Are you interested in learning the process of mass-producing soy sauce? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Soy sauce is a condiment that is as old as 2,500 years, having been used in China since ancient times. The soybean plant provides generous amounts of protein and can be made into several financially profitable value-added products such as milk, paneer, cheese, and the popular sauce we all know and love.
Today, food processing businesses involving soya beans are highly lucrative ventures around the world.
Health-minded individuals are increasingly turning to soy-based items, including soy sauce which adds a distinctive bitter-sour and sweet taste and flavor.
The distinctive taste, aroma, and color of soy sauce are created by combining soybeans, wheat, and salt.
The flavor comes from soybean proteins, the aroma is derived from wheat starch as it ferments, and the color is a result of amino acids in proteins mixed with glucose from starch.
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Here are the 7 Steps for Commercial Soy Sauce Production
The procedure to produce soya sauce is straightforward. By means of hydrolysis, the oil is taken away from soya flour. A gelatinous blend comprising flour, water, and additives, for example, salt, baking soda, vinegar, preservatives, etc. are blended together and sieves are used to discard any impurities.
This amalgamation is then brought to SS neutralization tanks and kept there for approximately 2 hours prior to packaging.
As the world’s largest soy sauce producer, Japan has perfected its method of making it. Here are the steps involved in the Japanese process.
Let’s review the steps one by one:
1. Preparation process with Cooking Ingredients
To begin, Soybeans are steamed. The process of roasting and crushing wheat is done in a separate vessel. Afterward, combine the steamed soybeans with the roasted wheat to create a malt mix. Lastly, add salt to this and dissolve it in water.
A soybean cooking machine and wheat roasting machine are needed to finish this production stage.
2. Manufacture the Koji
After forming a mixture of soybeans and wheat, Koji mold (either Aspergillus Oryzae or Aspergillus soja) must be added. The mixture is then allowed to incubate for approximately three days in order to make koji.
In Japanese, the word “koji” refers to a mix of wheat and soybeans with a koji mold that is enzyme-rich. This mixture is critical for successful Moromi fermentation and maturation.
A Koji-making machine is required to produce Koji commercially.
3. Develop Moromi
The third step in producing soy sauce is to form Moromi. The process is simple. One needs to add salt to the already-formed mixture to create Moromi. The newly formed Moromi is then moved to fermentation tanks.
4. Fermentation and Maturation Process
After fermenting the Moromi for a minimum of six months, the maturation process kicks in. During this, yeast, bacteria, and other elements combine to give rise to an array of flavors.
5. Filtration Process
After fermentation and maturation, cloths envelop the Moromi in multiple layers. It is then slowly compressed to filter out the contents through the cloths.
The final product, raw soy sauce, comes from Moromi and is referred to as Kage in Japan.
6. Refining Process
During the sixth stage of production, raw soy sauce is sterilized and then refined utilizing a heating mechanism, which also assists in adding flavors, colors, and various aromas. After this part is completed, the product is ready to be sold commercially.
7. Packing Soy Sauce and Transportation to Buyers
The last part of production involves bottling the soy sauce and carrying out a quality check. Various bottle sizes are used depending on the need.
Learn how to begin a soybean farming business.
When deciding on a location for the soy sauce plant, urban and semi-urban areas should be taken into account because these areas have markets for soy-based products. Restaurants, clubs, caterers, and star hotels are important buyers of soy sauce.
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