Yokoi Vinegar (Novella): Development of seasoning of sweet cooking rice wine taste after difficulty, it was resolved by an idea of a vinegar shop.
【Serial Column】Action for HALAL by Japanese knowledge and skill
Vol.1 Vinegar・Sweet cooking rice wine -Yokoi Vinegar Brewing Co.,Ltd. – Novella
Why we acquired halal certification is to let people to eat “delicious sushi”.
（Kasaoka）Why did you think you would acquired halal certification?
（Yokoi）It was about 3 years ago. I thought I wanted to know the sushi circumstances overseas and went around a few dozen sushi restaurants. I was surprised when I ate sushi was not delicious at all. I was very shocked.
（Kasaoka）I understand. There is a restaurant whose sushi is not delicious.
（Yokoi）Yes. Then I thought it was not good, and we started to import not only sushi making skill but also “Yokoi’s sushi” at the same time in order to let them eat delicious sushi.
At the next moment, inbound wave came over Japan then, many people came to Japan. Of course, there are Muslims. However, if Muslims wanted to eat delicious sushi in Japan, “vinegar” essential to sushi was not halal.
Although there were some halal certified vinegar imported from overseas, that would not make sushi delicious if so. We needed “vinegar for sushi” such as “Yokoi’s sushi”. People around me asked me, “Yokoi, could you make it?” Thus, we produced halal certified vinegar in order to let Muslims eat delicious sushi in Japan.
（Kasaoka）Although it tends to focus on sushi ingredients on TV etc, vinegar is very important as such.
（Yokoi）Yes, sushi restaurants which do a brisk business as such adhere to vinegar.
Development of seasoning of sweet cooking rice wine taste after difficulty, it was resolved by an idea of a vinegar shop.
Four HALAL certified products
（Kasaoka）This time, four products, “Rice Vinegar”, “Ringosu （Apple vinegar）”, “Blended vinegar”, and “”Nikiri”, sweet rice wine type of seasoning” are acquired halal certification, aren’t they? Is there any difficulty when you acquired halal certification?
（Yokoi）Actually we did not change vinegar. Since there are approx 200 kinds of products in our company, we investigated which vinegar could be acquired certification if we did not change ingredients. Thus, vinegar acquired halal certification this time is just same as vinegar being sold till now.
（Kasaoka）However, for normal vinegar, you add alcohol, don’t you?
（Yokoi）That’s right. Since general vinegar is used alcohol in the ingredients, we have to describe “alcohol” on the ingredient label. However, products acquired halal certification this time, “Rice vinegar” and “Ringosu (Apple vinegar)”, are just as their name indicated and ingredients are rice or apples only. Of course, alcohol is additive-free.
（Kasaoka）Now, how about very small amount of alcohol components naturally arising in the production process of vinegar?
（Yokoi）Finally the alcohol component is less than 0.5％, we cleared the certification standard and let people use it with relief.
（Kasaoka）You have acquired halal certification for products other than vinegar, haven’t you?
（Yokoi）Yes. Though sweet cooking rice wine is excluded since the alcohol percentage is more than 1% of course, we have acquired halal certification for sweet rice wine type of seasoning, alcohol free.
（Kasaoka）You did not also change the taste of sweet rice wine type of seasoning at all, did you?
（Yokoi）No. Originally, sweet rice wine type of seasoning includes alcohol. The taste is rich. However, if you contain alcohol, it would not be halal. Then we exclude alcohol. And so, the taste went thin.
Now, after trial and error, we added very thick rice vinegar at last. Then we drew rice thickness and we could produce delicious sweet rice type of seasoning.
（Kasaoka）What you added rice vinegar is a great idea of a vinegar shop!
a explanation “How to make vinegar”
（To be continued to sequel）
★Special Event★ Cook temari sushi with “Yokoi vinegar”!
News open for a Muslim friendly washoku cooking event. vol.1, on Sat, 27 February 2016
We shall prepare halal certified vinegar for this time especially, that of Yokoi Vinegar Brewing Co.,Ltd., which has not been sold for general!
For both Muslim and non Muslim people, let’s make delicious sushi by “Yokoi Vinegar” together!
Click here for details and application >>