Mondo Knows Facts
Soy sauce relies on fungal koji and brine fermentation
Aspergillus oryzae mold breaks down bean proteins into savoury glutamates
Traditional soy sauce production begins by inoculating boiled soybeans and roasted wheat with Aspergillus oryzae mold to form koji. The koji is mixed with salt brine to create a mash called moromi, which ferments for months. Fungal enzymes break down starches into sugars and proteins into amino acids, creating rich savoury flavours.
Where this comes from
Food and Agriculture Organization
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Tags: soy sauce, fermentation, koji
Soy sauce relies on fungal koji and brine fermentation: the short answers
- Where does this come from, and can I check it?
- Aspergillus oryzae mold breaks down bean proteins into savoury glutamates. The figure is taken from Food and Agriculture Organization, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
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