The superb color unique to soy sauce is the result of the Maillard Reaction, which begins two or three months after brewing starts. In this reaction, glucose and other sugars combine with amino acids to produce a brown pigment called melanoidin, which gives soy sauce its beautiful color. Soy sauce grows darker due to oxidization when it comes in contact with air. Storage at lower temperatures inhibits this color deterioration, and so we recommend that you store Kikkoman Soy Sauce in the refrigerator once the bottle has been opened.

In Japan, soy sauce has been cherished for centuries as an indispensable part of Japanese cuisine. Why is Kikkoman Soy Sauce the seasoning of choice around the world today? Because of its taste.

The harmonious combination and subtle balance of the five basic flavours of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami (savory) are what give Kikkoman Soy Sauce its delicious taste.

During the fermentation process that occurs over several months, more than 300 different aroma components are generated, including those of flowers, fruits, whiskey and coffee. They occur in such minute amounts that they cannot be identified individually; yet together, they create the exceptional and distinctive aroma unique to Kikkoman Soy Sauce. The aroma of heated soy sauce stimulates the appetite. It is this aroma that has made Kikkoman Soy Sauce the select seasoning around the world.

Koji-making

To begin the process, carefully selected soybeans and wheat are blended under precisely controlled conditions. Next, a proprietary koji mold is introduced, and the mixture is allowed to mature for three days in large, perforated vats through which air is circulated.

Fermentation

The resulting culture, or koji, is then transferred to fermentation tanks, where it is mixed with Brine to produce a mash called moromi. The next, and perhaps most critical step, is allowing the moromi to ferment for several months using effective lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. During this time, the soybeans and wheat are transformed into a semi-liquid, reddish-brown "mature mash." It is this fermentation process that creates the many distinct flavour and fragrance compounds that build the soy sauce flavour profile.

Refining

Following the months of moromi fermentation, the raw soy sauce is separated from the solids by pressing it through layers of filtration cloth. The liquid that emerges is then refined, heated and packaged as finished soy sauce.