Lead
What would you think if I told you that your soy sauce might not be the real soy sauce? Don't be shocked, this is authoritative news from the State Administration for Market Regulation in the mainland.
On June 29, 2021, the State Administration for Market Regulation of the People's Republic of China issued an announcement stating that it is no longer allowed to produce and sell products labeled as "prepared soy sauce". This has led to many consumers being confused about the choice of soy sauce. So, how do you choose healthy and delicious soy sauce?
First, start with the preparation of soy sauce
Let's start by focusing on an often-overlooked, but food safety issue. What is Formulated Soy Sauce?
It is a liquid condiment prepared with brewed soy sauce as the main body, adding acid hydrolyzed vegetable protein seasoning liquid, food additives, etc. It may sound like no problem, but in reality, there is a big difference in nutritional value and taste between prepared soy sauce and brewed soy sauce.
Although the price of formulated soy sauce is lower, it has relatively few nutrients. It also has a lighter flavor than brewed soy sauce, which may make many people feel that they can't satisfy their taste needs. The most worrying thing is that the additives in the formulation of soy sauce, although they meet safety standards, have potential safety risks that may pose a threat to our health.
So, the next time you buy soy sauce, remember these 4 words: "prepare soy sauce" and be sure to avoid it.
2. Is soy sauce with zero additives really better?
Now that we've learned about the preparation of soy sauce, let's talk about additives. In general, many consumers think that products with zero additives are healthy goods. But did you know that additives are not all demons, and some additives do play a necessary role in food production.
Additives are mainly used to improve the quality, color, taste, etc. of food, and most of the additives are safe to eat after strict safety assessment and licensing. Therefore, don't be easily confused by the packaging of zero-added products, and it is okay to buy and enjoy the public taste with additives with confidence, as long as we eat it reasonably.
2. How to choose soy sauce?
Now that we know how to avoid the myth of soy sauce and zero additives, how should we choose the best soy sauce?
1. Look at the ingredient list of soy sauce: the ingredient list is often marked with "amino acid nitrogen", according to mainland regulations, the content of amino acid nitrogen in soy sauce should not be less than 0.4 g/per 100 ml, the richer the content, the better the quality. There is also the "quality grade", which is divided into four grades: special grade, first grade, second grade, and third grade. However, it should be noted that only brewed soy sauce is classified, and prepared soy sauce is not graded.
2. Shake the bottle: In the process of selecting soy sauce, we can gently shake the bottle to check its fluidity and color change. High-quality brewed soy sauce often has poor fluidity, and foam can be formed after shaking, and these foams last for a long time. Poorer formulated soy sauce has good fluidity, and its foam dissipates quickly after shaking.
3. Choose a brand: Generally speaking, soy sauce products with a brand are more reliable and the price is relatively reasonable. We should choose brands that are famous, reputable, and well-evaluated. Of course, it is not advisable to blindly worship brands, and you need to choose based on your actual situation and preferences.
4. Healthy ways to eat soy sauce!
Well, now that you have the skills to choose a good soy sauce, let's share all the strategies for healthy soy sauce.
- Control the amount you eat. Although soy sauce is delicious, excessive use can be a burden on the body. The recommended amount of soy sauce to consume per day is around 10 ml.
- Serve after cooking. When stir-frying or boiling, adding soy sauce at the end preserves its nutrients and umami.
- Pay attention to how you save it. After opening, the soy sauce should be stored in a cool and ventilated place, away from direct sunlight and high temperatures.
When soy sauce shows these signs, stop using it!
If the temperature in your home is too high, soy sauce can be stored for too long and it is easy to produce a layer of white deposits on the surface, which is because yeast and mold are using the nutrients in soy sauce to multiply, causing the formation of colonies. This kind of colony not only reduces the original nutrition and flavor of soy sauce, but also may carry pathogens, thus increasing the risk of food contamination. Therefore, if you find a white film on the soy sauce at home, you should discard it.
epilogue
Buying soy sauce may seem mundane, but behind every drop of soy sauce there are many hidden issues that we need to focus on. When we learn to choose soy sauce and pay attention to how we eat it and how we preserve it, we will be able to enjoy our food while protecting our health.
Hope this article has been helpful in your life and let's eat healthier and live happier together!