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

48; each a kind of “vegetable cheese”). The latter section
also discusses the Soja bean, Fr. Haberlandt, koji, shoyu
(called shojou, soy or shoyn), tofu and nukamiso. Reports
by H.C. Prinsen-Geerligs “on the preparation (by the aid of
fungoid ferments) of other dishes from soja beans in Chinese
cookery, such as Taohu or bean-cheese [tofu], the sauce Taoyu,
&c.”
In Chapter 33, titled “The fi xation of free nitrogen by
bacteria” (p. 259-71) are sections on “The discovery of
leguminous nodules” (p. 261-62; Malpighi, Boussingault,
Hellriegel), “Formation and functions of the nodules” (p.
262-64; Lachmann, Frank, Woronin, Hellriegel, Wilfarth),
“The nodule bacteria” (p. 264-66; organized albuminoids,
Bacillus radicicola), and “The bacteroids” (p. 266-69).
Concerning bacteroids: “The fi rst successful, artifi cial
production of nodules by the aid of pure cultures was made
by A. Prazmowski. This worker, in view of the absence of
the sporogenic faculty in these organisms, changed the name
of Bacillus radicicola, bestowed on them by Beyerinck, into
Bacterium radicicola.”
Note 3. This is the earliest English-language document
seen (March 2003) that uses the word “bacteroids” (or
“bacteroid”) in connection with root nodules on plants.
Note 4. This is the earliest English-language document
seen (Feb. 2004) that uses the word “Taohu” to refer
to Chinese-style tofu. Address: Prof. of Fermentation-
Physiology and Bacteriology, Imperial Technical High
School, Vienna.
91. Sawer, E.R. 1910. Studies in agriculture. Series 2. The
soya bean. Div. of Agriculture and Forestry, Natal, South
Africa. 33 p. Reprinted from the Natal Mercury. [10 ref]
• Summary: Contents: 1. The agricultural romance. 2. The
commercial aspect. 3. The adaptability of the bean. 4. The
cultivation of the crop. 5. Soya bean oil. 6. A food for man.
7. A stock food and fertiliser (the cake is widely used as
an agricultural fertiliser in the Far East). A photo (opposite
contents page) shows two men standing in a crop of soy
beans at the Central Experiment Farm, Cedara, 1908-09.
Concerning “Soya bean oil”: “In the Far East it is largely
employed for edible purposes; it is suitable for cooking, for
a salad oil, and as a component in such butter substitutes as
margarine. In the ‘Mark Lane Gazette’ for Jan. 20, 1910, it is
stated that one third of the frying oil used in London kitchens
now comes from the soya bean, instead of from cotton seed
as heretofore” (p. 21).
Illustrations on unnumbered pages show: (1) A typical
soya bean plant. (2) Botanical characters of soya bean,
with close-ups of vegetative parts, fl oral parts, and fruit. (3)
Seeds and pods of 7 varieties of soya beans. (4) Soya bean
seedlings, with roots. (5) Roots of soya bean plant, with
nodules (by Blanchard). (6) Curing frame for harvesting soya
beans. Address: Director, Div. of Agriculture, Natal, Durban,
South Africa.
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 62
92. Bontoux, Emile. 1911. Le Soja et ses dérivés [The
soybean and its products]. Matieres Grasses (Les)
(Paris) 4(36):2195-99. April 25; 4(37):2239-43. May 25;
4(39):2326-29. July 25; 4(40):2364-66. Aug. 25; 4(41):2405-
07. Sept. 25. [48 ref. Fre]
• Summary: Contents. Introduction. The plant: origin and
history, species and varieties, culture, and production: USA,
Japan, Manchuria, France, England, China, Korea, Indochina
(it is cultivated for the needs of the population in Cochin
China {especially in the provinces of Chaudoc and Baria},
Annam, Tonkin, Cambodia), Formosa, Java, India, Africa.
The soybean–a food plant: The plant, the seed, large table
showing many analyses from many countries of the chemical
composition of many soybean seed varieties.
Introduction to food products made from soybeans in
East Asia. Shoyu [soy sauce] (and koji). Miso. Natto (from
Japan). Le Tao-yu (a Chinese condiment also widely used
in Japan. It is a thick, clear liquid made from black-seeded
soybeans) Tao-tjiung (doujiang, from China). Tuong (from
Annam). Tofu. Li Yu-ying. Table showing composition of
powdered soymilk, fresh tofu, and soy fl our.
The soybean–an oilseed plant. The soybean as an
oilseed in the Far East. Table showing exports of soybean
cake and oil from various Manchurian and Chinese ports in
1908 and 1909. The soybean as an oilseed in Europe and
the United States. Table showing imports of soybeans to
various British ports in 1909 and 1910 (the leading port by
far is Hull, followed in 1909 by Liverpool, London, Bristol
Channel, Scotland, and Other ports {Rochester, etc.}). Table
showing exports of soy oil from Great Britain in 1910: To
Germany, Austria, Australia, USA, Belgium, Denmark,
Egypt, France, Holland, Italy, the Indies (Indes), Norway,
Russia, Sweden, other, total (115,372 barrels, each weighing
175 kg). Discussion of soy oil and cake in most of the above
countries.
Trade in soybean seeds: Mitsui Bussan, Manchuria,
England, China, Japan. Soybean cake.
Soy oil: Physical and chemical properties. Applications
and uses as food and in industry: Margarine, for illumination,
soaps, as a drying oil, paints and varnishes, linoleum,
artifi cial rubber. An extensive bibliography is at the end of
the last article in the series.
Note: This is the earliest document seen (May 2010)
concerning the cultivation of soybeans in Cambodia. This
document contains the earliest date seen for the cultivation
of soybeans in Cambodia (April 1911). Earlier documents
imply that soybeans were being cultivated in Cambodia by
1900, and it is highly likely that they were being cultivated
for at least a century before that time. Address: Ingénieurchimiste
E.C.I.L., France.
93. Christian Science Monitor.1911. Plant cheese. July 15. p.
9.