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

increase soybean sales to Japan. AgExporter (USDA, FAS).
Dec. p. 12-13.
• Summary: “Japan is the world’s largest market for
soybeans, importing around 4.68 million metric tons in
1990. While most soybeans are crushed for meal and oil or
processed into soy protein and soy sauce, there is another
usage–direct food use–that offers potential for growing U.S.
sales.
“While the volume of soybean imports for crushing to
make meal and oil has stayed relatively unchanged over the
past several years, soybean imports for human consumption
have increased steadily from 827,000 metric tons in 1980 to
1.2 million tons in 1990, an increase of 45 percent. No other
country imports such a large quantity of soybeans for food
use.”
“The U.S. share of the food-use soybean market is
around 75 percent, with exports to Japan increasing 17
percent since 1985.
“Domestic production limited: Despite government
programs designed to increase domestic production, soybean
area planted in Japan has declined in recent years because
growers are interested in more lucrative crops such as
vegetables and fl owers. As a result, Japan has had to import
soybeans in order to meet the demand.
“About three-fourths of Japan’s soybean imports, or
around $900 million worth, come from the United States,
translating into an important and steady market for U.S.
soybean growers. Also, there are no tariffs or duties to
hinder imports of soybeans, making the market even more
attractive.
“... Japan is the world’s largest buyer of food-quality
soybeans, which are used for a variety of Japanese foods.”
A brief description is given of tofu (the most popular food
in Japan made from soybeans), miso, and natto. “In 1989,
42% of soybeans for food use [in Japan] went into tofu, 14%
went into miso, 8% went into natto and 36% went into other
soybean products. The demand for soybeans used for direct
consumption is increasing approximately 3% per year for
tofu and miso and about 7% for natto.”
Today about 25% of the soybeans used in Japan go for
food use while the rest is crushed for oil and meal.
“According to the American Soybean Association
(ASA), the varietal soybeans in demand in Japan have an
estimated farm gate value in the United States of $1-3 per
bushel above crushing beans. This could represent added
returns to U.S. soybean producers of up to $55 million per
year.”
A graph shows the number of metric tons, from 1980 to
1990, used for crushing soybeans and for food-use soybeans.
Address: Oilseeds and Products Div, FAS.
1391. Product Name: [Natto].
Foreign Name: Natto.
Manufacturer’s Name: Soy & Rice.
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 429
Manufacturer’s Address: Via A. Canale 8/c, 10078 Venaria
Reale (TO), Italy. Phone: 011-402-0380.
Date of Introduction: 1991. December.
Ingredients: Soya, Bacillus subtilis.
How Stored: Refrigerated.
New Product–Documentation: Letter and Label sent by
Bosco Franca and Garafola Carmelo of Soy & Rice. 1992.
Feb. 4 by 2.75 inches. Black on white. Self adhesive. The
logo is that developed by Mitoku which states in Japanese
characters “I Shoku Dô Gen” (Medicine and food come from
the same source, or Your food is your best medicine). Store
at 4ºC [39.2ºF].
1392. Griffi s, G.; Wiedermann, L. 1991. Marketing food
quality soybeans in Japan. St. Louis, Missouri: American
Soybean Association. 24 p. *
1393. Okuhiro, T.; Kuwano, Y. 1991. [Characteristics and
application of konbu minerals]. Gekkan Fudo Kemikaru
7:112-17. [Jap]*
1394. Shinoda, S.; Yoshida, T. 1991. [Phytate content in
fermented soybean (natto)]. Tachikawa Tandai Kiyo 24:103-
104. (Chem. Abst. 115:254543). [Jap]*
1395. Sumi, Hiroyuki. 1991. [Nattokinase and fi brinolysis].
Kagaku to Seibutsu (Chemistry and Biology) 29:119-234
(Chem. Abst. 115:63810. 1991). [Jap]*
1396. Watanabe, Sugio. 1991. [The natto industry: The
process of development and its present status]. Daizu Geppo
(Soybean Monthly News) 169:9-19. [Jap]*
1397. Arora, Dilip K.; Mukerji, K.G.; Marth, E.H. eds. 1991.
Handbook of applied mycology. Vol. 3: Foods and feeds.
New York, NY: Marcel Dekker, Inc. x + 621 p. Illust. Index.
26 cm.
• Summary: Contains 17 chapters by various authors.
Two chapters, of special interest, are cited separately: 10.