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

Soybean buyers mission from new markets, July 1-7, 1990.
Tokyo, Japan: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. 61
p. 30 cm. Saddle stitched. [Eng]
• Summary: This conference took place in Ontario, Canada.
On the mission were two buyers each from Indonesia (P.T.
Indofood Interna Corp., BULOG), Philippines (Universal
Robina Corp., Paritas Trading Corp.), and Taiwan (Sun Ford
Mfg. Corp, Great Wall Enterprise Co.). Michael Loh of
OMAF/Tokyo was the mission leader. Contents: Background
and purpose. Mission members. Itinerary. Seminar agenda.
Canada’s soybean industry, by Fred Brandenburg of
OSGMB. An overview of export opportunities in the new
markets (Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia), by Michael
Loh of OMAF, Tokyo. Role of Taiwan Soybean Importers,
by Laurence Hsiao of Sun Ford Conglomerate Corp.
Soybean market in Indonesia, by A. Saifullah of BULOG,
Indonesia. The market prospective for tempeh in the year
2000, by Ms. Susani K. Karta, manager, P.T. Indofood
Interna Corp. (Indonesia). Appendix: 1. Ontario soybean
suppliers (directory of 15 exporters). 2. Useful contacts. 3.
Ontario soybean oil crushers (ADM, Victory Soya Mills,
Central Soya of Canada). 4. Role of the Ontario Soybean
Growers’ Marketing Board. 5. Development of soybean
varieties (incl. Harovinton for tofu; Canatto, Nattawa, and
Nattosan for natto). 6. Market trends in the development of
traditional soyfood, by Susani K. Karta (ASA, Singapore;
Originally presented at the ASEAN Food Conference, Oct.
1988, Bangkok, Thailand). 7. Reference materials for doing
business in Asia/Pacifi c.
“Natto soybean variety development at Agriculture
Canada in Ottawa has also received considerable support
from the OSGMB. Ottawa’s Dr. Harvey Voldeng has been
extremely successful at breeding Canada’s top natto varieties
(Canatto, Nattawa, and Nattosan) as well as incorporating
higher protein levels into other early maturing varieties.”
“Soybean breeders are selecting for high protein and
white hilum whenever possible” (p. 40). Address: Tokyo,
Japan.
1341. Sugawara, Etsuko; Ito, T.; Yonekura, Y.; Sakurai, Y.;
Odagiri, S. 1990. [Effect of amino acids on microbiological
pyrazine formation by B. Natto in a chemically defi ned
liquid medium]. Nippon Shokuhin Kogyo Gakkaishi (J.
of the Japanese Society of Food Science and Technology)
37(7):520-23. [9 ref. Jap; eng]*
Address: Dep. of Agricultural Chemistry, Iwate Univ., Ueda,
Morioka 020, Japan.
1342. Asahi Shinbun Weekly Magazine.1990. “Chikyû ni
yasashii” o ure: Kankyô-shoku Nattô ga shinrin o sukuu [Sell
“Kind to the Earth”: Eco-friendly food, natto saves forests].
Aug. 21. p. 6. [Jap]
• Summary: A large photo shows a New York chef who
cooks with natto.
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 417
1343. GEM Cultures. 1990. Catalog [Mail order]. 30301
Sherwood Rd., Fort Bragg, CA 95437. 9 p. Aug. [4 ref]
• Summary: This catalog celebrates the company’s tenth
anniversary. Contents: 1. Powdered cultures for soycrafters:
Powdered tempeh starter, PTS (11 gm [$2.25, makes 5+ lb
of tempeh], 35 gm, 500 gm, 1000 gm). Starter cultures for
miso, amazake, shoyu, and tamari. Introductory koji kits.
Commercial spore packets for miso or shoyu. Powdered
natto starter. Rice koji (cultured rice) for light misos,
amazake, pickles. Most in home or commercial sizes. 2.
Cookbooks with culture (lists 4 books). 3. Natural salts for
curding tofu: Natural nigari or Terra Alba calcium sulfate
in 1 lb or 5 lb bags. 3. Self renewing cultures: Fresh viili
culture, fresh kefi r curds, fresh sourdough culture, seed miso.
4. Sea vegetables from the Mendocino Sea Vegetable Co.
5. Handy reusable items: Super sealers (lids for canning),
cheesecloth (grade 60), gauze drawstring bags (for spices
in mulled cider, whole herbs, etc.). Address: Fort Bragg,
California. Phone: 707-964-2922.
1344. Torii, Yasuko. 1990. [Re: New developments with
tempeh and natto in Japan]. Letters to William Shurtleff at
Soyfoods Center, Sept. 2 and 23. 2 p. Handwritten and typed,
with signature. [Jap; eng+]
• Summary: In Japan, tempeh has not become popular.
Marusan-Ai has stopped making tempeh. What a shame that
Mr. Kanasugi, who was so enthusiastic about tempeh, has
just passed away. The Tempeh Study Group (Kenkyukai)
is still meeting 2-3 times a year and trying to popularize
tempeh.
On the other hand, natto is becoming very popular and
production is increasing rapidly. Natto groups are sponsoring
various events to help popularize natto outside Japan.
Mrs. Torii traveled to Budapest, Hungary in early
September to attend an IFOAM Conference on organic
farming, which is spreading in Eastern Europe. There she
enjoyed tasty chilled tofu (Hiya-yakko) and met a person
who knows a lot about tofu. At an international agricultural
fair, she found that soyfoods were becoming popular.
The booths offering roasted soybean snacks and soya
burgers were crowded. She saw an attractive soy cookbook
containing color photos, and met a man who is translating
The Book of Tofu into Hungarian. The Kombinat was doing a
lot to develop and popularize soyfoods.
In Feb. she went to Indonesia with other members
of the Tempeh Study Group to attend a symposium on
soybean fermentation. It was very interesting. Address:
Kamitsuchidana 324, Ayase-shi, Kanagawa-ken 252, Japan.
Phone: 0467-76-0811.
1345. Vegeta (Japanese Monthly Magazine).1990. Nattô
toraianguru: Tenpe was Indonesia no dentôshoku desu [The
natto triangle: Tempeh is a traditional food of Indonesia].