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

an. Adapted from Shi and Ren (1993). (3) Flow chart of a
pure-culture method for making Chinese jiang from whole
soybeans (65%) and wheat fl our (35%). Adapted from Shi
and Ren (1993). (4) Flow chart of an enzymatic method
for making Chinese jiang from whole soybeans (65%)
and wheat fl our (35%). Adapted from Shi and Ren (1993).
(5) Flow chart of the manufacturing process for Japanese
rice miso [red miso]. Adapted from Fukushima (1981).
(6) Diagram of the interactions of basic miso components
during miso fermentation. From Shurtleff and Aoyagi (1983)
who adapted it from Shibasaki and Hesseltine (1962). (7)
Graph of trichloracetic acid (TCA)-soluble nitrogen (N)
contents of miso samples prepared with soybeans cooked at
different temperatures for 10 minutes, followed by 0 days
or 25 days of fermentation. Adapted from Nikkuni et al.
(1988). (8) Graph of temperature and time control curves
for different types of Japanese miso during fermentation.
Adapted from Shurtleff and Aoyagi (1983). (9) Photo of soy
sauce in three different containers: dispenser, small Yamasa
bottle, and large Chinese can (Soy, Superior Sauce). (10)
Flow chart of a typical manufacturing process for koikuchi
shoyu, the most widely used type of Japanese soy sauce.
Adapted from Fukushima (1981). (11) Graph (salt content
% vs. temperature) Of safety zone for enzymatic digestion
of shoyu koji. Protein digestibility and amino acid content
in Zone A are better than those in Zone B. From Yokotsuka
(1986). (12) Graph of lactic acid fermentation of shoyu mash
as a function of time. Adapted from Jose et al. (1976). (13)
Flow chart of role of the proteolytic enzymes of koji mold
in liberation of amino acids from proteins. Adapted from
Fukushima (1985). (14) Chromatogram of organic acids
in fermented and chemical [HVP] soy sauce manufactured
in the United States. Optical densities vs. retention time.
From Fukushima (1979a). (15) Flow chart of traditional
Indonesian method for making tempeh from whole soybeans.
Adapted from Winarno (1989). (16) Four superimposed
graphs of change in pH and organic acids as a function of
incubation time during accelerated acidifi cation of soybeans
at 30ºC. Shows acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, and pH.
Adapted from de Reu et al. (1995a). (17) Graph of water
soluble nitrogen content in the fermentation of soybeans with
Rhizopus oligosporus during the traditional tempeh process
at 25, 30, and 37ºC, and with the rotating drum reactor at
36ºC. (18) Photo of two chopsticks lifting some Japanese
natto from a bowl full of natto; the thin strings connecting
the natto above and below are clearly visible. (19) Flow chart
of typical method for making Japanese natto from whole
soybeans. (20) Photo of Chinese fermented black soybeans
(douchi) on a white plate. (21) Flow chart of typical method
for making Chinese fermented black soybeans from whole
soybeans. (22) Photo of cubes of sufu (Chinese cheese) in
a shallow white bowl. (23) Flow chart for making Chinese
sufu from fi rm tofu.
Tables: (1) Proximate composition of some traditional
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 491
soyfoods (both fermented and nonfermented). (2)
Classifi cation of major types of Japanese miso and their
chemical composition. Adapted from Fukushima (1979a). (3)
Types of soy sauce recognized by the Japanese government
and their chemical composition. (4) Comparison between
fermented soy sauce and protein chemical hydrolysate [HVP
soy sauce]. Source: Yokotsuka (1986). (5) Relationship
between cooking soybeans and nitrogen composition and
yield of resultant soy sauce. Source: Fukushima (1979b).
(6) Detailed composition of fermented Japanese soy sauce
(Koikuchi shoyu). Source: Yokotsuka (1986). Includes
inorganic components (minerals), organic components,
amino acids, organic acids, sugars, solids, etc. (7) Selected
enzymatic activities, soluble nitrogen content, and stringiness
of natto samples prepared with soybeans cooked under
a pressure of 1.5 kg per square cm for various periods.
Adapted from Matsumoto et al. 1995. (8) Major responsible
microorganisms isolated from sufu made in different parts
of China. Column 1 is the genus and species. Column 2 is
areas where the sufu is made, including Taiwan and Hong
Kong. Adapted from Shi and Ren (1993). Address: PhD,
Soyfood Lab., Hartz Seed, a Unit of Monsanto, P.O. Box
946, Stuttgart, Arkansas 72160-0946. Phone: 870-673-8565.
1581. Sarkar, P.K.; Jones, L.J.; Craven, G.S.; Somerset,
S.M.; Palmer, C. 1997. Amino acid profi les of kinema, a
soybean-fermented food. Food Chemistry 59(1):69-75. [20
ref]
Address: 1-4. Government Chemical Lab., Queensland
Health, P.O. Box 594, Archerfi eld, Brisbane, QLD 4108,
Australia.
1582. Nagai, Toshirou; Koguchi, K,; Itoh, Y. 1997. Chemical
analysis of poly-gamma-glutamic acid produced by plasmidfree
Bacillus subtilis (natto): Evidence that plasmids are
not involved in poly-gamma-glutamic acid production. J. of
General and Applied Microbiology (Tokyo) 43(3):139-43.
June. [31 ref]
• Summary: A key discovery concerning the role of plasmids
in the natto fermentation. “It has been postulated that the psf
gene on a small plasmid, pUH1 (5.8 kb) regulates positively
the synthesis of capsular poly-gamma-glutamic acid (gamma
PGA) in Bacillus subtilis (natto) Asahikawa.”
Note: In 1982 there were three known strains of Bacillus
subtilis (natto): Asahikawa, F, and M. Address: Div. of
Applied Microbiology, National Food Research Inst. (NFRI),
MAFF, Tsukuba 305, Japan.
1583. SoyaScan Notes.1997. How different types of bacteria
reproduce and the amount of heat required to kill them
(Overview). Sept. 28. Compiled by William Shurtleff of
Soyfoods Center.
• Summary: What are bacteria? They are tiny, one-celled
organisms that can usually be seen only with the aid of a