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

appropriate to redefi ne the term potentially hazardous food
as follows: ‘Potentially hazardous food’ means any food or
food ingredient, natural or synthetic, in a form capable of
supporting (1) the rapid and progressive growth of infectious
or toxigenic microorganisms or (2) the slower growth of C.
botulinum.”
Interpretation. Note. References. Address: 200 C Street
S.W., HFF-342, Washington, DC 20204. Phone: 202-485-
0140.
1141. Toyo Shinpo (Soyfoods News).1986. Tenpe kaihatsu no
jigyô. Zen Nôren. Gyôkai no takakuka to kasseika e [Tempeh
project development report from Japan Natto Association.
To make the industry more versatile and active. Second
generation products are hoped for]. June 21. p. 9. [Jap; eng+]
• Summary: The techniques of making tempeh are already
well established. The water content and cracking/dehulling
the beans are the two key subjects. This report was presented
to Japan’s Department of Agriculture (Nosuisho) in April
1985 by the Japan Natto Assoc. The total budget was 18.1
million yen ($80,000). The project was done at Takashin
Shokuhin Ltd. in Tokyo. Members of the research project
were Goro KANASUGI and Haruo NITTA (President of
Teito Shokuhin KK), Mitsuaki YAMANAKA (Head of
Takashin Research Lab.). Head researcher was Makio
TAKATO (President, Takashin). Address: Kyoto, Japan.
1142. Belleme, Jan; Belleme, John. 1986. Cooking with
Japanese foods: A guide to the traditional natural foods of
Japan. East West Health Books, 17 Station St., Brookline,
MA 02146. xi + 220 p. Illust. Index. 25 cm. [45 ref]
• Summary: A good study from a macrobiotic viewpoint,
with more than 200 macrobiotic recipes. The authors
studied in Japan and speak Japanese. Contents: Foreword.
Acknowledgements. Introduction. Fermented Foods:
miso, shoyu, tamari, brown rice vinegar, sake, mirin, koji,
amazake, pickles, umeboshi, ume su, medicinal teas, ume
extract, bonito fl akes, natto. Noodles: cooking noodles,
udon, soba, somen, clear noodles. Grains, incl. rice, mochi,
seitan, fu gluten cakes, hato mugi [hatomugi] (Job’s tears),
rice syrup, rice bran. Vegetables: shiitake, daikon, Hokkaido
pumpkin, Chinese cabbage, burdock, jinenjo, lotus root.
Sea vegetables: kombu, nori, wakame, hijiki and arame,
kanten (agar). Beans: azuki beans, black soybeans, tofu.
Condiments: kuzu, dark (toasted) sesame oil, goma (sesame
seeds), tekka, shiso momiji (shiso leaf condiment), wasabi.
Teas. Cooking utensils. Appendix: Composing meals,
pronunciation guide, suppliers. Bibliography.
Amazake (p. 39-45). Contains a ½ page description plus
good instructions for making basic amazake (thick “pudding”
and thinner beverage), both from glutinous (“sweet”) rice.
Also recipes for Vanilla Amazake Pudding, Amazake Cream
Puffs, Neapolitan Parfait, Carob Amazake Brownies, Bob’s
Coconut Amazake Macaroons, Amazake Bread (yeasted),
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HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 361
and Unyeasted Amazake Bread. Perhaps the most lengthy
information on amazake available in English up to this time.
Hato mugi (“Job’s tears,” p. 93) “resembles barley,
but it is actually a member of the rice family. An easily
digestible whole grain with only the tough outer husk
removed, hato mugi contains less vitamin B-1 than brown
rice but approximately twice as much protein, iron, vitamin
B-2, fat, and slightly more calcium.” It has long been used
in China and Japan as a medicinal food, “for strengthening
the stomach, purifying the blood, and restoring health. Since
it is so effective in helping the body to discharge toxins,
people who are sick and weak, and women who are pregnant,
nursing a baby, or menstruating should eat it sparingly.”
Address: Rutherfordton, North Carolina.
1143. Hara, Toshio; Chetanachit, Charan; Fujio, Y.; Ueda, S.
1986. Distribution of plasmids in polyglutamate-producing
Bacillus strains isolated from “natto”-like fermented
soybeans: “thua nao,” in Thailand. J. of General and Applied
Microbiology (Tokyo) 32(3):241-49. June. [25 ref]
• Summary: “Four polyglutamate (PGA)-producing Bacillus
strains were isolated from ‘thua nao’ in Thailand. Three of
these did not require biotin for growth. All four produced
high activities of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-
GTP). Each of these strains carried a single plasmid species.”
“Apparently a ‘natto’ plasmid is distributed widely in
PGA-producing Bacillus.” It may have developed from a
common ancestral molecule. “Therefore, the distribution of
‘natto’ plasmids in PGA-producing Bacillus strains may help
to distinguish B. subtilis from B. subtilis (natto).
Thua nao is a traditional fermented soyfood in northern
Thailand. It is produced by aerobic spore-forming rods,
similar to the natto Bacillus, growing on steamed soybeans.
“It is an adhesive fermented” soyfood with a noticeable
odor of ammonia, “and so is considered to be the same as
Japanese ‘natto’” (S. Nakao 1972, Ryori no Kigen, p. 121).
Address: 1. Dep. of Food Science & Technology, Faculty of
Agriculture, Kyushu Univ., Hakozaki, Fukuoka 812, Japan;
2. Dep. of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart Univ.,
Bangkok 10210, Thailand; 3. Dep. of Applied Microbial
Technology, Kumamoto Inst. of Technology, Ikeda,
Kumamoto 860, Japan.
1144. Inooka, S.; Uehara, S.; Kimura, M. 1986. The effect
of Bacillus natto on the T and B lymphocytes from spleens
of feeding chickens. Poultry Science 65(6):1217-19. June. [6
ref. Eng]
• Summary: Bacillus natto is isolated from the fermented
soyfood natto and used in Japan in a preparation that
enhances the growth of farm animals; thus it is a kind of
nutritional supplement or growth enhancer. Address: 1-2.
Dep. of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tohoku
Univ., 1-1 Amamiyamachi Tsutsumidori, Sendai 980, Japan.