: Introducing the taste of the homeland of
tofu in China, Chinese second generation tofu products.
Other comments: The history of tofu, the roots of tofu, the
challenge of homemade tofu, tricks of Western style tofu
recipes, European and American tofu cooking. Note: A color
photo accompanies each recipe. Address: Tokyo, Japan.
1003. Kushi, Michio; Jack, Alex. 1983. The cancer
prevention diet: Michio Kushi’s nutritional blueprint for the
relief and prevention of disease. New York, NY: St. Martin’s
Press. xi + 460 p. Index. 22 cm. [32 ref]
• Summary: In this book, cancer preventing effects are
attributed to miso (p. 50-51, 220-21, 304-06), and to
soybeans (p. 51, 154-55, 293, 306). Natto, soymilk, tamari,
tempeh, and tofu are also discussed.
Pages 50-51 note: “A ten-year study completed in 1981
by the National Cancer Center of Japan reported that people
who ate miso soup daily were 33 percent less likely to
contract stomach cancer than those who never ate miso soup.
The study also found that miso was effective in preventing
heart and liver diseases...
“Soybeans, a major source of protein in the macrobiotic
diet, have been singled out as especially effective in reducing
tumors. The active ingredient in soybeans is called a protease
inhibitor. Laboratory tests show that soybeans and certain
other beans and seeds containing this factor added to the
diet prevent the development of breast, stomach, and skin
tumors. Whole soybeans and soy products, including miso,
tamari soy sauce, tofu, tempeh, and natto are staples of the
macrobiotic diet... At St. Luke’s Hospital in Nagasaki, a