Can people with soybean or wheat allergies eat soy sauce?
It is said that 3 out of 10 Japanese people have allergies. The most common food to be allergic to are milk, then eggs, followed by wheat, which is the main ingredient of soy sauce There are also people who are allergic to soybeans.
When it comes to soy sauce, the allergens contained in the soybeans and the wheat degrade during the long brewing process, so it is said that it is extremely difficult to have an allergic reaction to soy sauce. However, there have been cases of allergic reactions to soy sauce in the past, so everyone still needs to be careful.
There is soy sauce that does not contain soybeans or wheat
If you have allergic reactions to both soybeans and wheat, you may not be able to use standard soy sauce. For those people, we recommend using a soy sauce made from broad bean soy sauce. They type of soy sauce is made with broad beans and salt. Soy sauce is made with the proteins and starch contained within soybeans and wheat. Broad beans are also rich in protein and its composition is similar to that of soybeans and wheat combined. For such reasons, the taste of broad bean soy sauce is very similar to the standard soy sauce.
Broad bean soy sauce
The following is a story about of Mr. Takahashi the president of the soy sauce company Takahashi Shoten.
Why do we make broad bean soy sauce?
In 2003, one of my acquaintances consulted me about making a soy sauce without using soybeans. After listening to the story my acquaintance, I realized that eating food containing wheat can cause various symptoms which are serious for people with allergies.
I immediately consulted with an engineer at Kagawa Prefectural Industrial Technology Center Fermented Food Research Institute, and he agreed it was a good idea to make nonallergic soy sauce. From that point we started the research. Instead of using soybeans and wheat, we tried making soy sauce with rice, sesame seeds, oats, azuki beans and many other foods. Finally, after 2 years of research, we reached stumbled upon broad beans. The first batch was prepared in May 2005. It was squeezed from the mash in January of the next year and it was being sold by February.
As I was researching broad bean soy sauce, I had a chance to hear about children's allergies from various people. Again, I realized how serious the matter is for many people. I also heard serious opinion such as people with allergies wanting to eat delicious soy sauce which does not contain wheat and soybeans, so they can enjoy delicious sashimi!
The broad bean soy sauce made now only includes broad beans and salt. It does not include any wheat or soybeans. The total nitrogen level, which is an indicator of the umami of soy sauce, is 1.74 g / 100 ml, which is almost the same as ordinary soy sauce (1.5 g / 100 ml). The salinity is 17.06g / 100 ml, so it is also the same as ordinary soy sauce.
Broad bean soy sauce is very similar to the soy sauce made by wheat and soybeans. Furthermore, it has a unique mildness to the flavor so it is very delicious. My acquaintance was very happy when I gave them the broad bean soy sauce, They said that they could now enjoy it like ordinary soy sauce. Since it does not contain wheat or soy, it is not soy sauce, but it is called a "soy sauce-style seasoning." It may not be soy sauce, but I have total confidence in this product.
Gluten-free soy sauce without wheat
In recent years, gluten- free diets have been gaining popularity. Because of that diet it seems that more and more people are looking for soy sauce that does not use wheat (gluten-free soy sauce). The main ingredients of soy sauce are soybeans, wheat and salt, but some tamari soy sauces do not use wheat. (Not all tamari soy sauce is gluten- free, so please check the label).