Hakko (fermentation) has been one of the most popular ways of preserving food in Japan since ancient times. In Japan, it’s played a special role in shaping not only individual food products but the entire flavor profile of Japanese cuisine through vital fermented ingredients: miso, soy sauce, mirin (a rice wine), natto (fermented soybeans), and alcoholic drinks such as sake and shochu (distilled rice liquor). It is hard to imagine Japanese cuisine without fermented food.
One of the reasons that fermented foods are so ubiquitous in Japan is its climate, the humid and warm environment helps promote activity in the bacteria and molecules which are often used for fermentation. The characteristic of Japanese fermentation is using a specific fungus called Koji mold (Aspergillus oryzae), which is known as the ‘national fungus’ in Japan. It feeds on grains, often cooked rice, barley, or soybeans, and is the basis for making miso, sake, and soy sauce.
One of the features of fermentation is its preservation. Tsukemono, Japanese pickled vegetables, is a fermentation cuisine that the Japanese cannot live without. It is usually pickled in salt, brine, or a bed of rice bran, which has the effect of producing high osmotic pressure and lowering pH. As a result, the vegetables ripen further and are preserved, adding new flavors
While fermentation has long been used as a way to preserve food across the world, the health benefits that come with eating and drinking fermented products have only recently become widely known. Large amounts of nutrients are produced during the fermentation process. For example, natto is made by fermenting heated soybeans with the natto fungus (Bacillus subtilis var. natto), and it contains several nutrients with health benefits such as high concentrations of Vitamin K, which stimulates the formation of bones.
Today we have picked 3 fascinating Japanese startups that are aiming to create a sustainable future with the power of fermentation.
Fermenstation was founded in 2009 and developed its technology to make rice-derived ethanol and skincare products. Their main product, rice ethanol, is made from pesticide and chemical-free rice and has been rewarded with both national and international certificates such as Organic JAS(Japanese Agricultural Standards). The company is also reducing waste by developing original cosmetics using the mash leftover called moromi from ethanol production. Other moromi is up-cycled to local farmers as livestock feed and fertilizer.
The company prioritizes the use of raw materials for which the place of production and the origin of the resources can be fully ascertained so that the entire production process can be reliably traced. Fermenstation also proposes a collaborative business aimed at building a circular society that transforms unused resources into new and valuable products through our fermentation technology and know-how.
Fermenstation is the first B Corp certified startup in Japan committed to using business as a force for good. B Corp is an international certification that certifies companies conducting business activities that generate multifaceted and comprehensive benefits for local communities, the environment, customers, and its employees.
Aging meat is a controlled fermentation. Aging meat is time-consuming and the risk of spoilage is high if the meat is not in the right environment (humidity, temperature, airflow, etc.). Even if all goes well, only 50-60% of the meat is actually edible, with roughly half being thrown away.
Meatepoch developed the ‘Aging Sheet’ to make aging meat much easier. The sheet is covered with bacteria that can be used during the aging process, and by wrapping the sheet around the meat, it can be cultured in a standard fridge. It can shorten the maturation period by a third or less (20-30 days) and prevent spoilage. Additionally, about 80% of the product can be eaten, leading to an improvement in food loss. The sheet was developed by collaboration between Murakami Laboratory in the School of Agriculture, Meiji University, and a meatpacking company. The sheets are already in use in 300 shops, restaurants, and the company also provides the sheet for households.
Sake kasu is made from the leftover ingredients used to make sake after the fermenting process is over. It is traditionally used as an ingredient in Japanese food that gives flavor to dishes, and for making Amazake, a sweet, fermented rice drink. However, around 1,800 tonnes of sake kasu is discharged annually from sake breweries. With the increasing demand for higher quality sake which requires more polished rice, more and more sake kasu is being wasted.
Ethical Spirits is a start-up that distills sake kasu to produce craft gin and whisky under the brand ‘LAST’. They do this by purchasing sake lees discarded by breweries across the country and reusing (distilling) them through their ‘Ethical Gin Project’. In addition to sake lees, the company also makes various other types of gin and whisky from discarded items such as coffee grounds and cocoa nibs.
In 2022, the company raised JPY 200 million in a funding round involving Suntory YASMBC venture capital firms. The company plans to use the funds to expand its business overseas to the UK and France, in addition to Italy, where it has already begun sales.
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