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

Soybeans for the Soyfoods Market” at the Holiday Inn
Gateway Center, Ames Iowa. No proceedings were
published. Schedule: Wednesday evening: Tour of Iowa State
University’s Pilot Plant and Center for Crops Utilization
and Research. Soyfoods tasting reception follows at the
Holiday Inn Gateway Center for conference registrants.
Thursday. Morning session: Markets, trade, and policy.
8:30 a.m.–Welcome and introductions, by Lester A. Wilson.
9:00–Japanese soyfoods markets, by Hideki Furuhata, Mitsui
& Co. 9:45–Growth potential for soyfood beans in Asian
markets, by Lester A. Wilson. 10:30–Break. 10:45–U.S.
participation in soyfoods markets in the Pacifi c Rim, by
Robert Neal, Agri-Grain Marketing. 11:30–Trade policy
changes and opportunities, by Paul Gallagher. 12:15–Lunch.
Afternoon session: Soybean varietal effects on soyfood
quality. 1:30 p.m.–The effect of varietal characteristics on
perceived soyfood quality, by Keisuke Kitamura, Chief,
Legume Breeding Lab, MAFF [Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries], National Agricultural Research
Center, 3-1 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan. 2:15–
Soybean breeder panel discussion, with Keisuke Kitamura,
Walter Fehr (ISU), Dennis Strayer (Strayer Seeds), Tom
Brumm (MBS Seeds), Clark Jennings (Pioneer Hi-Bred
Intl.), Jerry Lorenzen (FTE Genetics). 2:45–ISU research
presentations: (1) Soybean varietal and storage effects
on tofu processing–Pilot plant study, by Lester A. Wilson
and Patricia Murphy. (2) Rapid quality testing with nearinfrared
whole grain analyzers, by Charles Hurburgh.
3:30–Break. 3:45–Health benefi ts of soyfoods, by Mark
Messina (American Soybean Association health consultant);
Isofl avones in soybeans and soyfoods, by Patricia Murphy
(ISU Dep. of Food Science and Human Nutrition). 5:00
p.m.–Closing comments and questions.
Conference sponsors: Midwest Agribusiness Trade
Research and Information Center (MATRIC, Iowa State
Univ.). Center for Crops Utilization Research (ISU).
Utilization Center for Agricultural Products (UCAP,
ISU). Iowa Soybean Promotion Board. MSGA/MSPRC
(Minnesota Soybean Growers Assoc. / Minnesota Soybean
Research & Promotion Council). Registration fee: $100
before Feb. 15, or $125 thereafter.
A fi ve-page directory of the 74 attendees is attached.
Address: Ames, Iowa.
1502. Northrup King. 1995. Corporate corner: Specialty
soybeans offer farmers profi table alternatives without yield
sacrifi ces. ASA Today (St. Louis, Missouri) 1(5):4. March.
• Summary: At Northrup King edible soybeans combine
specialty traits with top-notch yields. “Unlike many edible
soybeans, Northrup King varieties are developed fi rst for
yield, then for specialty traits such as yellow hila, seed size,
and high protein content.” John Thorne, director of breeding
for Northrup King, says: “We recognize that even though
these food-grade soybeans may capture a premium price, our
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 464
customers can’t afford to sacrifi ce yields.”
1503. Ontario Soybean Growers’ Marketing Board. 1995.
Technical soybean mission: Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia,
Singapore. March 10-26, 1995. Chatham, Ontario, Canada.
23 p. 28 cm. [Eng]
• Summary: Contents: Participating members: Dr. Karen
Lapsley, Mr. Ron McDougall, Mr. Michael Loh, Mr. Doug
Jessop (food technologist and tofu expert, Harrow Research
Station), Mr. Kim Cooper (marketing specialist, OSGMB).
Note: This is the fi rst Canadian soybean mission in which a
food technologist (Doug Jessop) participated. Background.
Mission objectives. Acknowledgements. Mission details–
Japan: Canadian embassy.
Japan Miso-Co-op Industrial Association: Japan imports
about 250,000 tonnes {metric tons} of soybeans from China
each year, and about 150,000 tonnes of that amount is for
the miso market. The remaining miso soybeans come from
Canada, USA, and Japan. The best soybean for making miso
comes from the Hokkaido area of Japan. It is a large, white
hilum type, perhaps Toyomasuri. Generally the larger the
soybean the better for making miso. Japanese miso makers
need two types of soybeans from Canada: (1) Normal
SQWH (Special Quality White Hilum); average values for
color, taste and texture are acceptable though higher values
would be preferable; (2) High Premium Soybeans; they
would consider paying a premium for better color, taste, and
texture.
Azuma Natto Foods Co. Ltd.: This natto company
uses 7,000 tonnes/year of soybeans making them the third
largest natto maker in Japan. They use 65% USA, 25%
Japanese, and 15% Canadian soybeans. There are four sizes
of natto: Small natto < 5.5 mm accounts for 72% of the
natto market in Japan; Large natto, 5.5 to 6.2, account for
18%. Extra large natto > 8.5 mm account for 18%. Split seed
natto account for 10%. Factors in assessing the suitability
of soybeans for natto are: Fat content should be less than
19%. Total sugars–Group 1 contains sucrose, fructose, and
glucose, group 2 contains raffi nose and stachyose. Calcium
affects the hardness or softness of natto. The ideal range is
180-250 mg/100 gm. Sanwa Company–Tofu manufacturer.
Wed., March 15–Japan Tofu Association: There are over
20,000 tofu makers in Japan, and 53 of these are members
of this association, with half of the 53 being in the Tokyo
area. Only 185 tofu manufacturers in Japan have 30 or
more employees. Tofu makers consider there are two types
of organic soybeans: true organic and semi-organic. The
association imports about 2,000 tonnes of each type from the
USA; they are OCIA certifi ed.
Home Foods Company Ltd. uses 4,000 metric tons
of soybeans a year, mostly a blend of 70% Chinese white
hilum and 30% U.S. white hilum. The soys from the USA
are I.O.M. soybeans, especially the “High Super” variety.
For the more premium market they use a blend of 50%