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

where she visited with Christian Elwell, Robin Cole, Megan
Calogeras, and Charles Kendall–who is still making natto,
amazake, and mochi. Address: Radical Food, P.O. Box 952,
Mill Valley, California 94942-0952.
1731. Shrestha, Ashok K.; Noomhorm, Ataphol. 2002.
Comparison of physico-chemical properties of biscuits
supplemented with soy and kinema fl ours. International J. of
Food Science & Technology (UK) 37(4):361-68. April. [30
ref]
• Summary: Evaluation of sensory characteristics showed
greater acceptance of kinema-supplemented biscuits than
of those supplemented with full-fat soy fl our. Address:
Agricultural and Food Engineering Program, School of
Environmental Resources and Development, Asian Inst. of
Technology, P.O. Box 4, Klongluang, Pathumthani [Pathum
Thani], 12120, Thailand.
1732. Steinkraus, Keith H. 2002. Fermentations in world
food processing. Comprehensive Reviews in World Food
Science and Food Safety 1(1):23-32. April. [96 ref]
• Summary: The section titled “Alkaline fermentations” (p.
28) states that highly alkaline fermentations are generally
safe. These include dawadawa in Nigeria, soumbara in
the Ivory Coast, and iru in West Africa–each made by
fermentation of the soaked and cooked seeds of the African
locust bean tree (Parkia biglobosa). This is a bacterial
fermentation; the bacteria belong to the genus Bacillus,
typically Bacillus subtilis. No inoculum is used.
Soybeans can be substituted for the locust beans.
Protein-rich alkaline fermentations also include several
based traditionally on soybeans; natto from Japan, thuanao
from northern Thailand, and kinema from Nepal and
environs. In each food, the essential microorganism is
Bacillus subtilis and related bacilli. The enzymes produced
are highly proteolytic; the proteins in the substrate are
hydrolyzed to peptides and amino acids. Ammonia is
released and the pH rapidly rises to 8.0 or higher. The
combination of high pH and free ammonia plus the rapid
growth of the essential microorganisms at relatively high
temperatures (above 40ºC) make it diffi cult for spoilage
microorganisms to grow. Therefore the products are quite
stable and well-preserved. They are safe to eat even when
made in an unhygienic environment.
The section titled “High salt savory fl avored amino
/ peptide sauces and pastes” (p. 28) discusses sauces and
pastes including Chinese soy sauce, Japanese shoyu and
miso, Indonesian kecap, Korean kanjang, Malaysian kicap,
Taiwanese inyu.
“The ancient discovery of how to transform bland
vegetable protein into meat-fl avored amino acid /
peptide sauces and pastes was an outstanding human
accomplishment.” Address: Prof. Emeritus, Microbiology
and Food Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14853.
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 529
1733. IKWW (Indigenous Knowledge Worldwide) (Silang,
Cavite, Philippines.2002. Traditional methods for processing
locust beans. May. *
• Summary: The process of making dawa-dawa, which may
vary slightly by region and among producers, is described as
follows using the Yoruba word iru.
“The traditional process for producing iru begins with
the manual removal of the pod’s outer layer. The yellow pulp
inside the pod, in which the seed is embedded, is then soaked
in water and strained through a sieve or basket to remove
the seeds. The clean seeds are boiled in water for about 24
hours to soften the hard seed coat. When the seeds are cool,
the seed coats are loosened through abrasion [as by rubbing
between the hands]. They fl oat to the top of the water while
the clean beans settle to the bottom of the container. The
next stage is fermentation. The clean beans are wrapped in
leaves or plastic in an air-tight container. This is kept at room
temperature for three to seven days depending on the type of
iru to be produced. Usually charcoal is placed on top to aid
fermentation. After fermentation the product is ready to use.
For storage, common salt [NaCl] is added and the product
is then dried in the sun. The salted, dried iru can be kept for
months.”
Note: This periodical is published by the International
Institute of Rural Reconstruction in an area directly south of
Manila, Philippines. Address: Philippines.
1734. Liu, B.Y.; Song, H.Y. 2002. [Molecular cloning and
expression of Nattokinase gene in Bacillus subtilis]. Sheng
Wu Hua Xue Yu Sheng Wu Wu Li Xue Bao (Shanghai)
34(3):338-40. May. [Chi]*
• Summary: In order to characterize biochemically the
enzyme nattokinase, the nucleotide sequence of the
nattokinase gene was amplifi ed from the chromosomal DNA
of B. subtilis (natto) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
The expression plasmid pBL NK was constructed and was
used to transform Bacillus subtilis containing a chromosomal
deletion in its subtilisin gene. Address: Dep. of Molecular
Genetics, School of Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai
200032, China.
1735. Corcoran, David. 2002. Restaurants: The sushi belt. A
Japanese restaurant is reborn as it installs automated service.
New York Times. June 9. p. NJ20.
• Summary: This is another review of East Japanese
Restaurant (1405 Teaneck Rd., Teaneck, New Jersey). East
has installed a kaiten-zushi revolving conveyor belt that
carries pieces of sushi around the sushi bar. On it the “chefs
continually place little plates of fresh sushi, to which the
diners help themselves. The color of the plate indicates the
price; at the end of the meal the waiter adds it all up.”
The idea was invented in Osaka in the late 1950s; it has
transformed this sushi bar from a calm, relaxed, mediocre