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

in popular articles are exaggerated or somewhat sensational,
and not fi rmly supported by scientifi c evidence.
6. As we are about to enter a new century and a new
millennium on 1 Jan. 2001, soyfoods appear to have a bright
future, worldwide. This past year has seen more activity and
interest in, and media coverage of, soyfoods than at any time
in the history of the United States.
1691. Fisher, Kate. 2000. Using the old bean: Commodity
soybeans aren’t left out of soyfoods surge. Soybean Digest.
Dec. p. 12, 16.
• Summary: Walt Fehr says that in the soyfood market
there are two types of beans: Specialty beans (premium
market) and commodity beans (general market). Low-cost
commodity beans are used for such things as soy oil plus
some soy protein concentrates, soy isolates and soy fl our.
Until recently, Japanese food processors bought large
amounts of what they call IOM (Indiana, Ohio, Michigan)
soybeans. These are commodity beans that the Japanese
believe have higher protein content and are better for food
uses than commodity beans grown in other parts of the USA.
But biotech issues [concerning genetic engineering] have
caused IOM soybeans to lose considerable market share to
identity-preserved soybeans–most of which are non-GMO.
The premium food-grade market consists of many
soybeans: (1) Small seeded types for natto and soy sprouts.
(2) Large-seeded soybeans for edamame, miso, and tofu. (3)
Other soybeans with special traits for food use, such as high
protein, lipoxygenase free, low saturated fat, low linoleic
acid, etc.
Note: This article is bizarre. The words “organic” and
“non-GMO” are barely mentioned.
1692. Kanai, Y.; Kimura, M.; Kiuchi, K.; Muramatsu,
K.; Yamawake, N.; Yoshimi, T. 2000. [Purifi cation and
crystallization of a new Bacillus subtilis elastase]. Kaseigaku
Zasshi (J. of Home Economics of Japan) 51:1127-35. *
1693. Watanabe, Sugio. 2000. [Growth market: International
industrialization of fermented beans production]. Research J.
of Food and Agriculture (Tokyo) 23:28-33. [142 ref]*
Address: Biotechnology Inst. of Natto, Suzuyo Kogyo Co.
Ltd. Both: Tokyo, Japan.
1694. Diawara, Brehima; et al. 2000. HAACP system
for the traditional African fermented foods: soumbala.
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: Département de Technologie
Alimentaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifi que
et Technologique; and World Association of Industrial and
Technological Research Organizations. *
• Summary: Locust beans and soybeans have different
advantages when used to make dawa-dawa, but current
trends seem to favor expanded soybean use. Locust beans,
the traditional ingredient familiar to dawa-dawa makers are
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 520
relatively easily gathered [except in the tops of tall trees]
when the trees come to fruit; soybeans, however, require
cultivation and water. Also, the sweet pulp of the locust
beans can be eaten raw or processed to make a snack. The
African locust bean tree grows to a height of about 10 to 25
meters (32.8 to 82 feet) and may produce 25 to 100 kg (55
to 220 lb) of fruit (pods) containing about 30% by weight
of seeds in a year. Therefore, in areas where these trees are
abundant and fruitful, it is possible to obtain surpluses for
sale of the pods or of dawa-dawa elsewhere. In fact, ripe
pods are often sold in local markets throughout West Africa.
Soybeans, on the other hand, are easier to prepare, and
being smaller, take only about a quarter as long to cook.
Address: Burkina Faso.
1695. Koizumi, Takeo. 2000. Nattô no kairaku [The
pleasures of natto]. Tokyo: Kodansha. 221 p. 20 cm. Series:
New Fifties. [Jap]*
1696. Kulp, Karel; Ponte, Joseph G., Jr. eds. 2000. Handbook
of cereal science and technology. 2nd ed., revised and
expanded. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker. ix + 790 p. Illust.
Index. 29 cm. Series: Food Science and Technology, No. 99.
• Summary: Chapter 26, “Fermentation and microbiological
processes in cereal foods,” by Pierre Gélinas and Carole
McKinnon (of Food Research and Development Centre,
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec,
Canada) (39 refs) (p. 741-54) contains a long table (p. 742-
46) titled “List of foods prepared from fermented cereals.”
The four columns are: (1) Food name (synonym or related
food). (2) Food type (characteristics). (3) Area (country or
continent). (4) Main microorganisms.
Under “Soybeans” the following foods are listed: Cheefan.
Chinese yeast. Hama-natto. Kenima. Ketjap. Meitauza.
Meju. Miso (chiang, doenjang, kochujang, tauco). Natto.
Soy sauce (kanjang, kecap, kicap, shoyu, taosi [sic]). Sufu
(tahuri, taokoan tao-hu-yi). Tairu (taire–fermented soybean
milk, like yogurt, from Malaysia). Taotjo. Tempe (tempeh).
“Chee-fan” is described as “Curd-like” [fermented tofu]
from China. Main microorganisms: Mucor spp., Aspergillus
glaucus.
Note 1. Taokoan (listed under Sufu, above) is not a
fermented food. It is the Filipino equivalent of Chinese
doufu-gan or “pressed tofu.” Filipino fermented tofu is
tahuri (also spelled tahuli).
Table 2, “List of representative microorganisms
associated with fermented cereal foods” (p. 74-48) contains
two columns: (1) Type of microorganism (and within type,
genus and species, listed alphabetically by genus). (2) Food
produced.
Under “Bacteria” are: Bacillus natto–Hama-natto
[sic], natto. Lactobacillus delbrueckii–Miso, soy sauce.
Pediococcus spp.–Hamanatto. Pediococcus halophilus–Soy
sauce. Streptococcus spp.–Hama-natto.