Soy sauce gets its flavor from mold
Soy sauce's complex umami flavor is born from fermenting soybeans and wheat with a special mold, a traditional process that transformed humble ingredients into a global culinary cornerstone.
Soy sauce's signature salty, savory taste comes from a fascinating fermentation process. It begins by mixing steamed soybeans with roasted wheat, then introducing koji mold (Aspergillus oryzae). This mold breaks down starches and proteins, creating enzymes that kickstart fermentation.