The appeal of fermented foods in Aichi prefecture

In 2013, traditional Japanese cuisine, or washoku, was registered as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. The degree of attention to Japanese food has further increased around the world. Traditional Japanese cuisine has four main characteristics: washoku uses fresh ingredients and it is well-balanced, good-looking and an important part of annual events. It is notable that washoku is a healthy diet and has contributed to the longevity of Japanese people. Obviously, use of the Umami compounds such as glutamate and nucleic acid-relating substances, extracted from natural ingredients such as “kombu kelp” and “katsuobushi (dried bonito)” contributes to the deliciousness and healthiness of washoku. In addition to these compounds, fermented seasonings play an important role in the taste of Japanese cuisine by adding the other Umami components, such as amino acids other than glutamate, and peptides. There are many breweries of fermented seasonings such as miso, soy sauce, vinegar, and mirin in Aichi prefecture. And they have had a great impact on Japanese food culture. In this article I focused on the variety of fermented seasonings in Aichi and their history, process for making, characteristics and functionality.