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

“The future: While emphasis is presently being placed
on the preparation and utilization of soybean at home,
there is likely going to be a shift to commercial control
processing of soybean... With the reduction in the availability
of groundnut coupled with its soaring prices, soybean will
play a more vigorous role in the formulation of livestock
feed, with the possibility of reduction in feed cost and
consequently of livestock produce.” Address: 1. International
Inst. of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Rd.,
Ibadan, Nigeria; 2. Inst. for Agricultural Research and
Training (IAR&T), Ibadan, Nigeria.
1291. Okada, Noriyuki. 1989. Role of microorganisms in
tempeh manufacture–Isolation of vitamin B-12 producing
bacteria. JARQ (Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly)
22(4):310-16. March. [12 ref. Eng]
• Summary: The vitamin B-12 content of tempeh made in
Indonesia was found to be 4.6 micrograms (mcg) per 100 gm
fresh weight, much higher than any other vegetarian food
tested. But this was based on one sample transported slowly
from Indonesia to Japan and its smell was no good when
the value was measured. A sample brought quickly from
Indonesia with good smell contained 0.7 mcg/100 gm. A
sample prepared in Japan with tempeh starter from Indonesia
contained only 0.05 mcg. And tempeh prepared in Japan with
Rhizopus oligosporus NRRL 2710 contained 0.03 to 0.06
mcg/100 gm. Other vegetarian foods containing signifi cant
amounts of vitamin B-12 were thua-nao (Thailand) 1.5
mcg and fermented tofu (Singapore, also called Sufu) 1.1
mcg. Flesh-based foods with a high B-12 content included
Ka-pi shrimp paste (Thailand) 5.3 mcg, fermented shrimp
(Thailand) 2.5 mcg, and fi sh sauce, 3 month fermentation
(Thailand) 2.4 mcg. The vitamin B-12 in vegetarian foods is
produced by the fermentation process and it increases during
fermentation. Flesh foods contain their own B-12. The daily
requirement of vitamin B-12 for adults is estimated to be 3
mcg.
Bacteria that produced vitamin B-12 in tempeh were
isolated and identifi ed. The most prolifi c producer was
Klebsiella pneumoniae, which had a maximum relative
B-12 productivity of 1350. All prolifi c producers were
members of the genus Klebsiella but some Bacillus species
also produced B-12. The author suggests that intraspecifi c
cell fusion techniques might be used to transfer this ability
to Bacillus natto, the natto bacterium, which is presently
unable to produce vitamin B-12. Address: Dep. of Applied
Microbiology, National Food Research Inst., Tsukuba,
Ibaraki 305, Japan.
1292. Rickman, Phyllis C. 1989. Tokyo Rose just wants to
have fun. Washington Post. May 21. p. M35.
• Summary: This is a review of the restaurant Tokyo Rose
(2427 18th St., NW, Washington, DC). This popular Adams-
Morgan Japanese restaurant, a place to have fun, “serves four
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 400
tofu appetizers, one of them hasamiage, which two different
waiters said ‘tastes scary.’” The reviewer accepted the
challenge and was broad-minded enough to like it, although
it looked like “blintzes in a tofu wrapper.”
“Cold tofu, mashed with avocado and raw quail egg, and
grilled tofu with natto turned out to be only weird rather than
frightening. Tofu almond fry (which seems to be broiled,
rather than fried, almond-crusted bean-curd triangles) is, I’m
relieved to say, delicious.”
Grilled clams or oysters were served with a “sweetened
soy glaze.” And “sea trout or seafood brochettes are brushed
with sweetened soy and caramelized under the grill so the
fl esh is moist and crunchy.”
1293. Library of Congress, Subject Cataloging Div.,
Processing Services. 1989. Library of Congress subject
headings. 12th edition. Washington, DC: Cataloging
Distribution Service, Library of Congress. 3 volumes.
• Summary: This 12th edition (LCSH 12) contains
approximately 173,000 headings established by the Library
through Sept. 1988. The book was available on 3 May 1989.
Approximately 10,000 headings were added since the 11th
edition in 1988. Among these headings are 139,000 topical
subject headings, 22,000 geographic subject headings,
10,000 personal names (incl. 9,000 family names), 2,600
corporate headings. This book should be used with the
Subject Cataloging Manual (1989. 3rd ed.).
These subject headings have been accumulated by
LC since 1898 and the fi rst edition of LCSH was printed
between 1909 and 1914. Subject headings are listed in
boldface type. Approximately 40% of headings are followed
by LC class numbers, which are added only when there is a
close correspondence between the subject heading and the
provisions of the LC classifi cation schedules.
References show the relationship between terms: (1) The
equivalence relationship: Use of UF (Use for) references.
(2) The hierarchical relationship: Broader terms (BT) and
narrower terms (NT). BT and NT function as reciprocals.
A term appearing as a BT must be matched by the reversed
relationship as an NT (e.g., Motor Vehicles. BT Vehicles.
NT Trucks). (3) The associative relationship: Related terms
(RT. Ornithology. RT Birds). May Subd Geog (MSG) = May
subdivide geographically. Soy related subject headings, listed
alphabetically, are:
Fermented soyfoods (MSG). BT Food, Fermented.
Soyfoods. NT Fermented soymilk. Miso. Natto. Soy sauce.
Tempeh.
Fermented soyfoods industry (MSG). BT Soyfoods
industry. NT Miso industry. Nattô industry. Soy sauce
industry. Fermented soymilk (MSG). BT Fermented
soyfoods. Soymilk.
Hydrogenation [QD281.H8]
Information storage and retrieval systems–Soyfoods.
Lecithin [QP752.L4 (Physiology), or RM666.L4