soy sauce

A salty brown liquid condiment made by fermenting soybeans and roasted wheat or barley in brine.

Background

Soy sauce is one of the world's oldest condiments and has been used in China for more than 2,500 years. It is made from fermenting a mixture of mashed soybeans, salt, and enzymes. It is also made artificially through a chemical process known as acid hydrolysis.

History

The prehistoric people of Asia preserved meat and fish by packing them in salt. The liquid byproducts that leeched from meat preserved in this way were commonly used as liquid seasonings for other foods. In the sixth century, as Buddhism became more widely practiced, new vegetarian dietary restrictions came into fashion. These restrictions lead to the replacement of meat seasonings with vegetarian alternatives. One such substitute was a salty paste of fermented grains, an early precursor of modern soy sauce. A Japanese Zen priest came across this seasoning while studying in China and brought the idea back to Japan, where he made his own improvements on the recipe. One major change the priest made was to make the paste from a blend of grains, specifically wheat and soy in equal parts. This change provided a more mellow flavor which enhanced the taste of other foods without overpowering them.

By the seventeenth century this recipe had evolved into something very similar to the soy sauce we know today. This evolution occurred primarily as a result of efforts by the wife of a warrior of one of Japan's premier warlords, Toyotomi Hideyori. In 1615 Hideyori's castle was overrun by rival troops. One of the warrior's wives, Maki Shige, survived the siege by fleeing the castle to the village of Noda. There she learned the soy brewing process and eventually opened the world's first commercial soy sauce brewery. News of the tasty sauce soon spread throughout the world, and it has since been used as a flavoring agent to give foods a rich, meaty flavor.

Today soy sauce is made by two methods: the traditional brewing method, or fermentation, and the non-brewed method, or chemical-hydrolyzation. The fermentation method takes up to six months to complete and results in a transparent, delicately colored broth with balanced flavor and aroma. The non-brewed sauces take only two days to make and are often opaque with a harsh flavor and chemical aroma. Soy sauce has been used to enhance the flavor profiles of many types of food, including chicken and beef entrees, soups, pasta, and vegetable entrees. Its sweet, sour, salty, and bitter tastes add interest to flat-tasting processed foods. The flavor enhancing properties, or umami, of the soy extract are recognized to help blend and balance taste. The condiment also has functional preservative aspects in that its acid, alcohol, and salt content help prevent the spoilage of foods.

Raw Materials

Soybeans

Soybeans(Glycine max) are also called soya beans, soja beans, Chinese peas, soy peas, and Manchurian beans. They have been referred to as the "King of Legumes" because of their valuable nutritive properties. Of all beans, soybeans are lowest in starch and have the most complete and best protein mix. They are also high in minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium, and in Vitamin B. They have been cultivated since the dawn of civilization in China and Japan and were introduced into the United States in the nineteenth century. In the 1920s and 1930s, soybeans gained popularity in the U.S. as a food crop.

Soybeans are short, hairy pods containing two or three seeds which may be small and round or larger and more elongated. Their color varies from yellow to brown, green, and black. The variety designated yellow #2 are most commonly used for food products. These soybeans get their name from the yellow hilum or seed scar which runs down the side of the pod. The grades of grain allowed for trading are established by the United States Grain Standards which are administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Soybeans are unusual in that, unlike other grains, most are used in processing or exporting, and not much as direct animal feed. This is because soybeans contain "anti-nutritional" factors that must be removed from the beans before they can be of nutritional value to animals. The soybeans used in soy sauce are mashed prior to mixing them with other ingredients.

Wheat

In many traditional brewed recipes, wheat is blended in equal parts with the soybeans. Pulverized wheat is made part of the mash along with crushed soy beans. The nonbrewed variety does not generally use wheat.

Salt

Salt, or sodium chloride, is added at the beginning of fermentation at approximately 12-18% of the finished product weight. The salt is not just added for flavor; it also helps establish the proper chemical environment for the lactic acid bacteria and yeast to ferment properly. The high salt concentration is also necessary to help protect the finished product from spoilage.

Fermenting agents

The wheat-soy mixture is exposed to specific strains of mold called Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus soyae, which break down the proteins in the mash. Further fermentation occurs through addition of specific bacteria(lactobaccillus) and yeasts which enzymatically react with the protein residues to produce a number of amino acids and peptides, including glutamic and aspartic acid, lysine, alanine, glycine, and tryptophane. These protein derivatives all contribute flavor to the end product.

Preservatives and other additives

Sodium benzoate or benzoic acid is added to help inhibit microbial growth in finished soy sauce. The non-brewed process requires addition of extra color and flavor agents.

The Manufacturing
Process

Traditional brewed method

Brewing, the traditional method of making soy sauce, consists of three steps: koji-making, brine fermentation, and refinement.

Koji-making

• Carefully selected soybeans and wheat are crushed and blended together under controlled conditions. Water is added to the mixture, which is boiled until the grains are thoroughly cooked and softened. The mash, as it is known, is allowed to cool to about 80°F (27°C) before a proprietary seed mold (Aspergillus) is added. The mixture is allowed to mature for three days in large perforated vats through which air is circulated. This resulting culture of soy, wheat, and mold is known as koji.

Brine fermentation

• The koji is transferred to fermentation tanks, where it is mixed with water and salt to produce a mash called moromi. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts are then added to promote further fermentation. The moromi must ferment for several months, during which time the soy and wheat paste turns into a semi-liquid, reddish-brown "mature mash." This fermentation process creates over 200 different flavor compounds.

Refinement

• After approximately six months of moromi fermentation, the raw soy sauce is separated from the cake of wheat and soy residue by pressing it through layers of filtration cloth. The liquid that emerges is then pasteurized. The pasteurization process serves two purposes. It helps prolong the shelf life of the finished product, and it forms additional aromatic and flavor compounds. Finally, the liquid is bottled as soy sauce.

Non-brewed method (chemical hydrolysis)

Instead of fermenting, many modern manufactures artificially break down the soy proteins by a chemical process known as hydrolysis because it is much faster. (Hydrolysis takes a few days as compared to several months for brewing.)

1. In this method, soybeans are boiled in hydrochloric acid for 15-20 hours to remove the amino acids. When the maximum amount has been removed, the mixture is cooled to stop the hydrolytic reaction.
2. The amino acid liquid is neutralized with sodium carbonate, pressed through a filter, mixed with active carbon, and purified through filtration. This solution is known as hydrolyzed vegetable protein.
3. Caramel color, corn syrup, and salt are added to this protein mixture to obtain the appropriate color and flavor. The mixture is then refined and packaged.

Sauces produced by the chemical method are harsher and do not have as desirable a taste profile as those produced in the traditional brewed manner. The difference in taste occurs because the acid hydrolysis used in the non-brewed method tends to be more complete than its fermentation counterpart. This means that almost all the proteins in the non-brewed soy sauce are converted into amino acids, while in the brewed product more of the amino acids stay together as peptides, providing a different flavor. The brewed product also has alcohols, esters, and other compounds which contribute a different aroma and feel in the mouth.

In addition to the brewed method and the non-brewed method, there is also a semi-brewed method, in which hydrolyzed soy proteins are partially fermented with a wheat mixture. This method is said to produce higher quality sauces than can be produced from straight hydrolysis.

Quality Control

Numerous analytical tests are conducted to ensure the finished sauce meets minimum quality requirements. For example, in brewed sauces, there are several recommended specifications. Total salt should be 13-16% of the final product; the pH level should be 4.6-5.2; and the total sugar content should be 6%. For the non-brewed type, there is 42% minimum of hydrolyzed protein; corn syrup should be less than 10%; and carmel color 1-3%.

In the United States, the quality of the finished sauce is protected under federal specification EE-S-610G (established in 1978) which requires that fermented sauce must be made from fermented mash, salt brine, and preservatives (either sodium benzoate or benzoic acid). This specification also states that the final product should be a clear, reddish brown liquid which is essentially free from sediment. The non-fermented sauce is defined as a formulated product consisting of hydrolyzed vegetable protein, corn syrup, salt, caramel color, water, and a preservative. It should be a dark brown, clear liquid.

The Japanese, on the other hand, are more specific in grading the quality of their soy sauces. They have five types of soy sauce: koikuchi-shoyu (regular soy sauce), usukuchi-shoyu (light colored soy sauce), tamari-shoyu, saishikomi-shoyu, and shiro-shoyu. These types are classified into three grades, Special, Upper, and Standard, depending upon sensory characteristics such as taste, odor, and feel in the mouth, as well as analytical values for nitrogen content, alcohol level, and soluble solids.

Byproducts/Waste

The fermentation process produces many "byproducts" that are actually useful flavor compounds. For example, the various sugars are derived from the vegetable starches by action of the moromi enzymes. These help subdue the saltiness of the finished product. Also, alcohols are formed by yeast acting on sugars. Ethanol is the most common of these alcohols, and it imparts both flavor and odor. Acids are generated from the alcohols and sugars, which round out the flavor and provide tartness. Finally, aromatic esters (chemicals that contribute flavor and aroma) are formed when ethanol combines with organic acids.

Chemical hydrolyzation also leads to byproducts, but these are generally considered undesirable. The byproducts are a result of secondary reactions that create objectionable flavoring components such as furfural, dimethyl sulfide, hydrogen sulfide, levulinic acid, and formic acid. Some of these chemicals contribute off odors and flavors to the finished product.

The Future

The future of soy sauce is constantly evolving as advances are made in food technology. Improved processing techniques have already allowed development of specialized types of soy sauces, such as low-sodium and preservative-free varieties. In addition, dehydrated soy flavors have been prepared by spray drying liquid sauces. These powdered materials are used in coating mixes, soup bases, seasoning rubs, and other dry flavorant applications. In the future, it is conceivable that advances in biotechnology will lead to improved understanding of enzymatic reactions and lead to better fermentation methods. Technology may someday allow true brewed flavor to be reproduced through synthetic chemical processes.

Where to Learn More

Books

Farrel, Kenneth T. Spices, Condiments and Seasonings. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc., 1985.

Periodicals

"A Tale of Two Soy Sauces." Prepared Foods, October 1996, p. 57.

The Soy Sauce Handbook, A Reference Manual for the Food Manufacturer. Kikkoman Corporation., 1996

[Article by: Randy Schueller]

A condiment prepared from fermented soya bean, commonly used in China and Japan. Traditionally the bean, often mixed with wheat, is fermented with Aspergillus oryzae over a period of 1-3 years. The modern process is carried out at a high temperature or in an autoclave for a short time. Kikkoman soy sauce (trade name) was invented in Japan in 1630; the name is derived from kikko (tortoise shell) and man (10, 000) because the tortoise was believed to live for 10, 000 years

This extremely important ingredient in Asian cooking is a dark, salty sauce made by fermenting boiled soybeans and roasted wheat or barley. Although there is essentially one main type of soy sauce widely made in the United States, China and Japan produce a number of varieties ranging in color from light to dark and in texture from thin to very thick. In general, light soy sauce is thinner and saltier than its dark counterpart. Its flavor and color is also lighter and it may be used in dishes without darkening them. Dark soy sauce is slightly thicker than light soy sauce but generally not as salty. It has a richer flavor and color (which is usually darkened with caramel). Chinese black soy is extremely dark and thick, a result obtained from the addition of molasses. The Japanese tamari is very similiar-thick, rich and extremely dark. Unless otherwise indicated on the label, soy sauce may be kept for many months in a cool, dark place. There are also many low-sodium or "lite" soy sauces available on the market. Soy sauce is used to flavor soups, sauces, marinades, meat, fish and vegetables, as well as for a table condiment.

Soy sauce
A bottle of dark soy sauce
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese:	1. 醬油 2. 荳油 3. 豉油
Simplified Chinese:	1. 酱油 2. 豆油 3. 豉油
Transliterations Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin: 1. jiàng yóu Min - Min-nan POJ: 2. dau4 yu5 Yue (Cantonese) - Jyutping: 3. si6 yau4
Japanese name
Kanji:	醤油 or 正油
Hiragana:	しょうゆ
Transliterations - Revised Hepburn: shōyu - Kunrei-shiki: syôyu
Korean name
Hangul:	간장
Transliterations - Revised   Romanization: ganjang - McCune-   Reischauer: kanchang
Vietnamese name
Quoc Ngu:	xì dầu, nước tương or tương

Soy sauce (US) or soya sauce (Commonwealth) is a fermented sauce made from soybeans (soya beans), roasted grain, water and salt. The sauce, originating in China, is commonly used in East and Southeast Asian cuisine and appears in some Western cuisine dishes, especially as an ingredient in Worcestershire sauce.

Basic production overview

Soy sauce is made from soybeans.

Authentic soy sauces are mixed with yeast or kōji (麹, the mold Aspergillus oryzae or A. sojae) and other related microorganisms. Authentic soy sauces are made from whole soybeans, but many cheaper brands are made from hydrolysed soy protein instead. These soy sauces do not have the natural color of authentic soy sauces and are typically colored with caramel coloring.

In addition, traditionally soy sauces were fermented under natural conditions, such as in giant urns and under the sun, which was believed to contribute to additional flavours. Nowadays most of the commercially-produced counterparts are fermented under machine-controlled environments instead.

Soy sauce should always be kept refrigerated and out of direct light. An opened bottle of soy sauce that has been left unrefrigerated could become slightly bitter.

Although there are many types of soy sauce, all are salty and earthy-tasting brownish liquids used to season food while cooking or at the table. What some westerners can only describe as a flavorful, kind of sweet taste is a distinct basic taste called umami by the Japanese and "xiān wèi" (鲜味, 鮮味 lit. "fresh taste") by the Chinese. Umami was first identified as a basic taste in 1908 by Kikunae Ikeda of the Tokyo Imperial University. The free glutamates which naturally occur in soy sauce are what give it this taste quality.

Small quantities of Soy Sauce may be included in take-away meals such as Japanese Sushi and Bento boxes. These portions are often attractively and creatively packaged.

Making soy sauce at home

Just like other processed soy products such as miso, soy milk, tofu and others, soy sauce can be made at home. The traditional method requires mixing a yeast and grains with soybeans or Koji (Aspergillus oryzae) with the soybeans.

Types

Soy sauce originated in ancient China and has since been integrated into the traditional cuisines of many East Asian and South East Asian cultures. Soy sauce is widely used as a particularly important flavoring in Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Korean cuisine. However, it is important to note that despite its rather similar appearance, soy sauces produced in different cultures and regions are very different in taste, consistency, fragrance and saltiness. As such, it may not be appropriate to substitute soy sauces of one culture or region for another.

Chinese soy sauce

A bottle of Chinese soy sauce

Chinese soy sauce (jiàngyóu/chǐyóu, 酱油/豉油) is primarily made from soybeans, with relatively low amounts of other grains. There are two main varieties:

• Light/fresh soy sauce ("Shēngchōu"; 生抽): A thin (as in non-viscous) opaque dark brown soy sauce. It is the main soy sauce used for seasoning, since it is saltier, but it also adds flavour. Since it is lighter in color, it does not greatly affect the color of the dish. The light soy sauce made from the first pressing of the soybeans is called Tóuchōu (头抽 or 頭抽), which can be loosely translated as first soy sauce or referred to as premium light soy sauce. Touchōu is often sold at a premium because of better taste (similar to extra virgin olive oil). In addition, the classification Shuānghuáng (雙璜) refers to the double fermentation process employed, to further add complexity to the flavour. These latter two more delicate types are usually for dipping.
• Dark/old soy sauce ("Lǎochōu"; 老抽) : A darker and slightly thicker soy sauce that is aged longer and contains added molasses to give it its distinctive appearance. This variety is mainly used during cooking since its flavour develops under heating. It has a richer, slightly sweeter, and less salty flavour than light soy sauce. Dark soy sauce is partly used to add color and flavour to a dish.

In traditional Chinese cooking, one of the two types, or a mixture of both, is employed to achieve a particular flavour and colour for the dish.

Other types:

• Thick soy sauce ("Jiàngyóugāo", 醬油膏 or 蔭油膏): Dark soy sauce that has been thickened with starch and sugar. It is also occasionally flavored with MSG. This sauce is not usually used directly in cooking but more often as a dipping sauce or poured on food as a flavorful addition.
• Dark soy paste (huángjiàng 黄酱): Although not really a soy sauce, it is another salty soy product. It is one of the main ingredients in a dish called zhajiang mian (炸酱面, lit. "fried paste noodles").

In Singapore and Malaysia, soy sauce in general is dòuyóu (豆油); dark soy sauce is called jiàngyóu (醬油) and light soy sauce is jiàngqīng (醬清). Angmoh tauyew (紅貌豆油), lit. "foreigners' soy sauce" is the Hokkien name for Worcestershire sauce.

Hawaiian soy sauce

A unique type of soy sauce produced by Aloha Shoyu Company since 1946 is a special blend of soybeans, wheat, and salt, historically common among local Hawaii residents. Hawaii residents rarely use the term "soy sauce," opting to use the term "shoyu" instead.

Indonesian soy sauce

Kecap manis Indonesian thick and sweet soy sauce is nearly as thick as molasses.

In Indonesia, soy sauce is known as kecap (a catchall term for fermented sauces), from which according to one theory the English word "ketchup" is derived. Two main varieties exist:

Kecap asin 

Salty soy sauce, which is very similar to Chinese light soy sauce, but usually somewhat thicker and has a stronger flavor; it can be replaced by light Chinese soy sauce in recipes.

Kecap manis 

Sweet soy sauce, which has a thick, almost syrupy consistency and a pronounced sweet, treacle-like flavor due to generous addition of palm sugar. It is a unique variety; in a pinch, it may be replaced by molasses with a little vegetable stock stirred in.

Kecap inggris ("English fermented sauce"), or saus inggris ("English sauce") is the Indonesian name for Worcestershire sauce. Kecap Ikan is Indonesian fish sauce.

Malaysian soy sauce

Malaysia, which has cultural links with Indonesia, uses the word 'kicap' for soy sauce. Kicap is traditionally of two types: kicap lemak and kicap cair. Kicap lemak is similar to kecap manis but with very much less sugar while kicap cair is the Malaysian equivalent of kecap asin. However the Indonesian style kecap manis has now its Malaysian equivalents due to the increasing number of Malay producers in what used to be a Chinese dominated industry. Kicap is an important condiment in Malay and Malaysian Chinese cuisine. Kicap has also entered the Malaysian Indian cuisine. A popular dish is the Indian Muslim 'daging masak hitam' which is basically beef or mutton stewed in a sweet spicy kicap-based sauce. Some people add some kicap to their rice and curry to spice up the meal. Many Malaysian children's favourite dish is rice with kicap and fried eggs.

Japanese soy sauce

Koyo organic tamari sauce

Japanese soy sauce, or shō-yu (しょうゆ, or 醤油, 正油), is traditionally divided into 5 main categories, depending on differences in their ingredients and method of production. Japanese soy sauces include wheat as a primary ingredient, and this tends to give them a slightly sweeter taste than their Chinese counterparts; they also have a somewhat alcoholic, sherry-like flavor. Japanese and Chinese soy sauces are not really interchangeable in recipes; Chinese dark soy sauce comes closer to the Japanese one in overall flavor, but not in the intensity of the flavor or the texture.

Koikuchi (濃口) 

Originating in the Kantō region, its usage eventually spread all over Japan. Over 80% of the Japanese domestic soy sauce production is of koikuchi, and can be considered the typical Japanese soy sauce. It is produced from roughly equal quantities of soybean and wheat. This variety is also called Kijōyu (生醤油) or namashōyu (生しょうゆ) when it is not pasteurized.

Usukuchi (薄口) 

Particularly popular in the Kansai region of Japan, it is both saltier and lighter in color than koikuchi. The lighter color arises from the usage of amazake, a sweet liquid made from fermented rice, that is used in its production.

Tamari (たまり) 

Produced mainly in the Chūbu region of Japan, tamari is darker in appearance and richer in flavour than koikuchi. It contains little or no wheat; wheat-free tamari is popular among people eating a wheat free diet. It is the "original" Japanese soy sauce, as its recipe is closest to the soy sauce originally introduced to Japan from China. Technically, this variety is known as miso-damari (味噌溜り), as this is the liquid that runs off miso as it matures.

Shiro (白, lit. "white") 

A very light colored soy sauce. In contrast to "tamari" soy sauce, "shiro" soy sauce uses mostly wheat and very little soybean, lending it a light appearance and sweet taste. It is more commonly used in the Kansai region to highlight the appearances of food, for example sashimi.

Saishikomi (再仕込, twice-brewed) 

This variety substitutes previously-made koikuchi for the brine normally used in the process. Consequently, it is much darker and more strongly flavored. This type is also known as kanro shoyu (甘露 醤油) or "sweet shoyu".

Shoyu (Koikuchi) and light colored shoyu (Usukuchi) as sold in Japan by Kikkoman, 1 litre bottles.

Newer varieties of Japanese soy sauce include:

Genen (減塩) 

Low-salt soy sauces also exist, but are not considered to be a separate variety of soy sauce, since the reduction in salt content is a process performed outside of the standard manufacture of soy sauce.

Amakuchi (甘口) 

Called "Hawaiian Soy Sauce" in those few parts of the US familiar with it, this is a variant of "koikuchi" soy sauce.

All of these varieties are sold in the marketplace in three different grades according to how they were produced:

Honjōzō hōshiki (本醸造 方式) 

Contains 100% naturally fermented product.

Shinshiki hōshiki (新式 方式) 

Contains 30-50% naturally fermented product.

Aminosanekikongō hōshiki (アミノ酸混合 方式) 

Contains 0% fermented product; is a modified vegetable extract. This is referred to as "liquid aminos" in the US and Canada.

Tennen jōzō (天然 醸造) 

Means no added ingredients except alcohol.

All the varieties and grades may be sold according to three official levels of quality:

Hyōjun (標準) 

Standard pasteurized.

Tokkyū (特級) 

Special quality, not pasteurized.

Tokusen (特選) 

Premium quality, usually implies limited quantity.

Other terms unrelated to the three official levels of quality:

Hatsuakane (初茜) 

Refers to industrial grade used for flavoring, powder.

Chōtokusen (超特選) 

Used by marketers to imply the best.

Perhaps the most well-known producer of Japanese soy sauce is the Kikkoman Corporation.

Taiwanese soy sauce

In Taiwan, only light soy sauce is used and this is referred to as jiangyou (醬油); the terms shengchou (生抽) and laochou (老抽) are not used. In addition to soy sauce made from soybeans and wheat, there is a variety that is made from black beans. Soy sauce made from black beans is generally more expensive because it takes longer to make, but it is claimed to have higher nutrition value and aromatic flavour. The history of soy sauce making in Taiwan can be traced back to southeastern China, in the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. The cultural and political separation between Taiwan and China since the end of the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895, when China ceded Taiwan to Japan, had brought yet another unexpected evolution of soy sauce making in Taiwan. In addition, Taiwan is the only place where black bean soy sauce has been commercialized in large-scale, and exported to countries like Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, USA, Canada, Germany, and the UK.

Korean soy sauce

Korean soy sauce, or Joseon ganjang (조선간장) is a byproduct of the production of doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste). Joseon ganjang, thin and dark brown in color, is made entirely of soy and brine, and has a saltiness that varies according to the producer. Wide scale use of Joseon ganjang has been somewhat superseded by cheaper factory-made Japanese style soy sauce, called waeganjang (hangul: 왜간장/倭간장). However, the Koreans strongly held onto their native culture and resisted the Japanese attempts to suppress the rich Korean culture, during the Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula, and the use of Joseon ganjang is an example of this.

Vietnamese soy sauce

Vietnamese soy sauce is called xì dầu, nước tương, or sometimes simply tương.

Filipino soy sauce

A popular condiment in the Philippines, it is called toyo, and is usually found beside other sauces such as patis and suka.

Health

Positive

A study by National University of Singapore shows that Chinese dark soy sauce contains 10 times the antioxidants of red wine.[1]

Negative

Soy sauce does not contain the beneficial isoflavones associated with other soy products such as tofu or edamame.^{[citation needed]} It can also be very salty, so it may not be a suitable condiment for people on a low salt diet. Low-salt soy sauces are produced, but it is impossible to make soy sauce without using some quantity of salt.

In 2001 the UK Food Standards Agency found in tests of various soy sauces (those made from hydrolysed soy protein, rather than being naturally fermented) that some 22% of samples contained a chemical called 3-MCPD (3-monochloropropane-1,3-diol) at levels considerably higher than those deemed safe by the European Union. About two-thirds of these samples also contained a second chemical called 1,3-DCP (1,3-dichloropropane-2-ol) which experts advise should not be present at any levels in food. Both chemicals have the potential to cause cancer and the Agency recommended that the affected products be withdrawn from shelves and avoided. [2]

Notes

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Soy sauce

• Google Answers on soy-sauce production
• Indepth Soy Sauce Information
• Information from large manufacturers on production methods:
  • San-J - Pictorial description of the brewing process at San-Jirushi site, a large producer.
  • Comprehensive Korean soy sauce information
• Science Channel's The Making Series: #91 Making of Soy Sauce (video in Japanese)

Soy
General	Soybean · Soy protein · Soybean meal · Soy controversy · Soy allergy · List of soybean diseases
Meat analogues	Tofu · Tempeh · Tofurkey
Dairy analogues	Soy milk · Soy cheese · Soy yogurt · Soy ice cream
Sauces and condiments	Cheonggukjang · Doenjang · Miso · Nattō · Soy sauce · Yellow soybean paste

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