Soy sauce, as an important seasoning in our daily cooking, brings a rich color and flavor to our dishes. But do you know how the soy sauce we usually eat is made?Let's take a look.
Soy sauce is made from soybeans as the main raw material through a series of processing and fermentation processes. Soybeans are rich in protein and oil, making them an ideal ingredient for making soy sauce. In the process of making soy sauce, soybeans are first soaked and steamed to release the protein and starch in them. These ingredients are then mixed with ingredients such as wheat flour, bran, and more to make a koji. Next, the koji is inoculated with microorganisms necessary for soy sauce fermentation, such as Aspergillus oryzae, and fermented. During the fermentation process, the protein in soybeans is broken down into amino acids by microorganisms, and the starch is converted into sugars and acids, resulting in the flavor and color characteristic of soy sauce. Finally, the fermentation broth is converted into soy sauce through processes such as filtration, heating, and concentration.
In addition to soybeans, soy sauce may also include other grains, bran, yeast extracts, etc. The types and proportions of these ingredients vary depending on the region and the production process, which affects the flavor and nutritional content of soy sauce.
In the process of making soy sauce, brewing skills are very important. Traditional brewing techniques usually use natural fermentation, which is fermented by inoculating natural microorganisms. The soy sauce produced in this way has a pure taste and rich nutrition, but the production cycle is long and the cost is high. Modern brewing techniques use artificial inoculation of microorganisms for fermentation, which has a short production cycle and high efficiency, but the taste and nutrients may be different from traditional brewing techniques.
In general, soy sauce is made from soybeans as the main raw material, through fermentation, filtration, concentration and other processes. Understanding the process of making soy sauce helps us better appreciate and use this delicious seasoning.