View source for Soy sauce

{{Short description|East Asian liquid condiment}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox food
| name             = Soy sauce
| image            = Soy sauce 2.jpg
| image_size       = 
| caption          = A bowl of soy sauce
| alternate_name   = {{transliteration|ja|Shoyu}}, {{transliteration|zh|jiàngyóu}}, soya sauce
| place_of_origin          =[[China]]
| region           = [[East Asia]] and [[Southeast Asia]]
| associated_cuisine = 
| creator          = 
| course           = 
| type             = [[Condiment]]
| served           = 
| main_ingredient  = [[Soybeans]]
| variations       = 
| calories         = 
| other            = 
}}
'''Soy sauce''' (sometimes called '''soya sauce''' in [[British English]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Definition of SOY SAUCE |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soy%20sauce |website=www.merriam-webster.com |access-date=28 October 2020}}</ref>) is a liquid [[condiment]] of [[China|Chinese]] origin, traditionally made from a [[fermentation (food)|fermented]] paste of [[soybean]]s, roasted [[cereal|grain]], [[brine]], and ''[[Aspergillus oryzae]]'' or ''[[Aspergillus sojae]]'' [[Mold (fungus)|molds]].<ref>
{{cite book |title=Microbiology Laboratory Theory and Application |last1=Leboffe |first1=Michael |last2=Pierce | first2=Burton |edition= 2nd |page=317 |isbn=9780895827081|date=30 July 2006 |publisher=Morton Publishing Company }}</ref> It is recognized for its saltiness and pronounced [[umami]] taste.

Soy sauce was created in its current form about 2,200 years ago during the [[Western Han dynasty]] of ancient China.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.flavorandfortune.com/dataaccess/article.php?ID=239|title=Soy Sauce, China's Liquid Spice|website=www.flavorandfortune.com|access-date=7 November 2016|archive-date=8 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108052336/http://www.flavorandfortune.com/dataaccess/article.php?ID=239|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="web1" /><ref name="needham2000jiang" /><ref name="needham2000" /> Since then, it has become an important ingredient in [[List of Asian cuisines|East]] and [[Cuisine of Southeast Asia|Southeast Asian cooking]] as well as a condiment worldwide.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.jpf.go.jp/e/publish/periodic/jfn/pdf/jfn27_2.pdf |title= Shπyu:The Flavor of Japan |date= January 2000 |publisher= 
The Japan Foundation Newsletter Vol. XXVII, No. 2 |page=2 |access-date=November 15, 2025 |url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226200239/http://www.jpf.go.jp/e/publish/periodic/jfn/pdf/jfn27_2.pdf |archive-date=February 26, 2009  }}</ref>

== Use and storage ==
Soy sauce can be added directly to food, and is used as a dip or [[Salt#Edible salt|salt]] flavor in cooking.<ref name=":25">{{Cite book |title=Traditional and modern Japanese soy foods : manufacturing, nutrition and cuisine of a variety of soy foods for health and joy of taste |date=14 May 2014 |publisher=Nova Science Publishers |last1=Ohyama |first1=Takuji |last2=Takahashi |first2=Yoshihiko |last3=Joh |first3=Toshio |last4=C. Whitaker |first4=Andrew |last5=Nishiwaki |first5=Toshikazu |last6=Morohashi |first6=Keiko |last7=Watanabe |first7=Satoshi |last8=Shimojo |first8=Sayaka |isbn=9781626186071 |location=Hauppauge, New York |oclc=858282101}}</ref> It is often eaten with [[rice]], [[Japanese noodles|noodles]], and [[sushi]] or [[sashimi]], or can also be mixed with ground [[wasabi]] for dipping.<ref name=":25"/> Bottles of soy sauce for the salty seasoning of various foods are common on restaurant tables in many countries.<ref name=":25"/> Soy sauce can be stored at room temperature.<ref name=":25"/>

== History ==
=== Asia ===
==== China ====
{{Infobox Chinese
| s = 酱油 / 豆油 / 豉油
| t = 醬油 / 豆油 / 豉油
| l = "sauce oil" / "bean oil" / "fermented bean oil"
| p = jiàng yóu <!--（酱油）l = "sauce oil"-->
| w = chiang<sup>4</sup>-yu<sup>2</sup>
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|j|iang|4|.|you|2}}
| bpmf = ㄐㄧㄤˋ ㄧㄡˊ
| sic = dou<sup>4</sup> you<sup>2</sup> <!--（豆油）-->
| j = si6 jau4 <!--（-{豉油}-）l2 = "fermented bean oil"-->
| y = sih yàuh
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|s|i|6|-|j|au|4}} <!-- teo2 = si<sup>7</sup> iu<sup>5</sup> -->
| teo = si<sup>7</sup> iu<sup>5</sup>
| poj = tāu-iû <!--（豆油） l3 = "bean oil"--> <!-- tl3 = tāu-iû -->
| buc = siê-iù
| lmz = jianhhiou
| sha = [tɕiã̄ɦiɤ́]
| hangul = 간장
| hanja = 간醬
| lk = "seasoning sauce"
| rr = ganjang
| mr = kanjang
| my = ပဲငံပြာရည်
| bi = {{IPA|my|pɛ́ ŋàɰ̃ bjà jè|}} <!-- pɛ́ ŋàɴ byà yè -->
| kanji = 醤油
| hiragana = しょうゆ
| revhep = shōyu
| kunrei = syôyu
| chunom = 豉油 / 渃醬 / 豆味油
| qn = xì dầu / nước tương / tàu vị yểu <!--
| qn = xì dầu (thị du)<br/>nước tương
| hn = 豉油<br/>渃醬 -->
| tha = ซีอิ๊ว
| rtgs = si-io
| tgl = toyo
| ind = kecap
| msa = kicap
| khm = ស៊ីអ៊ីវ (sii 'iiv)
| lao = ເຕົ້າຈ້ຽວ (tao chiāu)
}}

Soy sauce ({{lang|zh|醬油}}, {{transliteration|zh|jiàngyóu}}) is considered almost as old as soy paste—a type of fermented paste ({{transliteration|zh|jiang}}, {{lang|zh|醬}}) obtained from soybeans—which had appeared during the [[Western Han dynasty]] (206 BC – 220 AD) and was listed in the bamboo slips found in the archaeological site [[Mawangdui]] ({{lang|zh|馬王堆}}).<ref name="needham2000jiang">{{cite book|last=Hsing-Tsung|first=Huang|title=Joseph Needham: Science and Civilisation in China, Vol.6, Part 5|publisher=Cambridge University Press|date=2000|isbn=978-0521652704|page=346}}</ref><ref name="web1">{{Cite web |url=http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/www.godpp.gov.cn/wmzh/2007-10/11/content_11376810.htm |title=調料文化：醬油的由來 |date=30 January 2012 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130171757/http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/www.godpp.gov.cn/wmzh/2007-10/11/content_11376810.htm |archive-date=30 January 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> There are several precursors of soy sauce that are associated products with soy paste. The oldest is {{transliteration|zh|qingjiang}} ({{lang|zh|清醬}}), which appeared in AD 40 and was listed in {{transliteration|zh|Simin Yueling}} ({{lang|zh|[[:zh:四民月令|四民月令]]}}).<ref name="needham2000">{{cite book|last=Hsing-Tsung|first=Huang|title=Joseph Needham: Science and Civilisation in China, Vol.6, Part 5|publisher=Cambridge University Press|date=2000|isbn=978-0521652704|pages=358–359}}</ref> Others are {{transliteration|zh|jiangqing}} ({{lang|zh|醬清}}), {{transliteration|zh|chizhi}} ({{lang|zh|豉汁}}) and {{transliteration|zh|chiqing}} ({{lang|zh|豉清}}), which were recorded in the {{transliteration|zh|[[Qimin Yaoshu]]}} ({{lang|zh|[[:zh:齐民要术|齊民要術]]}}) in AD 540.<ref name="needham2000" /> By the time of the [[Song dynasty]] (960–1279 AD), the term ''soy sauce'' ({{lang|zh|醬油}}) had become the accepted name for the liquid condiment,<ref name="needham2000" /> documented in two books: {{transliteration|zh|Shanjia Qinggong}} ({{lang|zh|山家清供}})<ref>{{cite book
|author=林洪|title=山家清供|url=https://zh.wikisource.org/zh/%E5%B1%B1%E5%AE%B6%E6%B8%85%E4%BE%9B|author-link=:zh:林洪 (宋朝進士)}}</ref> and ''[[Wushi Zhongkuilu|Pujiang Wushi Zhongkuilu]]'' ({{lang|zh|浦江吳氏中饋錄}})<ref>{{cite book|author=浦江吴氏|title=浦江吳氏中饋錄|url=http://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&chapter=150543&remap=gb}}</ref> during the [[Song dynasty]] (960–1279 AD).

Like many salty condiments, soy sauce was originally a way to stretch [[history of salt|salt]], historically an expensive commodity. During the [[Zhou dynasty]] of ancient China, fermented fish with salt was used as a condiment in which soybeans were included during the fermentation process.<ref name="web1" /><ref>[[:zh:醬]]</ref> By the time of the [[Han dynasty]], this had been replaced with the recipe for soy paste and its by-product soy sauce, by using soybeans as the principal ingredient,<ref name="needham2000jiang" /><ref name="needham2000" /> with fermented fish-based sauces developing separately into [[fish sauce]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Kurlansky|first=Mark|title=Salt: A world history|date=2002|publisher=Walker and Co.|location=New York|isbn=978-0-8027-1373-5|page=20|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kK7ec92n5x8C}}</ref>

The 19th century [[Sinology|Sinologist]] [[Samuel Wells Williams]] wrote that in China, the best soy sauce was "made by boiling beans soft, adding an equal quantity of wheat or barley, and leaving the mass to ferment; a portion of salt and three times as much water are afterwards put in, and the whole compound left for two or three months when the liquid is pressed and strained".<ref>[[Samuel Wells Williams|Williams, Samuel Wells]] (1848), ''The Middle Kingdom: A Survey of the Geography, Government, Education, Social Life, Arts, Religion, &c. of the Chinese Empire and Its Inhabitants'', 2 vol. Wiley & Putnam</ref>

===={{anchor|Japan}}Japan====
[[File:Shoyu Ramen.jpg|alt=|thumb|{{transliteration|ja|Shoyu}} [[ramen]], flavored with soy sauce]]

A condiment that predated soy sauce in Japan was {{nihongo||魚醤|[[fish sauce#Japan|gyoshō]]}}, a fish sauce.<ref name=":13">{{Cite book |last=Hosking |first=Richard |title=A dictionary of Japanese food : ingredients & culture |date=24 February 2015 |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |others=Ishige, Naomichi. |isbn=9781462903436 |edition=First |location=Tokyo, Japan |oclc=876044632}}</ref> When practitioners of [[Buddhism]] came to Japan from China in the 7th century,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GwpsVDKQcSUC|title=Biotechnology and genetic engineering|last=Wilson|first=Kathy|publisher=Facts on File|date=2010|isbn=978-0-8160-7784-7|location=New York|pages=90}}</ref> they introduced [[vegetarianism]] and brought many soy-based products with them, such as soy sauce,<ref name=":13"/> which is known as {{nihongo||醤油|shōyu}}<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal|last1=Sugiura|first1=K.|last2=Sugiura|first2=M.|date=Fall 2019|title=Soy Sauce Allergy|journal=Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology|volume=24|issue=7|pages=852–855|doi=10.1111/j.1468-3083.2009.03512.x|pmid=19943834|s2cid=26089906}}</ref><ref name=":25"/> in Japan. {{transliteration|ja|Shoyu}} exportation began in 1647 by the [[Dutch East India Company]].<ref name=":25"/>

==== Korea ====
The earliest soy sauce brewing in [[Korea]] seems to have begun in the era of the [[Three Kingdoms of Korea|Three Kingdoms]].{{cn|date=November 2025}} [[Onggi|Jangdoks]] used for soy sauce brewing are found in the [[mural]] paintings of [[Anak Tomb No. 3]] from the 4th century [[Goguryeo]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://vip.mk.co.kr/news/view/21/20/1340065.html|script-title=ko:행복을 부르는 맛 '간장'...집에서 만든 만능간장소스 하나면 OK|last=신|first=동민|date=9 November 2015|access-date=9 November 2016|issue=1831|trans-title=Ganjang, the flavour that brings happiness... Home-made versatile ganjang sauce is all you need|newspaper=Maekyung Economy}}</ref>

In ''[[Samguk sagi]]'', a historical record of the [[Three Kingdoms of Korea|Three Kingdoms era]], it is written that {{transliteration|ko|ganjang}} (soy sauce) and {{transliteration|ko|[[doenjang]]}} (soybean paste), along with {{transliteration|ko|[[meju]]}} (soybean block) and {{transliteration|ko|[[jeotgal]]}} (salted seafood), were prepared for the [[Pyebaek|wedding ceremony]] of the [[King Sinmun]] in February 683.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=http://pub.chosun.com/client/news/viw.asp?cate=C03&mcate=M1006&nNewsNumb=20160119157&nidx=19158|script-title=ko:신라시대에 왕비 폐백품목에도 있었던 식품은?|last=하|first=상도|date=11 January 2016|newspaper=Chosun pub|language=ko|trans-title=Guess what food was used for pyebaek ceremony of a Silla queen|access-date=9 November 2016|archive-date=25 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125232520/http://pub.chosun.com/client/news/viw.asp?cate=C03&mcate=M1006&nNewsNumb=20160119157&nidx=19158|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{transliteration|ko|[[Goryeosa|Sikhwaji]]}}, a section from {{transliteration|ko|[[Goryeosa]]}} (History of Goryeo), recorded that {{transliteration|ko|ganjang}} and {{transliteration|ko|doenjang}} were included in the relief supplies in 1018, after a [[Goryeo–Khitan War|Khitan invasion]], and in 1052, when a [[famine]] occurred.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://travel.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/01/18/2012011801485.html|script-title=ko:정월에 담근 장이 가장 맛있다는데...|last=김|first=성윤|date=19 January 2012|newspaper=[[The Chosun Ilbo]]|language=ko|trans-title=Jang tastes the best when made in the first month of the year (in the Lunar calendar)|access-date=9 November 2016|archive-date=4 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304183809/http://travel.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/01/18/2012011801485.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Joseon]] texts such as {{transliteration|ko|[[Guhwangchwaryo]]}} and {{transliteration|ko|[[Jeungbo sallim gyeongje]]}} contain the detailed procedures on how to brew good quality {{transliteration|ko|ganjang}} and {{transliteration|ko|doenjang}}.{{vn|date=November 2025}} {{transliteration|ko|[[Gyuhap chongseo]]}} explains how to pick a date for brewing, what to forbear, and how to keep and preserve {{transliteration|ko|ganjang}} and {{transliteration|ko|doenjang}}.<ref name=":4" />

====Philippines====
In the [[Philippines]], soy sauce was likely first recorded through the documentation of the traditional dish [[Philippine adobo|adobo]] in 1613 via the San Buenaventura paper. Food historian Raymond Sokolov noted that the ingredients used in the dish, including soy sauce, likely were present in the native cuisine even before the colonial-era record.<ref>Adobo: The History Behind A National Favorite. Pepper Magazine.</ref>

=== Europe ===
Records of the [[Dutch East India Company]] list soy sauce as a commodity in 1737, when seventy-five large barrels were shipped from [[Dejima]], Japan, to Batavia (present-day [[Jakarta]]) on the island of [[Java]]. Thirty-five barrels from that shipment were then shipped to the Netherlands.<ref>Tanaka, p. 6.</ref> In the 18th century, diplomat and scholar [[Isaac Titsingh]] published accounts of brewing soy sauce. Although earlier descriptions of soy sauce had been disseminated in the West, his was among the earliest to focus specifically on the brewing of the Japanese version.<ref>Titsingh, Isaac. (1781). "''Bereiding van de Soya"'' ("Producing Soy Sauce"), [http://library.wur.nl/WebQuery/catalog/66098?wq_sfx=lang ''Verhandelingen van het Bataviaasch Genootschap'' (''Transactions of the Batavian Academy'')], Vol. III. [http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/9752305 OCLC 9752305]</ref> By the mid-19th century, Japanese soy sauce gradually disappeared from the European market, and the condiment became synonymous with the Chinese product.<ref name=tanaka7 /> Europeans were unable to make soy sauce because they did not have access to ''[[Aspergillus oryzae]]'', the fungus used in its brewing.<ref name=tanaka7>Tanaka, p. 7.</ref> Soy sauce made from ingredients such as [[portobello mushrooms]] were disseminated in European cookbooks during the late 18th century. A Swedish recipe for {{lang|sv|"Soija"}} was published in the 1770 edition of [[Cajsa Warg]]'s {{lang|sv|Hjelpreda i Hushållningen för Unga Fruentimber}} and was flavored with [[allspice]] and [[nutmeg|mace]].<ref>Warg, Cajsa (1770) ''Hjelpreda i Hushållningen för Unga Fruentimber'', "[[:s:sv:Hjelpreda I Hushållningen För Unga Fruentimber/Några gröna Saker at laga, och förwara öfwer Winteren#Soija.|Soija]]" pp. 70–71 of the appendix</ref>

=== United States ===
Soy sauce production in the United States began in the [[Territory of Hawaii]] in 1905 by Yamajo Soy Co, which by 1909 was renamed the Hawaiian Soy Company Ltd.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soyinfocenter.com/books/146|title=How Japanese and Japanese-Americans Brought Soyfoods to the United States and the Hawaiian Islands - A History (1851-2011) - SoyInfo Center|website=www.soyinfocenter.com}}</ref> [[La Choy]] started selling [[hydrolyzed vegetable protein]]–based soy sauce in 1933.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.soyinfocenter.com/HSS/soy_sauce7.php |title=History of Soy Sauce, Shoyu, and Tamari – Page 7 |last1=Shurtleff |first1=William |author-link=William Shurtleff |last2=Aoyagi |first2=Akiko |author-link2=Akiko Aoyagi|date=2004 |website=Soy Info Center |access-date=27 December 2019}}</ref>

== Production ==
[[File:Soja.jpg|thumb|upright|Soy sauce is made from [[soybean]]s.]]
Soy sauce is made either by fermentation or by [[hydrolysis]]. Some commercial sauces have both fermented and chemical sauces.

Flavor, color, and aroma developments during production are attributed to non-enzymatic [[Maillard browning]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Lertsiri|first1=Sittiwat|last2=Maungma|first2=Roungdao|last3=Assavanig|first3=Apinya|last4=Bhumiratana|first4=Amaret|date=1 May 2001|title=Roles of the Maillard Reaction in Browning During Moromi Process of Thai Soy Sauce|journal=Journal of Food Processing and Preservation |volume=25|issue=2|pages=149–162|doi=10.1111/j.1745-4549.2001.tb00450.x|issn=1745-4549|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Variation is usually achieved as the result of different methods and durations of [[fermentation (food)|fermentation]], different ratios of water, [[salt]], and fermented soy, or through the addition of other ingredients.

=== Traditional ===
{{Further|Soup soy sauce#Production}}

Traditional soy sauces are made by mixing soybeans and grain with mold cultures such as ''[[Aspergillus oryzae]]'' and other related [[microorganism]]s and yeasts (the resulting mixture is called [[Koji (food)|Koji]] in Japan; the term {{transliteration|ja|koji}} is used both for the mixture of soybeans, wheat, and mold as well as for the mold itself). Historically, the mixture was fermented naturally in large urns and under the sun, which was believed to contribute extra flavors. Today, the mixture is placed in a temperature- and humidity-controlled incubation chamber.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.san-j.com/history.asp|title=Tamari, Soy Sauce – San-J|website=san-j.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218155943/http://www.san-j.com/history.asp|archive-date=18 February 2011}}</ref>

Traditional soy sauces take months to make:
# Soaking and cooking: The soybeans are soaked in water and boiled until cooked. Wheat is roasted and crushed.
# {{transliteration|ja|Koji}} culturing: Equal amounts of boiled soybeans and roasted wheat are mixed to form a grain mixture. A culture of Aspergillus spore is added to the grain mixture and mixed, or the mixture is allowed to gather spores from the environment itself. The cultures include:
#* ''[[Aspergillus]]'': a [[genus]] of fungus that is used for fermenting various ingredients (the cultures are called {{transliteration|ja|koji}} in Japanese). Three species are used for brewing soy sauce:
#** ''[[A. oryzae]]'': Strains with high [[protease|proteolytic]] capacity are used for brewing soy sauce.<ref>{{cite book|last=Maheshwari|first=D.K.|title=Industrial exploitation of microorganisms|date=2010|publisher=I.K. International Pub. House|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-93-8002-653-4|page=242|author2=Dubey, R.C. |author3=Saravanamuthu, R. }}</ref>
#** ''[[A. sojae]]'': This fungus also has a high proteolytic capacity.
#** ''[[Aspergillus tamarii|A. tamarii]]'':<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Dorner|first=J W|date=December 1983|title=Production of cyclopiazonic acid by Aspergillus tamarii Kita|pmc=239590|journal=Applied and Environmental Microbiology|volume=46|issue=6|pages=1435–1437|issn=0099-2240|pmid=6660879|doi=10.1128/AEM.46.6.1435-1437.1983|bibcode=1983ApEnM..46.1435D}}</ref> This fungus is used for brewing {{transliteration|ja|tamari}}, a variety of soy sauce.
#* ''[[Saccharomyces cerevisiae]]'': the yeasts in the culture convert some of the sugars to ethanol which can undergo secondary reactions to make other flavor compounds
#* Other microbes contained in the culture:
#** ''Bacillus spp''. (genus): This organism is likely to grow in soy sauce ingredients, and to generate odors and ammonia.
#** ''Lactobacillus species'': This organism makes a lactic acid that increases the acidity in the feed.
# Brewing: The cultured grain mixture is mixed into a specific amount of salt [[brine]] for wet fermentation or with coarse salt for dry fermentation and left to brew. Over time, the Aspergillus mold on the soy and wheat break down the grain proteins into free amino acid and protein fragments and starches into simple sugars. This amino-glycosidic reaction gives soy sauce its dark brown color. Lactic acid bacteria ferments the sugars into lactic acid and yeast makes ethanol, which through aging and secondary fermentation makes numerous flavor compounds typical of soy sauce.
# Pressing: The fully fermented grain slurry is placed into cloth-lined containers and pressed to separate the solids from the liquid soy sauce. The isolated solids are used as fertilizer or fed to animals while the liquid soy sauce is processed further.
# Pasteurization: The raw soy sauce is heated to eliminate any active yeasts and molds remaining in the soy sauce and can be filtered to remove any fine particulates.
# Storage: The soy sauce can be aged or directly bottled and sold.

[[File:Shoyukoji.jpg|thumb|Soy and wheat with ''Aspergillus sojae'' cultures to brew soy sauce]]

=== High-salt liquid-state fermented soy sauce ===
High-salt liquid-state fermentation (HLF) of soybeans depends heavily on microbial activity, metabolism and enzymatic hydrolysis of macronutrients. Most traditional approaches fall into the scope of HLF.<ref name=ZH-D/>

*During HLF, {{transliteration|ja|koji}}-infused soybeans are exposed to air so that hydrolytic enzymes of the mold can continuously break down macronutrients within the soybean.
*Ample water, usually about 2 to 2.5 times the weight of the feed,<ref name=ZH-D/> is required to support sufficient microbial growth.
*High salt concentration (17–20%) is required to selectively inhibit microbial activity.
* HLF is generally carried out at {{cvt|15–30|°C}}, and requires a long ageing period, usually from 90 to 180 days.<ref name="FengEtAl">{{cite journal|last1=Feng|first1=Yunzi|last2=Cai|first2=Yu|last3=Su|first3=Guowan|last4=Zhao|first4=Haifeng|last5=Wang|first5=Chenxia|last6=Zhao|first6=Mouming|title=Evaluation of aroma differences between high-salt liquid-state fermentation and low-salt solid-state fermentation soy sauces from China|journal=Food Chemistry|date=February 2014|volume=145|pages=126–134|doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.07.072|pmid=24128458}}</ref> In the aging period, constant stirring of {{transliteration|ja|moromi}} (a mash/mixture of wheat (optionally), salt, soy beans, water, and fermenting yeast) is required for distributing nutrients, as well as flavoring compounds evenly. In some cases, moromi is exposed to direct sunlight to facilitate the decomposition of macronutrients.
*Due to the high salinity of HLF moromi, only anaerobic halophiles can survive in the medium. Also, the {{cvt|15–30|°C}} temperature range allows only the growth of mesophiles. Similar to the fermentation of [[Pickling|pickles]], the primary lactic acid fermentation of sugars by halophiles reduces the pH of moromi down to acidic range.<ref name="FengEtAl"/> Low pH further limits the growth of undesirable microbes, but favors the growth of fermentative yeast which contributes to secondary fermentation that generates various flavoring compounds and odorants.

=== Low-salt solid-state fermented soy sauce===
LSF, also referred as rapid fermenting, is a modern fermentation method invented in response to high market demand.

*Compared to HLF, LSF employs pure cultures at a relatively higher temperature ({{cvt|40–55|°C}}) and lower brine solution concentrations (13–15%). In LSF, koji is mixed with the equivalent weight of brine to form solid moromi.
*The elevated temperature accelerates the fermentation process significantly. Due to the short aging (15–30 days) period of LSF, and low production cost, LSF soy sauce accounts for more share of the Chinese soy sauce market.<ref>{{cite web|title=2017年中国酱油产量、出口量、进口量及表观消费量走势分析【图】_中国产业信息网|url=http://www.chyxx.com/industry/201707/541608.html|website=www.chyxx.com}}</ref>

LSF evolved from ''salt-free solid-state fermentation'', an even faster method working at even higher temperatures ({{cvt|50–65|°C}}) and taking 72 hours to complete,<ref name=HEChangzhi>{{cite book |last1=HE |first1=Changzhi |title=食品知识手册 |date=March 1991 |publisher=中国轻工业出版社 |location=Beijing |isbn=7-5019-0537-1 |url=http://61.134.53.202:81/refbook/detail.aspx?QUERYID=7&CURREC=1&RECID=R2008081430000602 |language=zh |chapter=601 固态低盐发酵; 602 固态无盐发酵 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> introduced to China from the [[Soviet Union]] in 1958. The aging time turned out to be too short develop a proper flavor profile, with burnt acidic notes left in the sauce. LSF is a compromise between this method and the more traditional HLF: the product tastes passable with more microbes allowed to survive, but still lacks depth.<ref name=ZH-D/> Reducing the salt content accelerates brewing by lifting salt-induced enzyme inhibition.<ref name=HEChangzhi/>

=== Acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein ===
{{main|Hydrolyzed vegetable protein}}
Some brands of soy sauce are made from acid-[[hydrolyzed]] [[soy protein]] instead of brewed with a traditional culture. This takes about three days.<ref name=kores>{{cite web |url=http://www.koreanrestaurantguide.com/health/health_soy.htm |title=Korean Restaurant Guide article on soy sauce |publisher=Koreanrestaurantguide.com |access-date=16 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100927152844/http://koreanrestaurantguide.com/health/health_soy.htm |archive-date=27 September 2010 }}</ref> Although they have a different flavor, aroma, and texture when compared to brewed soy sauces, they can be produced more quickly and cheaply, and also have a longer shelf life and are usually made for these reasons. The clear plastic [[Ketchup packet|packets]] of dark sauce common with Chinese-style take-out food typically use a hydrolyzed vegetable protein formula. Some higher-priced hydrolyzed vegetable protein products with no added sugar or colorings are sold as low-sodium soy sauce alternatives called "'''liquid aminos'''" in health food stores, similar to the way [[salt substitute]]s are used. These products are, however, not necessarily low in sodium.

== Chemical composition ==
The chemical composition of soy sauce is affected by the proportions of raw materials, fermentation methodologies, fermenting molds and strains, and post-fermentation treatments.<ref name="citeseerx.ist.psu.edu">{{cite journal|last1=Zhang|first1=Yanfang|last2=Tao|first2=Wenyi|title=Flavor and taste compounds analysis in Chinese solid fermented soy sauce|journal=African Journal of Biotechnology|date=18 February 2009|volume=8|issue=4|pages=673–681|citeseerx=10.1.1.891.5204}}</ref> Although the formation mechanism of chemical composition in soy sauce is complex, it has been widely accepted that free amino acids, water-soluble peptides and [[Maillard reaction]] products in soy sauce are considered as essential chemical composition and to provide core sensory effects.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Gao|first1=Xianli|last2=Cui|first2=Chun|last3=Ren|first3=Jiaoyan|last4=Zhao|first4=Haifeng|last5=Zhao|first5=Qiangzhong|last6=Zhao|first6=Mouming|title=Changes in the chemical composition of traditional Chinese-type soy sauce at different stages of manufacture and its relation to taste|journal=International Journal of Food Science & Technology|date=February 2011|volume=46|issue=2|pages=243–249|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2621.2010.02487.x}}</ref>
The primary fermentation of [[Lactic acid fermentation|lactic-acid-fermenting halophiles]] lowers the pH of the [[Sake|moromi]], and this directly results in the acidic pH range (4.4–5.4) of soy sauce products. The secondary fermentation conducted by [[Heterofermentative|heterofermentative microbes]] provides soy sauce with a wide range of flavor and odorant compounds by breaking down macronutrients. Soy proteins and grain proteins are [[hydrolyzed]] into short peptide chains and free amino acids, which adds umami to the product. Based on the result of free amino acid analysis, the most abundant amino acids in Chinese soy sauce product are [[glutamic acid]], [[aspartic acid]], [[alanine]] and [[leucine]].<ref name="citeseerx.ist.psu.edu"/>

[[Starch]] is hydrolyzed into simple sugars which contribute to the sweet flavor in soy sauce. Legume fats may also be decomposed into [[short chain fatty acids]], and the interactions among lipids and other macronutrients also result in a richer flavor in the final product. [[Non-enzymatic browning]] also contributes significantly to the development of the properties of soy sauce. The hydrolysis of proteins and large carbohydrates also provides free amino acids and simple sugars as reagents for the [[Maillard reaction]].

Soy sauce may contain more than 1% alcohol and may run afoul of liquor control legislation.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Beavan |first1=Katrina |title=NT liquor licensing laws affect sale of household cooking products, vendors warned |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-30/northern-territory-liquor-licensing-affecting-household-product/11365674 |access-date=30 July 2019 |work=[[ABC News and Current Affairs]] |date=30 July 2019}}</ref>

== Sensory profile ==
{{hatnote|This section uses three-letter codes for amino acids to save space. See {{section link|Proteinogenic amino acid|Structures}} for a list.}}
The taste of soy sauce is predominated by saltiness, followed by moderate umami, sweetness, and finally slight bitterness, which is hard to perceive due to the masking effect of other tastes. The overall flavor of soy sauce is a result of the balance and interaction among different taste components. The saltiness is largely attributed to the presence of NaCl (common salt) in brine. The sugars hydrolyzed from starch add sweetness into soy sauce. Umami is largely caused by the presence of free amino acids, mainly [[glutamine]] and [[aspartic acid]]. Sodium from the brine and [[disodium ribonucleotides]] from the soy also add to the umami. Other amino acids cause additional basic flavors, with sweet coming from Ala, Gly, Ser, and Thr; bitter coming from Arg, His, Ile, Leu, Met, Phe, Trp, Tyr, and Val; and no taste from Cys, Lys, and Pro.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Tseng|first1=Yu-Hsiu|last2=Lee|first2=Yu-Ling|last3=Li|first3=Ruei-Chian|last4=Mau|first4=Jeng-Leun|title=Non-volatile flavour components of Ganoderma tsugae|journal=Food Chemistry|date=May 2005|volume=90|issue=3|pages=409–415|doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.03.054}}</ref> The amino-acid [[nitrogen]] content, an indication of the free amino acid concentration, is used in China for grading soy sauce. The highest "special grade" is defined at ≥&nbsp;0.8&nbsp;g/100&nbsp;mL.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ouyang |first1=Qin |last2=Chen |first2=Quansheng |last3=Zhao |first3=Jiewen |last4=Lin |first4=Hao |title=Determination of Amino Acid Nitrogen in Soy Sauce Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy Combined with Characteristic Variables Selection and Extreme Learning Machine |journal=Food and Bioprocess Technology |date=September 2013 |volume=6 |issue=9 |pages=2486–2493 |doi=10.1007/s11947-012-0936-0|s2cid=98448382 }}</ref>

Despite a large variety of volatile and odorant compounds that have been identified in soy sauce, the food product ''per se'' does not present a strong aroma. Alcohols, acids, esters, aldehydes, ketones, phenols, heterocyclic compounds, alkynes and benzenes have been identified in Chinese soy sauces.<ref name="FengEtAl" /> An explanation for this observation is that the aroma of soy sauce does not depend largely on the aroma-active compounds. The subtle aroma is a result of a "critical balance" achieved among all volatile and odorant compounds, whose respective concentrations are relatively low.

== Variations by country ==
{{More citations needed section|date=January 2009}}

Soy sauce is widely used as an important flavoring and has been integrated into the [[Asian cuisine|traditional cuisines]] of many East Asian and Southeast Asian cultures. Despite their rather similar appearance, soy sauces made in different cultures and regions are different in taste, consistency, fragrance and saltiness. Soy sauce retains its quality longer when kept away from direct sunlight.

=== Burmese ===
Burmese soy sauce production is dated back to the [[Bagan Era]] in the 9th and 10th century. Scripts written in praise of ''pe ngan byar yay'' ({{lang|my|ပဲငံပြာရည်}}, literally "bean fish sauce") were found.{{Citation needed|date=February 2013}} Thick soy sauce is called ''kya nyo'' ({{lang|my|ကြာညို့}}, from Chinese ''jiàngyóu'').{{Citation needed|date=January 2018}}

=== Chinese ===
Chinese soy sauces ({{lang-zh|first=c|c={{linktext|醬|油}}||p=jiàng yóu|cy=jeungyàuh|j=zoeng3 jau4}}; or alternatively, {{lang|zh|{{linktext|豉油}} }}; {{lang-zh|p=chǐyóu|cy=sihyàuh|j=si6jau4}}) are primarily made from [[soybean]]s, with relatively low amounts of other grains. Chinese soy sauce produced by fermentation can be roughly split into two classes: brewed (direct fermented) or blended (with additives), occupying about 40% and 60% of market share respectively.<ref name=ZH-D>{{cite web |last1=Wanwan |title=中國、日本和韓國的醬油有什麼異同？ |url=https://daily.zhihu.com/story/7393822 |website=[[Zhihu]] Daily (curated section) |access-date=25 August 2022 |trans-title=What are the commonalities and differences among Chinese, Japanese, and Korean soy sauces?}}</ref> Sauces can also be classed by fermentation technology (shown above) into Low-Salt Solid-State fermented soy sauce (LSF; {{lang|zh|低鹽固態}}) and High-Salt Liquid-State fermented soy sauce (HLF; {{lang|zh|高鹽稀態}}), occupying about 90% and 10% of market share respectively.<ref name=ZH-D/>
[[File:Lee Kum Kee soy sauce.jpg|thumb|A bottle of soy sauce manufactured by Lee Kum Kee]]

==== Brewed ====
[[File:Bouteille-siaw.jpg|thumb|upright=.5|A bottle of commercially made light soy sauce]]

Soy sauce can be brewed directly from a fermentation process using wheat, soybeans, salt, and water without additional additives.

* Light or fresh ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|生|抽}}}}; {{lang-zh|p=shēng chōu|cy=sāangchāu|j=saang1 cau1}} or {{lang|zh|{{linktext|醬|清}}}}; {{lang-zh|p=jiàng qīng|cy=jeungchīng|j=zoeng3 cing1}}): is a thin (low viscosity), opaque, lighter brown soy sauce, brewed by first culturing steamed wheat and soybeans with ''Aspergillus'', and then letting the mixture ferment in brine. It is the main soy sauce used for seasoning, since it is saltier, has less noticeable color, and also adds a distinct flavor.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kamal|first1=Ghulam Mustafa|last2=Wang|first2=Xiaohua|last3=Bin Yuan|last4=Wang|first4=Jie|last5=Sun|first5=Peng|last6=Zhang|first6=Xu|last7=Liu|first7=Maili|title=Compositional differences among Chinese soy sauce types studied by 13C NMR spectroscopy coupled with multivariate statistical analysis|journal=Talanta|date=September 2016|volume=158|pages=89–99|doi=10.1016/j.talanta.2016.05.033|pmid=27343582}}</ref>
** ''Tóu chōu'' ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|頭|抽}}}}): A light soy sauce made from the first pressing of the soybeans, this can be loosely translated as "first soy sauce" or referred to as premium light soy sauce. ''Tóu chōu'' is sold at a premium because, like extra virgin olive oil, the flavor of the first pressing is considered superior. Due to its delicate flavor it is used primarily for seasoning light dishes and for dipping.
** ''Shuāng huáng'' ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|雙|璜}}}}): A light soy sauce that is double-fermented by using the light soy sauce from another batch to take the place of brine for a second brewing. This adds further complexity to the flavor of the light soy sauce. Due to its complex flavor this soy sauce is used primarily for dipping.
* Yìn yóu ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|蔭|油}}}}): A darker soy sauce brewed primarily in Taiwan by culturing only steamed soybeans with ''Aspergillus'' and mixing the cultured soybeans with coarse rock salt before undergoing prolonged dry fermentation. The flavor of this soy sauce is complex and rich and is used for dipping or in [[red cooking]]. For the former use, yìn yóu can be thickened with starch to make a thick soy sauce.<ref>{{cite youtube |title=咱へ故鄉 丸莊醬油 玉而富 Arts104 古玩古董 |work=jzqu20519 |date=4 February 2010 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-jhtA5AVls |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/D-jhtA5AVls| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live |via=[[YouTube]] |language=zh}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==== Blended ====
Additives with sweet or umami tastes are sometimes added to a finished brewed soy sauce to modify its taste and texture.

* [[Dark soy sauce|Dark and old soy sauce]] ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|老|抽}}}}; {{lang-zh|p=lǎo chōu|cy=lóuhchāu|j=lou5 cau1}}), a darker and slightly thicker soy sauce made from light soy sauce. This soy sauce is made through prolonged aging and may contain added [[caramel color|caramel colour]] and/or [[molasses]] to give it its distinctive appearance. It has a richer, slightly sweeter, and less salty flavour than light soy sauce. This variety is mainly used during cooking, since its flavour develops during heating. Dark soy sauce is mainly used to add color and flavor to a dish after cooking. One of the strongest varieties is known as "double black" (雙老頭抽)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewoksoflife.com/double-black-soy-sauce/|title=Double Black Soy Sauce - Chinese Ingredients|date=30 August 2019}}</ref>
** ''Mushroom dark soy'' ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|草|菇|老|抽}}}} ''cǎogū lǎochōu''): In the finishing and aging process of making dark soy sauce, the broth of ''[[Volvariella volvacea]]'' (straw mushroom) is mixed into the soy sauce and is then exposed to the sun to make this type of dark soy. The added broth gives this soy sauce a richer flavor than plain dark soy sauce.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Anusasananan|first=Linda Lau|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DP1fbX0SZncC&dq=mushroom+dark+soy+rich&pg=PA254|title=The Hakka Cookbook: Chinese Soul Food from around the World|date=2012-10-08|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-95344-4|language=en}}</ref>
** ''Thick soy sauce'' ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|醬|油|膏}}}} ''jiàng yóu gāo''), is a dark soy sauce that has been thickened with heat and sugar, occasionally a starch thickener and [[MSG]] are used. This sauce is often used as a [[dipping sauce]] or finishing sauce and poured on food as a flavorful addition. However, due to its sweetness and caramelized flavors from its production process the sauce is also used in [[red cooking]]. This style is particularly common with Taiwanese breakfast foods.
* Shrimp soy sauce ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|蝦|子|醬|油}}}} ''Xiā zǐ jiàngyóu''): Fresh soy sauce is simmered with fresh shrimp and finished with sugar, [[baijiu]] (type of distilled liquor, 白酒), and spices. A specialty of [[Suzhou, Jiangsu|Suzhou]].

Besides the above traditional types, hydrolyzed vegetable protein and other flavor enhancers may be mixed with brewed soy sauce to produce cheaper substitutes. This type is known as "blended soy sauce" ({{Lang-zh|c=配製醬油}})<ref name=ZH-D/> in China until 2019, when a Chinese 2018 standard that removed this type from the definition of soy sauce went into effect.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=http://www.fzmq.gov.cn/xjwz/zwgk/zfxxgkzdgz/spypaq/spaqbz/202110/t20211009_4202552.htm |title=GB 2717-2018 食品安全國家標準 醬油 |date=June 21, 2018 |publisher=State Administration for Market Regulation |language=zh |trans-title=GB 2717-2018 National Food Safety Standard - Soy Sauce}}</ref>

The 2018 Chinese standard defines soy sauce as "liquid condiments with special color, aroma and taste made from soybeans and/or defatted soybeans, wheat and/or wheat flour and/or wheat bran as main raw materials through microbial fermentation."<ref name=":0" /> It still allows food additives to be used "following the definitions of GB 2760", which does not restrict the use of MSG and [[disodium ribonucleotides]]. (Hydrolyzed vegetable protein is not listed as a food additive in GB 2760 and is therefore unacceptable in products labelled as "soy sauce".)<ref>{{cite book |title=GB 2760-2014: 食品安全國家標準 食品添加物使用標準 |publisher=國家衛生與計劃生育委員會 |url=https://www.cirs-reach.com/Uploads/file/20180428/1524879613_22618.pdf |trans-title=GB 2760-2014 Food safety national standard&mdash;Standard on the use of food additives|language=zh}}</ref>

=== Filipino ===
[[File:Toyo at kalamansi (toyomansi) with siling labuyo (Philippines) 01.jpg|thumb|''Toyomansi'', a typical Filipino dipping sauce composed of soy sauce and ''[[calamansi]]'' spiced with ''[[siling labuyo]]'']]

In the Philippines, soy sauce is called toyò in the [[Languages of the Philippines|native languages]], derived from ''tau-yu'' in [[Philippine Hokkien]]. Philippine soy sauce is usually a combination of soybeans, wheat, salt, and caramel color. It is thinner in texture and has a saltier taste than its Southeast Asian counterparts. It is most similar to the Japanese ''koikuchi shōyu'' in terms of consistency and the use of wheat, though toyò is slightly saltier and darker in color.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Liwanag |first1=M.A. |title=Filipino Soy Sauce |url=https://pinoybites.com/common-ingredients/filipino-soy-sauce-toyo/ |website=Pinoy Bites |date=7 June 2020 |access-date=28 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Soy Sauce |url=http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/bp_soysz.html |website=Clove Garden |access-date=28 January 2021}}</ref>

Toyò is used as a marinade, an ingredient in cooked dishes, and most often as a table condiment, usually alongside other sauces such as [[fish sauce]] (''patís'') and [[sugar cane vinegar]] (''sukà''). It is often mixed and served with the juice of the [[calamansi]] ([[hybrid name (botany)|×]] ''Citrofortunella microcarpa''; also called calamondin, ''limonsito''). The combination is known as ''toyomansî'', which can be comparable to the Japanese ''[[ponzu]]'' sauce (soy sauce with [[yuzu]]). ''Toyò'' is also a main ingredient in [[Philippine adobo]], one of the more famous dishes of Filipino cuisine.

=== Hawaiian ===
Soy sauce is a ubiquitous condiment and ingredient in many dishes in [[Hawaiian cuisine]], where it is commonly known by its Japanese name {{lang|ja-Latn|shōyu}} by locals. ''Aloha Shoyu'' is a soy sauce manufacturer in Hawaii that produces a popular soy sauce whose flavor is more delicate and somewhat sweeter compared to other more well-known soy sauces.<ref>{{cite web |title=About |url=https://alohashoyu.com/about/ |publisher=Aloha Shoyu Company |access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref>

=== Indonesian ===
{{main|Sweet soy sauce}}
[[File:Kecap manis & kecap asin.jpg|thumb|upright=.5|Left, [[ABC (food)|ABC brand]] ''Kecap manis'' sweet Indonesian soy sauce is nearly as thick as [[molasses]]; right, ''Kecap asin'']]

In [[Indonesia]], soy sauce is known as ''kecap'' (old spelling: ''ketjap''), which is a catch-all term for fermented [[sauces]], and [[cognate]] to the English word "[[ketchup]]".<ref>See discussion and references at Wiktionary: ''[[wikt:ketchup#Etymology|ketchup]]''.</ref> The most popular type of soy sauce in Indonesian cuisine is ''kecap manis'' or [[sweet soy sauce]]. The term ''kecap'' is also used to describe other condiments and sauces of a similar appearance, such as ''kecap ikan'' ([[fish sauce]]) and ''kecap Inggris'' ([[worcestershire sauce]]; lit. "English sauce" or "England sauce"). Three common varieties of soy-based ''kecap'' exist in [[Indonesian cuisine]], used either as ingredients or [[condiment]]s:

* ''Kecap manis'': Sweetened soy sauce, which has a thick syrupy consistency and a unique, pronounced, sweet, somewhat [[molasses|treacle]]-like flavor due to generous addition of [[palm sugar]]. Regular soy with brown sugar and a trace of molasses added can substitute. It is by far the most popular type of soy sauce employed in [[Indonesian cuisine]], accounts for an estimated 90 percent of the nation's total soy sauce production.<ref name="Soyinfo">{{cite book | title = History of Soybeans and Soyfoods in Southeast Asia (13th Century To 2010): Extensively Annotated Bibliography and Sourcebook | author1= William Shurtleff| author2= Akiko Aoyagi | publisher = Soyinfo Center |date=2010 |isbn = 9781928914303 |url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_wUWmc4Tr-WUC | page = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_wUWmc4Tr-WUC/page/n536 537] | access-date = 15 February 2016}}</ref> ''Kecap manis'' is an important sauce in Indonesian signature dishes, such as ''[[nasi goreng]]'', ''[[mie goreng]]'', [[satay]], ''[[tongseng]]'' and ''[[Semur (Indonesian stew)|semur]]''. ''Sambal kecap'' for example is type of ''[[sambal]]'' dipping sauce of kecap manis with sliced chili, tomato and shallot, a popular dipping sauce for ''sate kambing'' (goat meat satay) and ''ikan bakar'' (grilled fish/seafood). Since soy sauce is of Chinese origin, ''kecap asin'' is also an important seasoning in [[Chinese Indonesian cuisine]].
* ''Kecap manis sedang'': Medium sweet soy sauce, which has a less thick consistency, is less sweet and has a saltier taste than ''kecap manis''.
* ''Kecap asin'': Regular soy sauce derived from the Japanese ''shoyu'', but usually more concentrated and thicker, with a darker color and stronger flavor; it can be replaced by Chinese light soy sauce in some recipes. Salty soy sauce was first introduced into Indonesia by [[Hokkien people]] so its taste resembles that of Chinese soy sauce. [[Hakka]] soy sauce made from black beans is very salty and large productions are mainly made in [[Bangka Island]].

=== Japanese ===<!-- This section is linked from [[Sushi]]. -->
[[File:Soy sauce in supermarket.JPG|thumb|Japanese supermarket soy sauce corner]]

{{lang|ja-Latn|Shōyu}} is officially divided into five main types by the JAS ([[Japanese Agricultural Standard]])<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=((Japanese Agricultural Standard)) |author-link=Japanese Agricultural Standard |date=December 3, 2015 |title=しょうゆの日本農林規格 |trans-title=JAS Standard for Soy Sauce |url=https://www.maff.go.jp/j/jas/jas_kikaku/pdf/kikaku_syoyu_151203.pdf |access-date=May 31, 2024 |website=maff.go.jp |language=ja |edition=2015}}</ref> depending on differences in their ingredients and method of production. These types are {{lang|ja-Latn|koikuchi}}, {{lang|ja-Latn|usukuchi}}, {{lang|ja-Latn|tamari}}, {{lang|ja-Latn|saishikomi}}, and {{lang|ja-Latn|shiro}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soysauce.or.jp/en/types-and-how-to-use-them|title=Types and how to use them|website=Soy Sauce Information Center|access-date=25 June 2022}}</ref>

Most, but not all, Japanese soy sauces include wheat as a primary ingredient, which tends to give them a slightly sweeter taste than their Chinese counterparts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Do You Know Your Soy Sauces? Japanese, Chinese, and Indonesian Differences |url=https://www.seriouseats.com/do-you-know-your-soy-sauces-japanese-chinese-indonesian-differences |website=Serious Eats |last=Lo |first=Andrea Lynn |date=2019-10-04 |access-date=16 September 2025}}</ref> They also tend towards an alcoholic [[sherry]]-like flavor, sometimes enhanced by the addition of small amounts of alcohol as a natural [[preservative]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} The widely varying flavors of these soy sauces are not always interchangeable, so some recipes only call for one type or the other, much as a white wine cannot replace a red's flavor or beef stock does not make the same results as chicken stock.

Some soy sauces made in the Japanese way or styled after them contain about 50% wheat.

==== Varieties ====
* {{nihongo|''Koikuchi''|濃口||'thick taste'}}: Originating in the [[Kantō region]], its usage eventually spread all over Japan. Over 80% of the Japanese domestic soy sauce production is of {{lang|ja-Latn|koikuchi}}, and can be considered the typical Japanese soy sauce. It is made from roughly equal quantities of soybean and wheat.<ref name=":25"/><ref name=":13"/> This variety is also called {{nihongo|''kijōyu''|生醤油}} or {{nihongo|namashōyu|生しょうゆ}} when it is not [[pasteurized]].
* {{nihongo|''Usukuchi''|薄口||'thin taste'}}: Almost 14% of soy sauce production is {{lang|ja-Latn|usukuchi shoyu}}.<ref name=":25" /> It is particularly popular in the [[Kansai]] region of Japan. It matures for less time than {{lang|ja-Latn|koichuchi}}<ref name=":13" /> and is both saltier and lighter in color. It is paler due to the use in its production of {{lang|ja-Latn|[[amazake]]}}, a sweet liquid made from fermented rice. {{lang|ja-Latn|Usukuchi}} is commonly used in cooking as it does not alter the color and taste of the ingredients.<ref name=":25" />
* {{nihongo|''Tamari''|たまり}}: Made mainly in the [[Chūbu region]] of Japan, {{lang|ja-Latn|tamari}} is darker in appearance and richer in flavor than {{lang|ja-Latn|koikuchi}}. It contains little or no wheat. Wheat-free {{lang|ja-Latn|tamari}} can be used by people with [[gluten intolerance]]. Tamari is more viscous than {{lang|ja-Latn|koikuchi shoyu}}.<ref name=":25" /> Of soy sauce produced in Japan, 1.5% is {{lang|ja-Latn|tamari}}.<ref name=":25" /> It is the "original" Japanese soy sauce, as its recipe is closest to the soy sauce originally introduced to Japan from China. Technically, this variety is known as {{nihongo|''miso-damari''|味噌溜り}}, as this is the liquid that runs off [[miso]] (a soybean-based seasoning and soup base) as it [[Aging barrel|matures]]. The Japanese word {{lang|ja-Latn|tamari}} is derived from the verb {{nihongo|''tamaru''|溜る||'to accumulate'}}, referring to the fact that {{lang|ja-Latn|tamari}} was traditionally a liquid byproduct made during the fermentation of miso. Japan remains the leading producer of {{lang|ja-Latn|tamari}},{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} though it has also become popular in the United States. {{lang|ja-Latn|Tamari shoyu}} is often used for sashimi.<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":25" /> Oftentimes, other varieties of soy sauce for sashimi are inaccurately referred to as tamari shoyu.<ref name=":13" /> The back label in Japan, by law, will clarify whether or not it is actually tamari.<ref name=":13" />
* {{nihongo|''Shiro''|白||'white'}}: In contrast to {{lang|ja-Latn|tamari}} soy sauce, {{lang|ja-Latn|shiro}} uses mostly wheat and very little soybean, lending it a light appearance and sweet taste. It is more commonly used in the Kansai region to highlight the appearances of food, for example [[sashimi]]. {{lang|ja-Latn|Shiro shoyu}} used to be used a lot in high-class cookery and is generally not available abroad.<ref name=":13" /> Its main use is for pickles.<ref name=":25" /> Of soy sauce production in Japan, 0.7% is {{lang|ja-Latn|shiro}}.<ref name=":25" />
* {{nihongo|''Saishikomi''|再仕込||'twice-brewed'}}: This variety substitutes previously made ''koikuchi'' for the brine normally used in the process. Consequently, it is much darker and more strongly flavored. This type is also known as {{nihongo|''kanro shōyu''|甘露醤油||'sweet soy sauce'}}. Of soy sauce production in Japan, 0.8% is {{lang|ja-Latn|saishikomi}}.<ref name=":25" />
* {{lang|ja-Latn|Kanro shoyu}} is a variety of soy sauce made exclusively in [[Yanai, Yamaguchi|Yanai]], a city in [[Yamaguchi Prefecture]].<ref name=":13" /> It is handmade and is less salty and less sweet than {{lang|ja-Latn|saishikomi shoyu}}.<ref name=":13" />
* ''Amakuchi'' (甘口, 'sweet taste'): It is similar to ''koikuchi'' soy sauce, but with sweetener added. It is the most popular type of soy sauce in [[Kyushu region]] of Japan, which is famous for sweet foods. In some cases, it is more common to find ''amakuchi shoyu'' than ''koikuchi shoyu'' in Kyushu.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=What is Shoyu? Definitive Guide to Japanese Soy Sauce |url=https://thechefdojo.com/what-is-shoyu/ |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=The Chef Dojo |date= 19 July 2020|language=en-US}}</ref>

Newer varieties of Japanese soy sauce include:<ref name="Steinkraus">{{cite book |title=Industrialization of indigenous fermented foods |editor-first=Keith H. |editor-last=Steinkraus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WfjPq9dfTuMC&q=genen%20usujio&pg=PA22 |page=22|date=2004|isbn=978-0-8247-4784-8|publisher=Marcel Dekker |edition= Second}}</ref>

* {{nihongo|''Gen'en''|{{linktext|減|塩}}||'reduced salt'}}: This version contains 50% less salt than regular soy sauce for consumers concerned about heart disease.
* {{nihongo|''Usujio''|{{linktext|薄|塩}}||'light salt'}}: This version contains 20% less salt than regular soy sauce.

All of these varieties are sold in three different grades according to how they were made:<ref name=":1" />

* {{nihongo|''Honjōzō''|本醸造||'genuine fermented'}}: Contains 100% genuine fermented product
* {{nihongo|''Kongō-jōzō''|混合醸造||'mixed fermented'}}: Contains genuine fermented {{lang|ja-Latn|shōyu}} mash mixed with 30–50% of chemical or [[enzymatic]] hydrolysate of plant protein
* {{nihongo|''Kongō''|混合||'mixed'}}: Contains {{lang|ja-Latn|honjōzō}} or {{lang|ja-Latn|Kongō-jōzō shōyu}} mixed with 30–50% of chemical or enzymatic hydrolysate of plant protein

All the varieties and grades may be sold according to three official levels of quality:<ref>{{cite book|title=Microbiology of fermented foods |editor-first=Brian J. B. |editor-last=Wood |page=364 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mKfpPwm5ceEC&pg=PA364
|volume=1 |edition= Second |publisher=Blackie Academic & Professional |isbn=978-0-7514-0216-2 |date=1998}}</ref>

* {{nihongo|''Hyōjun''|標準}}: standard grade, contains more than 1.2% total nitrogen
* {{nihongo|''Jōkyū''|上級 }}: upper grade, contains more than 1.35% of total nitrogen
* {{nihongo|''Tokkyū ''|特級}}: special grade, contains more than 1.5% of total nitrogen

=== Korean ===
In South Korea, soy sauces or ''ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|간장}}, "seasoning sauce") can be roughly split into two categories: ''hansik ganjang'' ('Korean-style soy sauce') and {{lang|ko-Latn|gaeryang ganjang}} ('modernized soy sauce').<ref name=":foodcode1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mfds.go.kr/eng/eng/index.do?nMenuCode=120&page=2&mode=view&boardSeq=69982|title=Food_Code(No.2015-4_20150203)|date=3 February 2015|website=www.mfds.go.kr|publisher=MFDS – Ministry of Food And Drug Safety|access-date=9 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=":foodcode2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.foodsafetykorea.go.kr/popup/safefoodlife/food/foodRvlv/foodRvlvDetail.do?rvlv_no=54|script-title=ko:식품공전 (제 5. 식품별 기준 및 규격 / 20. 장류)|date=30 September 2016|website=www.foodsafetykorea.go.kr|publisher=식품의약품안전처 식품안전정보포털|language=ko|trans-title=Food Code (Article 5. Standards and Specifications for Each Food Product / 20. Soy Sauces or Pastes)|access-date=9 November 2016}}</ref> The term {{lang|ko-Latn|ganjang}} can also refer to non-soy-based salty condiments, such as {{lang|ko-Latn|eo-ganjang}} [[fish sauce]].
[[File:Traditional Korean soy sauce.jpg|thumb|Traditional Korean soy sauce]]

==== ''Hansik ganjang'' ====
{{Main|soup soy sauce}}

{{lang|ko-Latn|[[Hansik ganjang]]}} ({{lang|ko|한식간장}}, 'Korean-style soy sauce') is made entirely of fermented soybean ([[meju]]) and [[brine]]. It is a byproduct of ''[[doenjang]]'' (fermented soybean paste) production, and has a unique fermented soybean flavour. Both lighter in colour and saltier than other Korean ganjang varieties, ''hansik ganjang'' is used mainly in [[guk]] (soup) and [[namul]] (seasoned vegetable dish) in modern [[Korean cuisine]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://food.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2014/04/01/2014040103539.html|script-title=ko:양조간장·진간장·국간장 무슨 차이지? 간장의 종류별 활용법|last=정|first=재균|date=4 April 2014|newspaper=[[The Chosun Ilbo]]|language=ko|trans-title=Yangjo-ganjang, jin-ganjang, and guk-ganjang: What's the difference? Uses of different types of ganjang.|access-date=9 November 2016|archive-date=10 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161110105832/http://food.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2014/04/01/2014040103539.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Common names for ''hansik ganjang'' include ''jaeraesik ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|재래식 간장}}, "traditional soy sauce"), ''[[Joseon]]-ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|조선간장}}, "Joseon soy sauce"), and ''guk-ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|국간장}}, "soup soy sauce"). The homebrewed variety is also called ''jip-ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|집간장}}, "home soy sauce").

Depending on the length of aging, ''hansik ganjang'' can be divided into three main varieties: clear, middle, and dark.
* ''Haet-ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|햇간장}}, "new soy sauce") – soy sauce aged for a year. Also called ''cheongjang'' ({{lang|ko|청장}}, "clear soy sauce").
* ''Jung-ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|중간장}}, "middle soy sauce") – soy sauce aged for three to four years.
* ''Jin-ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|진간장}}, "dark soy sauce") – soy sauce aged for more than five years. Also called ''jinjang'' ({{lang|ko|진장}}, "aged soy sauce"), ''nongjang'' ({{lang|ko|농장}}, "thick soy sauce"), or ''jingamjang'' ({{lang|ko|진감장}}, "aged mature soy sauce").
The [[Ministry of Food and Drug Safety|Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety]]'s Food Code classifies ''hansik-ganjang'' into two categories by their ingredients.<ref name=":foodcode1" /><ref name=":foodcode2" />
* ''Jaerae-hansik-ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|재래한식간장}}, "traditional Korean-style soy sauce") – made with traditional style [[meju]] and brine.
* ''Gaeryang-hansik-ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|개량한식간장}}, "modernized Korean-style soy sauce") – made with nontraditional [[meju]] (which can be made of regular [[soybean]], [[rice]], [[barley]], [[wheat]], or soybean meal, and ripened using traditional method or ''Aspergillus'') and brine.

==== ''Gaeryang ganjang'' ====
''Gaeryang-ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|개량간장}}, "modernized soy sauce"), referring to varieties of soy sauces not made of [[meju]], is now the most widely used type of soy sauce in modern [[Korean cuisine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.miyajima-soy.co.jp/science/kouenkai/kouenkai.htm|title=The Past and Present of Traditional Fermented Foods in Korea |date=2002 |last1=Jung |first1=Soon Teck |last2=Kang |first2=Seong-Gook |access-date=7 January 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223042530/http://www.miyajima-soy.co.jp/science/kouenkai/kouenkai.htm|archive-date=23 December 2007}}</ref> The word ''ganjang'' without modifiers in [[bokkeum]] (stir-fry), [[jorim]] (braised or simmered dishes), and [[jjim]] (steamed dishes) recipes usually mean ''gaeryang-ganjang''. Another common name of ''gaeryang-ganjang'' is ''jin-ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|진간장}}, "dark soy sauce"), because ''gaeryang-ganjang'' varieties are usually darker in appearance compared to traditional ''hansik ganjang''. Having been introduced to Korea during the [[Korea under Japanese rule|era of Japanese forced occupation]], ''garyang ganjang'' is also called ''Wae-ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|왜간장}}, "[[Wa (name of Japan)|Wae]] soy sauce").

[[Ministry of Food and Drug Safety|Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety]]'s Food Code classifies ''gaeryang-ganjang'' into four categories by their method of production.<ref name=":foodcode1" /><ref name=":foodcode2" />
* Brewed soy sauce ({{lang|ko|양조간장}}, ''yangjo-ganjang'') – made by fermenting soybean, soybean meal, or other grains with saline solution.
* Acid-hydrolyzed soy sauce ({{lang|ko|산분해간장}}) – made by hydrolyzing raw materials containing protein with acid.
* Enzyme-hydrolyzed soy sauce ({{lang|ko|효소분해간장}}) – made by hydrolyzing raw materials containing protein with enzyme.
* Blended soy sauce ({{lang|ko|혼합간장}}) – Also called mixed soy sauce, blended soy sauce can be made by blending ''hansik-ganjang'' (Korean-style soy sauce) or ''yangjo-ganjang'' (brewed soy sauce) with acid-hydrolyzed soy sauce or enzyme-hydrolyzed soy sauce.

==== Other ====
* ''Eo-ganjang'' ({{lang|ko|어간장}}, "[[fish sauce]]"): Made mainly in [[Jeju island]], ''eo-ganjang'' is a soy sauce substitute made of ''[[jeotgal]]'' (fermented fish).<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=85842|script-title=ko:제주에는 생선으로 만든 '천연간장(?)'이 있다|last=김|first=봉현|date=9 August 2010|newspaper=제주의 소리|access-date=5 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/specialsection/esc_section/555154.html|script-title=ko:한국식 피시소스 제주어간장 아시나요|last=박|first=미향|date=10 October 2012|newspaper=[[The Hankyoreh]] |access-date=5 November 2016}}</ref>

=== Malaysian and Singaporean ===
Malays from Malaysia, using the Malay dialect similar to Indonesian, use the word ''kicap'' for soy sauce. ''Kicap'' is traditionally of two types: ''kicap lemak'' (lit "fat/rich soy sauce") and ''kicap cair''. ''Kicap lemak'' is similar to Indonesian ''kecap manis'' but with very much less sugar, while ''kicap cair'' is the Malaysian equivalent of ''kecap asin''.

=== Peru ===
Soy sauce, known in [[Peru]] as ''sillao'' from the [[Cantonese]] name of the item, is an important ingredient in [[Chifa]].

=== Sri Lankan ===
Soy sauce ({{langx|si|සෝයා සෝස්}}) is a popular food product used in Sri Lanka and is a major ingredient used in the nationally popular street food dish [[kottu]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017015-chicken-kottu-roti |title = Chicken Kottu Roti Recipe}}</ref> Soy sauce has largely been produced by the [[Chinese people in Sri Lanka|Sri Lankan Chinese]] community but its production has also spread to other communities in Sri Lanka. Soy sauce production in Sri Lanka is the same as the production of soy sauce in Indonesia. Fermentation occurs over a period of three months. The soy beans which are steeped in brine are then pressed to obtain a liquid sauce.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bTHfAwAAQBAJ | title=History of Soybeans and Soyfoods in China and Taiwan, and in Chinese Cookbooks, Restaurants, and Chinese Work with Soyfoods Outside China (1024 BCE to 2014): Extensively Annotated Bibliography and Sourcebook, Including Manchuria, Hong Kong and Tibet| isbn=9781928914686| last1=Shurtleff| first1=William| last2=Huang| first2=H.T| last3=Aoyagi| first3=Akiko| date=22 June 2014| publisher=Soyinfo Center}}</ref>

=== Taiwanese ===
The history of soy sauce making in Taiwan can be traced back to southeastern China, in the provinces of [[Fujian]] and [[Guangdong]]. Taiwanese soy sauce is known for its [[douchi|black bean]] variant, known as black bean soy sauce (黑豆蔭油), which producers claim to have stronger flavor and more nutrition. Most soy sauce makers in Taiwan make soy sauce from soybeans and wheat using machines, which is a technique introduced during Japanese rule. A smaller number of producers continue to handmake soy sauce in the traditional way.'''<ref>{{cite news |last=Chung |first=Oscar |date=1 January 2010 |title=A Sauce for All |work=Taiwan Review |publisher=Government Information Office, Republic of China (Taiwan) |url=http://taiwanreview.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xitem=83076&ctnode=1337 |url-status=dead |access-date=14 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311060546/http://taiwanreview.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xitem=83076&ctnode=1337 |archive-date=11 March 2012}}</ref>'''

=== Thai ===
[[File:Ice cream topped with unusual sauce.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Ice cream|Soft serve]] usually topped with Thai sweet soy sauce served at [[Yaowarat]], [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]]]
In Thailand, soy sauce is called ''sii-íu'' ({{langx|th|ซีอิ๊ว}}). ''Sii-íu kǎao'' ({{langx|th|ซีอิ๊วขาว}}, 'white soy sauce') is used as regular soy sauce in [[Thai cuisine]], while ''sii-íu dam'' ({{langx|th|ซีอิ๊วดำ}}, 'black soy sauce') is used primarily for colour. Another darker-coloured variety, ''sii-íu wǎan'' ({{langx|th|ซีอิ๊วหวาน}}, 'sweet soy sauce') is used for dipping sauces. ''Sɔ́ɔt prung rót'' ({{langx|th|ซอสปรุงรส}}, 'seasoning sauce') is also commonly used in modern [[Thai cuisine]].

=== Vietnamese ===
[[File:Vietnamská restaurace - Praha, Slezská 2033-11 G.jpg|thumb|A bottle of xì dầu]]
In Vietnam, Chinese-style soy sauce is called ''xì dầu'' (derived from the Cantonese name 豉油) or ''nước tương''. The term "soy sauce" could also imply other condiments and soy bean paste with thick consistency known as ''[[tương]]''. Both are used mostly as a seasoning or dipping sauce for a number of dishes. Vietnamese cuisine itself favors [[fish sauce]] in cooking, but ''nước tương'' has a clear presence in [[vegetarian cuisine]] and Buddhist cuisine.

== Nutrition ==
A study by the [[National University of Singapore]] showed that Chinese [[dark soy sauce]] contains 10 times the [[antioxidant]]s of [[red wine]].<ref name="Antioxidants">{{cite web |author= Daniells, Stephen |title= Antioxidant-rich soy sauce could protect against CVD |url= http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=68196-soy-sauce-cvd-isoflavones |publisher= nutraingredients.com |date= 6 June 2006 |access-date= 7 January 2008 |archive-date= 14 December 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071214131548/http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=68196-soy-sauce-cvd-isoflavones |url-status= dead }}</ref> Unpasteurized soy sauce is rich in [[lactic acid bacteria]] and of excellent anti-allergic potential.<ref name="labi">{{cite journal |last1= Tanasupawat |first1= Somboon |title= Lactic acid bacteria isolated from soy sauce mash in Thailand |journal= Journal of General and Applied Microbiology |volume= 48 |issue= 4 |pages= 201–209 |date= 18 June 2002 |doi= 10.2323/jgam.48.201 |pmid= 12469319 |last2= Thongsanit |first2= J |last3= Okada |first3= S |last4= Komagata |first4= K |display-authors= 1 |doi-access= free }}</ref><ref name="ifss">{{cite journal |last= Kobayashi |first= Makio |title= Immunological Functions of Soy Sauce: Hypoallergenicity and Antiallergic Activity of Soy Sauce |journal= Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering |volume= 100|issue= 2 |pages= 144–151 |date= 18 April 2005 |doi= 10.1263/jbb.100.144 | pmid = 16198255 }}</ref>

Soy sauce does not contain the level of [[isoflavone]]s associated with other soy products, such as [[tofu]] or [[edamame]].<ref>{{cite book |first1= Fereidoon |last1= Shahidi |author-link= Fereidoon Shahidi |first2= Marian |last2= Naczk |author2-link= Marian Naczk |title= Phenolics in food and nutraceuticals, Edition 2 |publisher= CRC Press |date=2003 |location= Florence, Kentucky |page= 103 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=vHOJKw4umikC |isbn= 978-1-58716-138-4 }}</ref> It can also be very [[edible salt|salty]], having a salt content between 14 and 18%. Low-sodium soy sauces are made, but it is difficult to make soy sauce without using some quantity of salt as an antimicrobial agent.<ref>{{cite book|title=Microbiology and technology of fermented foods|first=Robert Wayne|last=Hutkins|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nc77BH65_EcC&pg=PT441|publisher=Blackwell publishing |date=2006 |isbn=978-0-8138-0018-9 }}</ref>

A serving of {{convert|100|ml}} of soy sauce contains, according to the USDA:
* Energy : 60 kcal
* Fat: 0.1&nbsp;g
* Carbohydrates: 5.57&nbsp;g
* Fibers: 0.8&nbsp;g
* Protein: 10.51&nbsp;g
* Sodium: 6 g
{{clear}} <!-- To ensure no images appear to illustrate the Carcinogens section. -->

=== Carcinogens ===
Soy sauce may contain [[ethyl carbamate]], a [[List of IARC Group 2A carcinogens|Group 2A]] [[carcinogen]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Matsudo |first1=Takanao |last2=Aoki |first2=Terumichi |last3=Abe |first3=Keietsu |last4=Fukuta |first4=Nami |last5=Higuchi |first5=Takeshi |last6=Sasaki |first6=Masaoki |last7=Uchida |first7=Kinji |journal= J Agric Food Chem |volume= 41 |issue= 3 |pages= 352–356 |date=1993 |doi= 10.1021/jf00027a003 |title= Determination of ethyl carbamate in soy sauce and its possible precursor|bibcode= 1993JAFC...41..352M }}</ref>

In 2001, the United Kingdom [[Food Standards Agency]] found in testing various soy sauces manufactured in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand (made from hydrolyzed soy protein, rather than being naturally fermented) that 22% of tested samples contained a chemical carcinogen named [[3-MCPD]] (3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol) at levels considerably higher than those deemed safe by the EU. About two-thirds of these samples also contained a second carcinogenic chemical named [[1,3-Dichloropropan-2-ol|1,3-DCP]] (1,3-dichloropropane-2-ol) which experts advise should not be present at any levels in food. Both chemicals have the potential to cause cancer, and the Agency recommended that the affected products be withdrawn from shelves and avoided.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.food.gov.uk/science/surveillance/fsis2001/3-mcpdsoy |title=Survey of 3-Monochloropropane-1,2-Diol (3-MCPD) in Soy Sauce and Related Products (Number 14/01) |publisher=Food Standards Agency |date=18 June 2001 |access-date=16 July 2010 |archive-date=15 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515154422/http://food.gov.uk/science/surveillance/fsis2001/3-mcpdsoy |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bar.gov.ph/chronicle-home/archives-list/393-may-2004-issue/2970-is-your-soy-sauce-safe |title=Is your soy sauce safe? |author=Junelyn S. de la Rosa |publisher=Bar.gov.ph |date=May 2004 |access-date=1 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150115192331/http://www.bar.gov.ph/chronicle-home/archives-list/393-may-2004-issue/2970-is-your-soy-sauce-safe |archive-date=15 January 2015 }}</ref><ref name="SoySauceRecall">{{cite press release | author = Food Standards Agency | title = Some Soy Sauce Products to Be Removed | url = http://www.food.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/2001/jun/soysaucerecall | publisher = Food Standards Agency | date = 20 June 2001 | access-date = 7 January 2008 | archive-date = 10 December 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101210132240/http://www.food.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/2001/jun/soysaucerecall | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>UK [[UK Food Standards Agency]]: [http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/soyadviceleaflet.pdf Soy advice leaflet.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609110044/http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/soyadviceleaflet.pdf |date=9 June 2012 }}</ref> The same carcinogens were found in soy sauces manufactured in Vietnam, causing a [[2007 Vietnam food scare|food scare in 2007]].<ref>{{cite web |work=Tuoi Tre, Tien Phong, VietNamNet, Lao dong |url=http://english.vietnamnet.vn/reports/2007/05/699774/ |title=Soya sauce stirs worry and discontentment among public |publisher=VietNamNet Bridge |access-date=16 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515090016/http://english.vietnamnet.vn/reports/2007/05/699774/ |archive-date=15 May 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=(AFP) |url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iiMrrBvLTLGX3P0uXmSqeT1Zjayw |title=Toxic soy sauce, chemical veggies&nbsp;— food scares hit Vietnam |date=11 September 2007 |access-date=16 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119040101/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iiMrrBvLTLGX3P0uXmSqeT1Zjayw |archive-date=19 January 2010 }}</ref>

In Canada, the [[Canadian Cancer Society]] writes,

{{blockquote|[[Health Canada]] has concluded that there is no health risk to Canadians from use of available soy and oyster sauces. Because continuous lifetime exposure to high levels of [[3-MCPD]] could pose a health risk, Health Canada has established 1.0 part per million (ppm) as a guideline for importers of these sauces, in order to reduce Canadians' long-term exposure to this chemical. This is considered to be a very safe level.<ref>{{cite web|title=Oyster and soy sauce|url=http://www.cancer.ca/en/prevention-and-screening/be-aware/cancer-myths-and-controversies/oyster-and-soy-sauce|publisher=Canadian Cancer Society|access-date=25 December 2012}}{{Dead link|date=November 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>}}

=== Allergies ===
{{Further|Soy allergy}}

Soy sauce allergy not caused by soy or wheat allergy is rare.<ref name=":02"/> Most varieties of soy sauce contain wheat, to which some people have a [[Gluten intolerance|medical intolerance]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://celiac.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16&Itemid=20|title=Celiac Disease Foundation|author=Celiac Disease Foundation}}</ref> However, protein hydrolysis (fermentation or industrial) breaks down [[gluten]], so some soy sauces may end up tolerable to gluten-intolerant individuals with no detectable gluten left.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soya.be/gluten-free-soy-sauce.php |title=Does soy sauce contain gluten? |publisher=Soya.be |access-date=16 July 2010}}</ref> Japanese tamari soy sauce is traditionally wheat-free, and some tamari available commercially today is wheat- and gluten-free.

Acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein is non-allergenic due to the completeness of protein breakdown.<ref>{{cite journal | author = Reuter|display-authors=etal| title = Evaluation of the allergenic potential of soy and wheat based seasonings | journal = Allergy| volume = 65 | issue = supplement 92, abstract 842}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of Chinese sauces]]
* [[List of condiments]]
* [[List of fermented soy products]]
{{Portal bar|Food|Asia}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book | last1 = Huang | first1 = T. C. | last2 = Teng | first2 = D. F. | doi = 10.1201/9780203913550.ch29 | chapter = Soy Sauce | title = Handbook of Food and Beverage Fermentation Technology |date=2004 | doi-broken-date = 12 July 2025 | isbn = 978-0-8247-4780-0 }}—on the production of soy sauce

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline}}

{{Soy}}
{{Condiments}}
{{Japanese food and drink}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Soy sauces| ]]
[[Category:Chinese condiments]]
[[Category:Chinese inventions]]
[[Category:Chinese sauces]]
[[Category:East Asian cuisine]]
[[Category:Fermented soy-based foods]]
[[Category:Han dynasty]]
[[Category:Japanese condiments]]
[[Category:Korean condiments]]
[[Category:Sauces]]
[[Category:Taiwanese cuisine]]
[[Category:Umami enhancers]]