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

• Summary: The contents of this article are very similar to
that of: Weingartner, Karl E.; Dashiell, K.E.; Nelson, A.I.
1987. “Soybean utilization in Africa: making place for a
new food.” Food and Nutrition (FAO) 13(2):21-28. Address:
International Inst. of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320,
Ibadan, Nigeria.
1252. Yamasaki, Yoshio. 1987. Nattô-kin chû no nigami
pepuchido [The bitter peptide in natto]. Nippon Kasei
Gakkai-shi (J. of Home Economics of Japan) 38(2):93-97.
(Chem. Abst. 107:38308). [9 ref. Jap; eng]
• Summary: Butanol, the bitter peptide, was extracted from
natto and separated into bitter peptide-rich fractions and
other fractions. The amino acid composition of the main
peptide component was analyzed. Address: Sakuyo Junior
College, Tsuyama, Okayama 708, Japan.
1253. Takano Foods Co. 1987? Shôhin annai [Catalog of
soyfood products]. Ibaragi-ken, Japan. 6 panels. Undated. 30
cm. [Jap]
• Summary: Takano Fuuzu K.K. makes 43 soyfood products,
mostly natto, but also some tofu. On the cover, two black
lacquered chopsticks hold a single yellow soybean over a
red tray on a red table. Address: Ibaraki-ken, Japan. Phone:
02995-8-232.
1254. Takano Foods Co. 1987? Healthy wave [Healthy
wave]. Ibaragi-ken, Japan. 16 p. Undated. 30 cm. Catalog.
[Jap]
• Summary: This catalog introduces Takano Fuuzu K.K. and
its soyfood products, mostly Okame natto, but also some
tofu. Address: Ibaraki-ken, Japan. Phone: 02995-8-232.
1255. Brunthaler, Norbert. 1988. Re: Soyfoods made and
sold by Sojvita. Letter to William Shurtleff at Soyfoods
Center, Jan. 4. 1 p. Typed, with signature on letterhead. [Eng]
• Summary: “Thank you for your letter of Dec. 10.” He
gives the year and month that his company started to make
and sell the following products: Tofu, Tofu marinated and
baked, Tempeh, Sojanaise, Tofuburger, Tempeh vacuum
packed and stable, Tofu spread (4 kinds), Sojella (enriched
soymilk), Soyoghurt with fruits, Natto.
“These are only our soy-products which we sell by
ourselves or through distributors in Austria. (Furthermore
we produce rice-wafers, seitan, gomasio {sic, gomashio,
sesame salt}, mochi.) We cannot say, which company is the
largest in Austria, but we have the most different kinds of
soyproducts. Our next competitor is: Sojarei in Baden and a
smaller one is Tofurei in Wels. Furthermore there is only one
Tempeh-producer in Vienna who sells tempeh and different
cookies. These are all soy-producers in Austria. We hope
we could help you with this information. With best regards.
N.S.: Red miso and barley miso is in development since
1984.” Address: Sojvita Produktions GmbH, Hauptplatz 1,
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 391
Lichtenwoerth, Austria. Phone: 02622 / 75494.
1256. Shurtleff, William; Aoyagi, Akiko. comps. 1988.
Marketing soyfoods–Labels, ads, posters, and other graphics:
Soynuts, natto, modern soy protein products, soy fl our, soy
oil, whole soybean foods, letterheads and business cards.
Lafayette, California: Soyfoods Center. 76 leaves. Illust. No
index. 28 cm. Series: Marketing soyfoods.
• Summary: This book is a collection of black-and-white
photocopies of materials. Address: Soyfoods Center, P.O.
Box 234, Lafayette, California 94549.
1257. Kanai, Noritoshi. 1988. Miyako Oriental Foods,
Mutual Trading Co., Rice Koji, Amazake, Natto, and Miso
(Interview). SoyaScan Notes. March 4 and 10. Conducted by
William Shurtleff of Soyfoods Center.
• Summary: Mr. Kanai recalls that the brochure describing
how to make miso and amazake using Cold Mountain Koji
was printed in 1976, the same year the Miyako factory
began. They immediately started to sell the koji, using the
brochure. Miyako is owned 60% by Mutual Trading Co. and
40% by Yamajirushi Miso Co., a joint venture.
Mutual Trading Co. started to import Amazake from
Japan to American in about 1968. He thinks they were the
fi rst company to do so. If that is correct, this would have
been the fi rst amazake sold commercially in the USA. The
product was imported frozen in non-aseptic polyethylene
bags. At the same time they imported frozen natto, and
non-frozen miso and Hamanatto. Mutual Trading presently
imports amazake in 6.3 oz (180 ml) cans. It is ready to
drink. His amazake is made in Japan by Morinaga, the
confectionery company, not the milk company. It is a real
amazake, not a sake kasu type. Nishimoto also imports
amazake in 6.3 oz tins; the brand is Imuraya. North
American Food in San Francisco, a sister company (not a
subsidiary) of Mutual Trading Co. Tokiwa in Los Angeles,
Hosoda Brothers in San Francisco, and Central Boeki in
Long Island, New York, probably do not import amazake. He
thinks that total imports are about 1,000 cases a year. Mutual
Trading imports about 200 cases a year (48 x 6.3 oz cans/
case).
Miyako has recently reached its full capacity for
making koji. So they are planning to expand by installing an
automatic koji making machine. The machine has already
been ordered from Nagata (preferred over their competitor
Fujiwara) in Japan. The machine should be in Los Angeles
in late April or early May, and start operation by June. He
is thinking of adding barley miso and a new variety of rice
miso. Now they use only half of the building’s fl oor space, so
there is plenty of room for expansion. They plan to expand
upward one level. Address: Los Angeles, California.
1258. Product Name: [Tofu, Tempeh, Natto, Okara
Croquettes].