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

two weeks in 1911 at the Arlington Experimental Farm,
Virginia. (75) Behavior of fl ower color in natural hybrids.
(76) Behavior of pubescence colors in natural hybrids. (77)
Behavior of amount and colors of pubescence in an artifi cial
hybrid. (78) Behavior of the color of pods in natural hybrids.
(79) Behavior of seed colors in natural hybrids. (80) Soybean
crosses in the study of seed color. (81) Behavior of
cotyledons in natural hybrid selections. (82) Behavior of
cotyledons in soybean crosses. (83) Variations in the cooking
qualities of seed of different varieties of soybeans. (84)
Consumption of vegetable oils by the soap industry in the
United States. (85) Consumption of vegetable oils in the
production of lard substitutes and oleomargarine in the
United States. (86) Composition of soybean cake, meal, and
other important oil feeds. (87) Two 17-week comparisons of
soybean meal with other supplements for fattening pigs. (88)
Growth and nitrogen elimination of chicks fed varying
amounts of meat scrap or soybean meal or both, in addition
to a corn ration. (Indiana Experiment Station). (89)
Comparison of the digestibility of soybean meal and other oil
meals. (90) Digestion coeffi cients of soybean meal obtained
with sheep. Massachusetts Experiment Station. (91)
Fertilizing constituents of soybeans, soybean meal, and
cottonseed meal. (92) Analyses and calories of soybeans
compared with those of other legumes and foods. (93)
Composition of soybean fl our in comparison with wheat
fl our, corn meal, rye fl our, graham fl our, and whole wheat
fl our. (94) Composition of the sprouts from the soybean and
mung bean. (95) Composition of soybean milk compared
with cow’s milk. (96) Yields of bean curd obtained from
different varieties of soybeans. (97) Compositions of tofu
and tofu products. (98) Nitrogenous substances in natto. (99)
Composition of hamananatto. After Sawa. (100)
Composition of yuba. (101) Composition of red and white
miso. (102) Composition of shoyu or soy sauce. (103)
Composition of soybeans of the same variety dried, soaked,
and roasted.
155. Church, Margaret B. 1923. Soy and related
fermentations. USDA Department Bulletin No. 1152. 26 p.
May 12. [27 ref]
• Summary: This long and very informative paper, with
its excellent bibliography and review of the literature,
is the third earliest study seen of a fermented food
published by a USDA researcher. The focus is on Japanese
fermentations because of the laboratory’s contact with
Japanese researchers, such as Dr. T. Takahashi and Dr. G.
Kita. “The experimental work reported here was conducted
under the direction of Charles Thom, mycologist in charge,
Microbiological Laboratory, Bureau of Chemistry.”
Contents: Introduction. Work of previous investigators.
Experimental work: Apparatus, material, preparation of
ingredients, shoyu-koji, peanut press cake koji, shoyumoromi.
Proportions of ingredients. Yields. Chinese soy
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HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 95
sauce. Peanut sauce. Relation of enzymic activity to soy
processes. Manufacture in the United States. Related
fermentations (Miso, soy cheese [fermented tofu], natto).
Summary. Bibliography. “Soy sauce is a dark-brown salty
liquid made by the fermentation of soy beans with, as a rule,
some additional starchy component. It is widely used as a
seasoning throughout Japan, China, and Java [Indonesia],
and has been introduced into the Philippines and Hawaii* (*
= See letter from C.W. Carpenter, Sept. 23, 1918). Where the
occidental would use a vegetable or meat extract and salt, the
oriental daily uses soy sauce. Americans are familiar with
soy sauce as it is used in the Chinese-American restaurants
and as an ingredient which produces the characteristic fl avor
of the Worcestershire type of sauce.” In Japan, the process
of preparing “shoyu-koji,” a mold-fermented product made
from “tane-koji,” takes 3 to 4 days. “The mold-fermented
material is emptied into a strong brine, thus producing a
mash. Constant daily attention is given to aeration, even
distribution, and stirring of the solid ingredients. Progressive
changes take place over a period of from six months to
several years, until at last the mature ‘moromi,’ as the mash
is designated by the Japanese, is produced. These changes
are due partially to the activity of bacteria and yeasts, but
chiefl y to the enzymes of the mold introduced into the mash
with the koji.”
“Experimental work: The Department of Agriculture
had certain strains of the Aspergillus fl avus-oryzae group of
molds known to be used in making soy sauce. Through the
courtesy of W.T. Swingle, of the Bureau of Plant Industry,
a can of commercial Japanese rice tane-koji designed for
shoyu manufacture was also received. Dr. Gen-itsu Kita
brought additional samples of shoyu tane-koji under sterile
conditions directly from Japan. Provided thus with soy
beans, wheat, and the mold ferment, experiments with soy
sauce were undertaken by the Bureau of Chemistry in 1918.
(1) “Apparatus: The apparatus was made according
to specifi cations drawn by Doctor [T.] Takahashi, of the
Imperial University of Tokyo, who worked in the bureau for
a month.” “The usual Japanese koji room (fi g. 2) is 32½ feet
long, 11 feet wide, and 7 feet high. The walls are thick, and
in the more modern factories are built of brick, which does
away with fl uctuations in the temperature from without. At
one end of the room is an entrance and at the opposite end
a window. In the ceiling several openings provide means
of escape for the carbon dioxid [dioxide] and the damp air.
Steam pipes along the fl oor make it possible to warm the
room in cold weather. The ceiling is built with many layers
of straw in order that the condensing moisture may be
absorbed. One disadvantage of such a ceiling is that infection
always occurs in the wet straw. A large area of infection
directly over the piles of koji trays is detrimental to the
production of sweet koji. In modern buildings, therefore, the
surface of the ceiling is coated with cement. When a cement
ceiling is used the condensed water drops on the trays of