Soy Sauce Production:Soy Sauce Production: From A CraftFrom A Craft-- to a Scienceto a Science--Based Based SystemSystem

R. ValyaseviR. Valyasevi11 and R. Rolleand R. Rolle22

11National Center for Genetic Engineering and National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotechnology (BiotecBiotec), Thailand), Thailand2 2 FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, ThailandBangkok, Thailand

Soy SauceSoy Sauce

Traditional Oriental Traditional Oriental food condimentfood condiment

Internationally knownInternationally known

Popularly consumed Popularly consumed

Growing market Growing market opportunitiesopportunities

Production contributes Production contributes to livelihoods of small to livelihoods of small producers and producers and processorsprocessors Soy Sauce

U.S. Imports of Soy Sauce U.S. Imports of Soy Sauce (2000(2000--2004)2004)

39000

40000

41000

42000

43000

44000

45000

46000

47000

48000

49000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Impo

rt V

olum

e (M

T)

Source: FAOSTAT

Current Markets for Soy Current Markets for Soy SauceSauce

Source: FAO Stat

Producers and Exporters Producers and Exporters of Soy Sauceof Soy Sauce

Source: FAO STAT

Soy Sauce ProductionSoy Sauce Production

Traditional OpenTraditional Open--Air Air Fermentation of KojiFermentation of Koji

Soy:Wheat(7:1) +A. Oryzae

Time Frame for Proteolysis: 7 days

Improved Improved InoculantInoculant

AspergillusAspergillus flavusflavus var. var. columnariscolumnaris–– superior protease superior protease

production production –– no detectable no detectable aflatoxinaflatoxin

production production –– Good taste and aroma Good taste and aroma

of the productof the product–– SoySoy--sauce with sauce with

increased (6 %) soluble increased (6 %) soluble proteinprotein

–– Time frame for Time frame for proteolysis reduced to proteolysis reduced to 40 hours40 hours

Technological InnovationTechnological Innovation

Bioreactor with Bioreactor with controlled temperature controlled temperature and humidity.and humidity.

Traditional Traditional MoromiMoromi FermentationFermentation

Earthenware jars Earthenware jars –– with no temperature with no temperature

or aeration control.or aeration control.

Limited production Limited production capacitycapacity

Larger Scale Larger Scale MoromiMoromi Fermentation TankFermentation Tank

Technological InnovationTechnological Innovation

MoromiMoromi fermentation tank fermentation tank with aeration with aeration systemsystem

Aeration System inside tank

Increased efficiency of fermentation

Drivers of the InnovationDrivers of the Innovation

Market demand for soy sauceMarket demand for soy sauce

Organization within the Thai soy sauce Organization within the Thai soy sauce industryindustry

Research support from an Research support from an international organization, the Thai international organization, the Thai government and the Thai government and the Thai soysoy Sauce Sauce IndustryIndustry

Impact of the InnovationImpact of the Innovation

Economic gain for the soy sauce Economic gain for the soy sauce industryindustry

More consistent productMore consistent product

Safer productSafer product

Market AccessMarket Access

Rosa.Rolle@fao.org