Soy sauce

Soy sauce is not only a mandatory addition to rolls, but also the most important ingredient that helped Asian cuisine win the love and reverence of gourmets. In the XNUMXth century, Europe acquired not just a soy product, but an unlimited field for culinary activities. Salt is replaced with sauce; marinades for meat, fish and vegetable dishes are prepared on its basis.

What is this Asian product and is it safe to introduce it into the daily diet?

General characteristics

Soy sauce is one of the most important ingredients in Asian cuisine. It is created by fermenting soybeans. Some specific recipes also include the addition of cereals.

Fermentation is the process of decomposition of organic substances under the influence of certain enzymes.

Soybean fermentation occurs due to fungi of the genus Aspergillus (Aspergillus). It is this type of mushroom that is important from the point of view of medicine and commerce. They are used in the preparation of enzyme medicines, spirits such as Japanese sake, miso paste and soy sauce. Mushrooms are able to cover 99% of the world’s production of citric acid (about 1,4 million tons per year).

The sauce is a dark thick liquid. Its distinctive feature is a sharp soy-salty smell. In Asian culinary tradition, almost every dish is complemented with soy sauce. The product helps to reveal the taste of each ingredient, emphasize it favorably and place the right accents. Other cultures also liked the salty sauce. It is used in minimal quantities as a dressing. The product can emphasize the taste of any, even the most insipid dish, so it is introduced not only into fish / meat dishes, but also into vegetable snacks, cereals ^[1].

Historical information

Soy sauce appeared in China in the XNUMXth century BC ^{[2] [3]}. Later, it spread to the territory of East and Southeast Asia, then moved to Europe. In ancient China, fermented fish garnished with soybeans was especially popular. Gradually, the dish began to be diluted with ordinary water or other liquids in order to save and increase the portion size. Thanks to such experiments, the dish was transformed into soy sauce.

The product was so much liked by the local population that it was decided to sell and transport it abroad. In 1737, members of the Dutch East India Company witnessed the sale of huge barrels of sauce to 75. Transportation was made from the Japanese island of Dejima to Jakarta (Indonesia). Later 35 barrels went to the Netherlands.

In the XNUMXth century, with the light hand of the sunny king Louis XIV, Europe got acquainted with this outlandish sauce. Louis XIV himself called the product “black gold” and liked to feast on spicy Asian dishes. A Western recipe for soy sauce was suggested by Isaac Titsing. He was a surgeon who represented the interests of the Dutch East India Company in dealing with the feudal military government of Japan. Before Titsing, many publications of the sauce recipe were made, but Europe made its choice.

By the end of the XNUMXth century, the soybean product was forced out of the European market. In Europe, they could not learn the basics and features of fermentation with mushrooms, so Chinese sauce became the new “black gold”, and soy continued to be imported from Asian countries.

Features of industrial production

There are two ways of industrial production of soy sauce: fermentation and hydrolysis. Some companies use a combination of two methods to increase production volume and speed.

Fermentation

A traditional soy product is made from a mixture of beans and mushroom seeds. In Japan, both the fermenting mass and the sourdough are denoted by the single term “koji”. Previously, huge vats with fermented mass were exposed to the sun. In the XNUMXth century, special chambers began to be used in which the level of humidity and temperature were automatically regulated.

The traditional production of the sauce takes months and consists of the following stages:

• soybeans are soaked and boiled in water until cooked;
• wheat is fried and ground;
• crushed grain and boiled beans are combined, spores of fungi and other beneficial microorganisms are sown on the mixture;
• wheat-bean mixture is moistened with a solution of salt or simply sprinkled with salt;
• the mass is left to ferment (the time interval can be from 40 days to 3 years);
• fermented porridge is placed under the press to separate the liquid from the solid waste;
• Soy sauce is prepared from the liquid, and the soil is fertilized with cake or added to top-dressing of livestock;
• raw sauce is pasteurized (heated) so that the yeast and mold die;
• pasteurized product is fermented, poured into the necessary container, and then sent to the point of sale.

Hydrolysis

Some companies are moving away from the lengthy enzymatic process and opting for hydrolysis (decomposition of a substance by the action of water). Soy protein is hydrolyzed by acids, after which a product similar in taste and composition is obtained. The preparation process takes no more than 3 days. The taste, texture and aroma of the hydrolyzed sauce is different from the traditional one. This difference can be noticed not only by a sophisticated gourmet, but also by an ordinary consumer. However, hydrolysis increases the shelf life of the sauce and significantly saves the manufacturer’s money, so most of the store shelves are occupied by the hydrolyzed Asian food product.

During the hydrolysis process, carcinogens can be formed in soy sauce. Responsibly approach the choice of the manufacturer and refuse the daily use of the product.

Useful properties of the component

Nutritionists claim that the properties of soy sauce are identical to those of soy ^[4]. Soy is one of the few plant foods that can meet your protein needs. It concentrates a complete set of vital amino acids, a minimum concentration of saturated fatty acids and absolutely no cholesterol. ^[5]. It has been proven that the use of soy sauce is a kind of cancer prevention. Due to the high content of sodium (Na), the product can be an excellent alternative to regular table salt.

The concentration of antioxidants in soy sauce is 10 levels higher than in red wine. What does it mean? Soy product actively stimulates blood circulation, reduces the risk of developing diseases of the heart and blood vessels ^[6].

Soy is rich in phytoestrogens – enzymes that have a beneficial effect on a woman’s reproductive health. Plant phytoestrogens help reduce menstrual pain and relieve menopausal symptoms. Soy also strengthens the skeletal system and helps to form a high-quality muscle corset. Soy sauce reduces the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease to the lowest possible level ^[7].

Another advantage of the product is the target audience. The sauce can be introduced into the diet of people with allergies to animal protein, obesity, pathologies of the cardiovascular system, chronic stool disorders and diabetes ^{[8] [9]}.

Harm and possible side effects

The main disadvantage of soy sauce is its high salt content. Even a perfectly healthy person should carefully monitor their own diet and avoid disharmony. ^[7]. Nutritionists recommend not using the sauce in your daily diet, but if necessary, limit yourself to 1-2 tablespoons.

Soy contains isoflavones. ^[10]. These are components whose composition is very similar to the female sex hormones estrogen. A woman’s body cannot in any way be affected by isoflavones, but a fetus that develops in a woman’s womb is at risk. Substances can adversely affect the development of the fetal brain and cause many diseases and developmental disorders.

Excessive use of the product can cause allergies, rashes, itchy skin, eczema, hives and a deterioration in general health.

Doctors recommend refraining from soy sauce in such cases:

• diseases and malfunctions of the kidneys;
• hypertension;
• allergic reaction to the product;
• pregnancy (it is necessary to reduce the consumption of the product to a minimum in order to avoid edema).

Use in cooking

The average consumer adds sauce to every dish, with the exception of desserts and sweets. Its savory taste goes well with all products, so there is no need to worry about the compatibility of ingredients.

On food counters, you can most often see 2 types of sauce: dark and light. They differ in terms of fermentation and taste. The dark sauce is distinguished by a long exposure, obvious sharp notes and a denser, thicker consistency. This sauce is perfect for marinades and traditional Asian dishes. The light sauce is saltier and lighter, and notes of sweetness are clearly visible in the taste palette. It is ideal for dressing vegetable salads, meat/fish dishes, seafood and cereals.

Restaurants often serve not soy sauce, but whipped foam from it. Air foam conveys the spicy taste of the sauce from a completely new angle. It is softer, more refined and gourmand. You can make your own foam. We will need:

• wide shallow capacity;
• immersion blender;
• quality soy sauce.

Pour the sauce into the container, immerse the blender and try to find the desired angle of inclination. Rotate the blender lightly until the foam starts to stand out. Remove the airy film and put on rolls, sushi, meat steak or favorite side dish.

How to choose soy sauce

Grocery shelves are full of a variety of glass containers of various shapes and designs. ^[11], but the consumer began to read the composition more carefully and stopped trusting the painted container. Remember that 5 minutes of studying the composition of the product is worth your health, so refer to the tricky inscriptions on the back of the product more often.

The rules for choosing soy sauce are as simple as possible. The first thing you need to pay attention to is the implementation point. Never buy sauce on tap from the market or uncertified outlets. You cannot be sure of the quality of the bottled liquid, and it is not always possible to obtain a certificate from such sellers. Buy sauce only in trusted supermarkets that value their own reputation and monitor the safety of products.

Store shelves are full of products from various manufacturers, but do not lose your head over such an abundance. High-quality sauce should be packaged in glass containers. The walls of the container should be transparent and thick. Plastic containers are best avoided: they cannot retain the aroma, taste, consistency and composition of the product. Make sure that the lid is tightly screwed on, and that there is additional protection on the neck from the external environment.

The next step is the information on the label. Remember that the simpler and shorter the composition, the better the product. The manufacturer must clearly indicate the method of making the sauce. It is best to choose containers labeled “fermentation” or “natural fermentation”. The composition of the product should include the following components:

• soya beans;
• wheat;
• salt;
• sugar (may be replaced or absent);
• vinegar (may be replaced or absent).

Products with an overloaded composition are immediately sent back to the shelf. Products with preservatives, flavorings and other achievements of the industrial gastronomic industry must be immediately weeded out. Well-prepared soy sauce can be stored for several years without the help of auxiliary components. Their presence indicates the incompetence of the manufacturer and the desire to make money on your health. Look closely at the information on the energy value of the sauce: the protein concentration should not be lower than 8%.

At the final stage, consider the liquid. It should be uniform and slightly dense. Cloudy sauce indicates improper storage conditions or irresponsible transportation.

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