The soybeans soaked in water are cooked in low heat for 3-4 hours until the beans are soft and the water is drained. The beans are placed on a layer of banana leaf on a bamboo tray and covered with banana leaves. The beans are allowed to ferment naturally for 3-4 days until the beans are covered with a sticky, viscous and colorless gum. Small quantity of paste is used to make small ball of one to one and half inches diameter and they are processed to form thin chips, sun dried and marketed. Through research, it was found that use of mixed culture fermentation of oligosaccharides, utilizing Bacillus subtilis and vitamin B12 producing Bacillus megaterium, has improved the quality of thua-nao. Soybean oligosaccharide sugar utilizing Bacillus was isolated from various sources of thua-nao. Bacillus subtilis B4 was found to produce the best proteolytic activity, as well as soybean sugar-utilizing property, among 120 Bacillus isolates. Mixed fermentation of Bacillus B4 and Bacillus megaterium under optimum conditions, could improve the quality of thua-nao by enhancing more digestible soybean proteins, soybean sugar, as well as vitamin B12 content in the fermented masses (Yongsmith, 1999). Factors affecting the fermentation are currently examined to produce a more sanitary and uniform product.
Thua-nao is considered as an inexpensive high-protein food that could be easily produced, and if properly prepared has a long shelf life. Thua-nao paste and chips contain 16.9 percent and 36.8 percent of protein and 7.4 percent and 14.8 percent fat, respectively. Due to high vitamin B12 thua-nao products have become popular among vegetarian population.
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