What is
UMAMI &
KOJI?
Around the world,
umami has become synonymous with delicious food.
Enhancing a dish's umami, also known as the "fifth taste," can make any meal taste better, no matter how health conscious.
In other words, the healthy choice can taste as good as you want it to.
Still, despite its ubiquity, umami remains a mystery to many people outside of Japan.
Introducing Japanese KOJI, the key to unlocking UMAMI.
For centuries, koji has played a major role in Japan’s fermentation culture alongside Japan’s most beloved fermented seasonings like soy sauce, miso, mirin, and rice vinegar — all known for expanding the umami flavors found in all types of delicious dishes.
Enjoy the seasonal dishes of Japan and surprise your tastebuds with authentic umami flavors.
Unlock UMAMI and live deliciously healthy with Japanese KOJI.
Japanese
Fermented
Seasonings
Japanese
Ingredients
Koji
is the secret
behind
the delicious
flavors
of healthy
Japanese
cuisine.
Koji is used to produce various world-class Japanese fermented foods and seasonings,
including miso, soy sauce, mirin, and rice vinegar.
In Japan, fermented seasonings that use koji have been around since ancient times and remain popular today.
It has been said that consuming a diet with these Japanese fermented seasonings provides a better dining experience for the body, mind, and soul.
Keep reading to discover what secrets koji offers and unravel its relationship to umami.
Live Deliciously Healthy
with Japanese KOJI
Koji is an indispensable ingredient in Japanese cuisine that can transform any healthy meal into a delicious treat.
Koji (a fungus called Aspergillus oryzae) is cultivated on grains such as rice, wheat, and soybeans.
Koji produces enzymes that promote fermentation and are used to create a variety of world-class Japanese fermented foods and seasonings, including miso, soy sauce, mirin, and rice vinegar. These ingredients can increase a food's depth and richness of flavor, which the Japanese call "umami."
Thanks to Japan's four distinct seasons and geographical diversity, the country has access to a wide variety of fresh foods with natural flavors.
Japan has developed a unique culture of fermentation that brings out and accentuates those natural flavors
with koji. Fermentation refers to the positive changes that occur in foods through the increase of microorganisms.
The flavor of fermented foods depends on the ingredients used and the microorganisms acting on them.
Besides those derived from koji, there are many other fermented foods around us, such as yogurt, cheese, and beer.
Here are some Japanese fermented seasonings that use koji.
Fermented seasonings made from koji
are good for your health and have a
variety of culinary benefits. Many dishes in Japanese cuisine effectively utilize the characteristics
of fermented seasonings and the diverse flavors of fresh Japanese produce.
Koji fungus produces many enzymes, including enzymes that break down proteins into amino acids and starch into sugar. The diverse components produced in this process increase the complexity of the taste.
In addition, various functional and health ingredients are produced in the process of fermentation, and research has long shown that these ingredients have a beneficial effect on the body.
The fermented seasonings using koji produces a complex umami and health-promoting components. The combination of these fermented seasonings with the basics of Japanese cooking, such as "one soup, three dishes" [staple food (rice), soup, main dish, and two side dishes] , ingredients, and cooking methods, creates the "tasty = healthy" formula.
Fermented Seasonings
Born from Koji
Fermented seasonings such as miso, soy sauce, mirin,
and rice vinegar made from koji add depth and rich flavor,
the Japanese concept of umami, to food.
Learn more about the history and culture of these seasonings directly from their producers.