After steaming or boiling, soybeans are then cooled down. In the next step, they are either steamed or boiled usually under pressure. Soybeans are washed and soaked in water typically for 15 to 17 h. The following explains the process of rice miso making. Japanese people feel a sense of nostalgia and hometown familiarity along with comfort and warmth when they drink miso soup. It is also a part of the “One Soup Three Dishes” principle of washoku serving. Miso is one of the most fundamental fermented seasoning at the heart of washoku and essential to the everyday diet of Japanese people. It can mask meaty and fishy odors, while adding umami and depth to a variety of dishes. The taste of miso is formed by complex interactions of sweetness, saltiness, umami, acidity, bitterness, and astringency. Washoku is a cooking and serving practice that was born and nurtured in this unique environment and essentially represents Japanese people’s spirit of respect for nature. Extending in a north-to-southwardly direction, Japan has a rich and diverse natural environment with four distinct seasons. In 2013, washoku was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List as traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese. Seasonal ingredients (vegetables, seaweed, and seafood) are cooked in dashi soup stock made from dried bonito, dried kelp, or other flavoring ingredients, and a spoonful of miso paste is dissolved in the soup. The most typical use of miso in Japanese cuisine is miso soup. There are red, yellow, and white miso according to the color of the finished product. Higher proportions of rice or barley koji create a sweeter taste, while lower proportions of koji produce saltiness. The proportion of koji (the rice-to-soybean ratio for rice miso and the barley-to-soybean ratio for barley miso) determines the sweetness. Miso can also be classified by taste and color. Mixed miso can be any combination of rice, barley, and/or soybean miso or any miso produced using a mixture of rice, barley, and/or soybean koji. Soybean miso is made from soybeans and salt using soybean koji for fermentation and maturation. Barley miso is produced in much the same way, except that barley or naked barley is used instead of rice. Rice is first fermented with koji mold to produce koji, which is then used for the fermentation and maturation of soybeans. Rice miso is made from rice, soybeans, and salt. According to the ingredients used, miso is classified into four types: rice, barley, soybean, and mixed miso. Miso is defined as a semisolid paste primarily made from soybeans, which are combined, fermented, and matured with soybeans and/or grains cultured with koji mold and salt. Miso is regulated by the Food Labeling Standards as specified by the Food Labeling Act. Some of the latest topics on regular consumption of miso and its health benefits are also discussed. This review describes the manufacturing process of miso, including the critical step of koji making, microbes used for fermentation, and enzymes found in koji. Today, rice miso is the most manufactured variety, while barley, soybean, and mixed miso are also available. This is the reason miso comes in so many varieties with different colors and flavors. Miso was integrated into local food cultures across Japan and evolved into various types, reflecting regional differences in climate and ingredient availability. The use of miso spread among Japanese people during the Edo Period (1603–1868), and miso constitutes one of the hallmarks of the country’s salted and fermented soybean seasoning along with soy sauce. The earliest form of miso called kokusho (soybeans and grains fermented with salt) is said to have originated from ancient China or perhaps in Japan thousands of years ago.
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