I ran across the following information on how soy sauce is made (one of
their factories is 3-4 hours from where we live.)

There is definitely a great number of people in the world using soybean
products, I listed some of what is claimed to be some of the benefits.

I post this just to demonstrate really how much processing goes into a
simple thing like soy sauce and to make us all aware of what the "world"
is pursuing as good health and the leading position the USA is taking to
advance soybean consumption and meet world demands profitably.
Monsanto's genetically "tinkered" soybean will cover almost 10 million
acres now, from a million or so last year, and there is apparently no
looking back :(

How San-Jirushi makes tamari soy sauce:

1) Whole soybeans are soaked in water and cooked in large cylindrical
steam cookers.

2) When making shoyu, cracked roasted whole wheat is added to the
soybeans before forming nuggets.

3) The cooked beans are formed into nuggets and lightly dusted with
"seed koji" (aspergillus oryzae).

4) The nuggets are placed in a temperature and humidity controlled
incubation chamber (muro).

5) During the two days in the mutro, the nuggets develop fuzzy pale
yellow mold.

6) The matured koji is put in fermentation tanks with salt and water.

7) The moromi ages for 6 to 8 months under careful monitoring.

8) The moromi is wrapped between layers of press cloth, stacked in a
cage and pressed to yield the raw soy sauce.

9) The raw tamari or shoyu is then pasteurized and filtered to produce
the finished product.

10) The sauce is bottled, cased and sent to market.

>From China in the 9th century to Japan, the Sato family of Kuwana in
1804 began the household art, the result is San-J International the
world's largest and most prestigious producer of naturally brewed tamari
soy sauce.

- the US is the world leader in soybean production
- soy isoflavones are receiving clinical research efforts because of
their potential in cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention.
- countries where soy is a main staple of the diet experience lower
rates of various forms of cancer and of heart disease.
- soy isoflavones may help regulate hormonal balance in women, may
prevent osteoporosis, are powerful antioxidants and have cholesterol
lowering properties.