history of soy yogurt, soy acidophilus milk and other ... - SoyInfo Center

to Saint-Germaine-en-Laye. There, perfected machines /
equipment and the resources of western science allows them
to obtain from the raw materials a much better yield than
could be obtained using the rudimentary Chinese process.
These things made it possible, at the same time, to develop
many new soy products suited to European tastes.
A retail store named the Golden Jar in Paris (La Jarre
d’Or, 4, rue du Renard) received the right to sell these
products from Caséo-Sojaïne. And an exposition [of the soy
products] was organized at the Grand Palace, at the time of
the opening, last Nov. 20, of the Food Fair / Expo (Salon de
l’Alimentation). There various products were offered.
A summary of the contents of an interesting brochure
from that exposition is reprinted. Contents of the brochure:
Introduction to the soybean. Products based on soymilk (Le
lait de soja, Le lait végétal): Liquid, powdered, or fermented
soymilk, soy cheese (Le fromage de soja, Le fromage
végétal [tofu]) (fresh, hard, and fermented). Soy sauce.
Soy oil. Sweet soya preserves (Confi ture de Soja; this soy
cream {crème de soja} resembles chestnut cream {crème
de marron}). Soybeans used as a vegetable (dehulled dry
soybeans, and soy sprouts). Other soy products (including
soy fl our, bread for diabetics, whole-meal bread, and soybean
cakes–used as feed for animals).
Note 1. It is unclear whether the Chinese-run factory,
Caséo-Sojaïne, has started to make and sell commercial soy
products, or whether they are just about to. They may have
started on Nov. 20 of the previous year, however there is no
description of soyfood products now being sold in Paris.
Note 2. This is the earliest document seen (Aug. 2001)
that contains the term Caséo-Sojaïne, which appears to be
the name of a business, not of a product. This term would
soon be used to also refer to “tofu.” Li Yu-ying’s name is not
mentioned.
Note 3. This is the earliest document seen (Sept. 2002)
that mentions soy cream (crème de soja).
Note 4. This is the earliest document seen (Sept. 2002)
that mentions powdered soymilk (Le Lait de Soja, en
poudre).
Note 5. This is the earliest document seen (Sept. 2002)
that mentions fermented soymilk (Le Lait de Soja Fermenté).
13. Mene, Edouard. 1910. La Chine a l’Exposition de
Bruxelles [China at the Brussels Exposition]. Bulletin de
l’Association Amicale Franco-Chinoise 2(4):336-46. Oct.
See p. 340-43, 346. [Fre]
• Summary: 1. The Chinese pavilion: In the beautiful and
grandiose Universal Exposition of 1910, that a frightful
fi re partially destroyed, the Chinese section merits special
mention. It is not an offi cial exposition organized through the
care of the Chinese administration. Rather, it is an exposition
organized by fi ve Chinese merchants The last one, Mr. Tsu
represents both soya and the ideal kite (soja et cerf-volant
idéal).
HISTORY OF SOY YOGURT & CULTURED SOYMILK 23
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
Note: The meaning of cerf-volant idéal is unclear. The
Chinese have long been known for their beautiful and welldesigned
kites, some with long, fl owing tails. However, if
Mr. Tsu was exhibiting kites, he would have used the plural
form of the noun. Is he saying that soy is like a high-fl ying
kite?
These exhibitors have gathered a certain amount of
indigenous and modern objects, commercial and artistic in a
pavilion located in the section reserved to foreign countries
(start of p. 339).
In the back of the room, to the right are displayed by
Mr. Tsu, the different products extracted from one of most
utilized plants in China: Soja hispida, Houang-teou, the
soybean of the leguminous family.
One can observe plates fi lled with soybean seeds
(graines), looking like little round (broad) beans (fèves), and
some dehulled soya beans; jars fi lled with white soya cheese,
looking like quark [tofu], cheese in round boxes, looking like
Camembert [fermented tofu]; a jar with the skin of the soya
cheese [yuba]; a vial with soya casein [soy protein].
A display case is fi lled with jars of different types
of yellow, green, and black soybeans, of soya fl our, of
semolina, of a brownish soya coffee in bean and powder
form, of bottles of soymilk, of soy oil, and of Soy [sauce],
this condiment so utilized in Chinese cuisine. On a table
are displayed soya pastries resembling in their shape, the
Commercy madeleines [small sponge cakes shaped like
sea shells], some noodles, macaroni and soya bread that is
prescribed to diabetics as well as a gruel of soya fl our. On the
fl oor are placed several square soybean cakes (tourteaux),
residue of the soya oil production, of a grey-yellow color,
to be used as fertilizer. A brochure on soya-based food
products, excerpted from the book The Soybean (Le Soja) by
Mr. Li Yu-ying is being handed out through the care of the
exhibitor, Mr. Tsu.
This brochure, titled: ‘Soya based Food Products’
(Produits alimentaires à base de Soja), Caseo-Sojaine, rue
Denis-Papin, les Vallées (Seine), describes these products
and their preparation: soya milk, liquid or in powder form,
derived from the grinding of the beans, after immersion,
in water, for several hours. The grain content consisting of
legumin or vegetable casein, is placed under a grindstone:
one derives an homogenous, nutritive and digestible milk
product. Fermented and powdered milk is produced, soya
casein, extracted from the soya milk, with uses in food and in
industry; soya fl our, obtained by the grinding of the dehulled
beans, completely deprived of their seed coat to lessen
the proportion of cellulose and increase its digestibility. It
does not contain any starch; soya bread, well utilized to
feed diabetics; by perfecting fermentation, one makes a
rather light bread, one that reminds one of rye bread; pasta
/ noodles; cookies, pastries, white- and pink-tinted pasta
prepared with soya fl our, soy sauce (Soy) with a bouquet
that reminds one of burned onion that is used to enhance