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

170,000 tons of dawadawa are made. The highest percapita
consumption of dawadawa (10 gm/day) is among the
Yorubas of southwest Nigeria. Dawadawa is an important
source of protein among the low-income rural population. It
is made exclusively by women.
In a few states of Nigeria, local varieties of soybeans are
used in place of locust beans. Address: Dep. of Botany and
Microbiology, Univ. of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
1174. Seki, Tatsuji; Oshima, Yasuji. 1986. DNA sôdôsei kara
mita kosôkin to ruienkin no bunruigaku-teki kankei [The
taxonomic relationship between Bacillus subtitlis and related
bacteria from the viewpoint of DNA homology]. In: Kô
Aida, et al. eds. 1986. Proceedings of the Asian Symposium
on Non-Salted Soybean Fermentation. Japan: Takeshima
Shigeru. 319 p. See p. 70-80. Held July 1985 at Tsukuba,
Japan. English-language summary in Symposium Abstracts,
p. 53. [54 ref. Jap]
• Summary: Discusses Bacillus subtilis, gives a genetic map,
and compares related species. The authors contend that,
based on their evidence, strains listed as B. subtilis should
be classifi ed into two different species, B. subtilis and B.
amyloliquefaciencs. B. natto Sawamura, which includes
various strains employed in natto production, is described
as a synonym of B. subtilis in the 8th edition of Bergey’s
Manual. Address: Osaka Daigaku, Kôgaku-bu.
1175. Shiroza, Teruaki; Yamane, Kunio. 1986. Kôsokin
no amiraaze oyobi puroteaaze [Extracellular �-amylase
and proteases of Bacillus subtilis]. In: Kô Aida, et al. eds.
1986. Proceedings of the Asian Symposium on Non-Salted
Soybean Fermentation. Japan: Takeshima Shigeru. 319 p.
See p. 234-43. Held July 1985 at Tsukuba, Japan. Englishlanguage
summary in Symposium Abstracts, p. 71. [15 ref.
Jap]
• Summary: Bacillus subtilis, one of the strains used to
make natto, produces many kinds of extracellular enzymes.
Address: Tsukuba Daigaku, Seibutsugaku-kei (Inst. of
Biological Sciences, Univ. of Tsukuba, Sakura, Ibaraki-ken
305, Japan).
1176. SoyaScan Notes.1986. Japan’s largest natto
manufacturers (Overview). Dec. Compiled by William
Shurtleff of Soyfoods Center.
• Summary: (1) K.K. Okame Natto Honpo, 15-14 Ogawa,
Ogawa-cho, Ibaragi-gun, Ibaragi-ken, Japan.
(2) Asahi Shokuhin K.K., 180-2 Kamido, Ushihori-cho,
Gyoho-gun, Ibaragi-ken, Japan. (3) Ugo Shokuhin Kogyo
K.K., Noaramachi, Aza Kaido no ue 279, Sennan-mura,
Senboku-gun, Akita-ken, Japan.
(4) Taishi Shokuhin Kogyo K.K., Kawamorita, Aza
Okinaka 68, Santo-cho / machi, Santo-gun, Aomori-ken 039-
01, Japan.
(5) K. K. Azuki Shokuhin, Sekibori 1001, Utsunomiya-
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HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 369
shi, Tochigi-ken, Japan.
Note: Each of these large natto makers is located in the
northeast prefectures (Tohoku Chiho) of Japan.
1177. Suwana-Adth, Malee; Daengsubha, Wanchern;
Suyanandana, Puangpen. 1986. The microbiology of Thuanao
in Thailand. In: Kô Aida, et al. eds. 1986. Proceedings of
the Asian Symposium on Non-Salted Soybean Fermentation.
Japan: Takeshima Shigeru. 319 p. See p. 31-38. Held July
1985 at Tsukuba, Japan. [8 ref]
• Summary: Describes the traditional production method,
microbiology of natural fermentation, keeping quality of
thua-nao, chemical composition and nutritional value.
Address: 1. National Center for Genetic Engineering
and Biotechnology; 2-3. Thailand Inst. of Scientifi c and
Technological Research, Bangkok.
1178. Takao, Shoichi. 1986. Nattô kenkyû no rekishi-teki
kôsatsu [An historical overview of natto research]. In: Kô
Aida, et al. eds. 1986. Proceedings of the Asian Symposium
on Non-Salted Soybean Fermentation. Japan: Takeshima
Shigeru. 319 p. See p. 61-69. Held July 1985 at Tsukuba,
Japan. English-language summary in Symposium Abstracts.
p. 52. [Jap]
• Summary: “Natto in Japan generally means Itohiki-
Natto, which is a unique product in this country. A very
small amount of Shio-Natto derived from China is also
manufactured in some limited localities.
“The fi rst description of Natto bacterium was by Dr.
Kikuji Yabe in 1894, who isolated three Micrococci and one
Bacillus from Natto, but was unable to determine that those
isolates were responsible for Natto fermentation. In 1905, Dr.
Shin Sawamura fi rst isolated a bacterium that could produce
good Natto by its single inoculation, and named the isolate
Bacillus natto Sawamura, a novum species. This was the
discovery of Natto Bacillus.
“Subsequently, Prof. S. Muramatsu of Morioka
Agricultural Academy, and Prof. Jun Hanzawa of Hokkaido
University did research and extension / education on natto
manufacture with pure starter cultures of Natto Bacillus,
and it was Prof. Hanzawa’s great contribution that the natto
technology which is widely used in the nation today was
fi rmly established and disseminated.
“The traditional manufacture of Natto, namely wrapping
of cooked soy in rice straw to ferment the beans, depended
on natural inoculum from straw, but that process had
problems with sanitation and did not guarantee a consistent
quality of products. Prof. Hanzawa introduced not only good
starter cultures, but also a new method, to use a container
in place of straw. He organized in 1919 an association of
natto container improvement, started to publish a journal
‘Natto’ and was greatly committed to the education of
Natto manufacturers. Mr. Jirô Miura, The First President
of National Natto Manufacturer’s Association (presently