NOVEL STRAIN OF BACILLUS NATTO AND SOFT NATTO PRODUCED BY USING THE BACILLUS NATTO STRAIN

摘要

[PROBLEMS] To provide a Bacillus natto strain that is suitable for the production of soft natto (a fermented soybean product). [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A Bacillus natto strain that is suitable for the production of soft natto is provided by separating Bacillus natto strains from chungkookjang, which is a fermented food having been taken in Korea, and selecting an appropriate Bacillus natto strain using the threading and hardness of natto as indications. Different from the existing Bacillus natto strains, this Bacillus natto strain is characterized by being capable of softening natto with the progress of the fermentation. Also, it is intended to provide a method of producing soft natto by using the above-described Bacillus natto strain and the soft natto produced by this production method.