Yokoi Brewery（Sequel）：Challenge for misunderstanding, food label affected by “Sake lees” and sales area expansion
【Serial column】Action for Halal by Japanese knowledge and skill!
Vol.1 Vinegar・Sweet cooking rice wine ～Yokoi Vinegar Brewery Co., Ltd.～ Sequel
Challenge for misunderstanding, food label affected by “Sake lees” and sales area expansion
（Kasaoka）Is a product line of halal products is separated from other product ones?
（Yokoi）We use the same line when we also produce halal products. However, when we mix in the last minutes, we shall separate general products with halal products. Also, we clean up frequently when we only produce halal products.
（Kasaoka）Are you required to clean up frequently when you acquired the certification?
（Yokoi）At first, we were asked what ingredients we used in a factory. However, since there was no special ingredients, we could acquire the certification because of increasing cleaning frequency. I heard it depended on a factory or an industry. And also, it may be different depending on the certification organizations.
（Kasaoka）Will you acquire halal certification for Akasu, your main product?
（Yokoi）Well… It would be difficult since we use “Sake lees” in the ingredient.
（Kasaoka）I am afraid not. Actually “Sake lees” contains alcohol. But in case of Akasu of Yokoi Vinegar Brewery,“Mature Sake lees” does not contain alcohol, and it is alcohol free.
（Yokoi）I see.
（Kasaoka）Since you are required to write “Sake lees” in the ingredient and you may be concerned about the character, “Sake”, the content is no problem.
Well, it is shame to let it misunderstand in the ingredient label.
We would like Muslims to eat “Japanese delicious food” by using seasonings made in Japan.
Mr.Takahiza, a section manager of Sales development (Left) and Mr. Yokoi, the President (Right), were talking about the further business expansion.
（Kasaoka）Are there any feedbacks after you acquired halal certification?
（Yokoi）When we go around the venue actually, we hear that it is appreciated since there have not been halal certified vinegar till now. However, they remained by the sidelines.
Our sales point of our vinegar is that you can take halal actions with the same taste as before. Absolutely we would like to expand sales areas more.
（Kasaoka）Hence, will you sell for general consumers after?
（Yokoi）At first, we shall start to sell for business use, if necessary, we think we would like to sell smaller sizes of vinegar for general consumers.
（Kasaoka）At last, please give us your message.
（Yokoi）We thought that we would like Muslims visiting Japan or living here to eat delicious sushi or Japanese food, and we produced such seasonings.
In order to let more Muslims eat delicious Japanese food, we shall do our best to send our vinegar or sweet cooking rice wine to more restaurants.
（Kasaoka）Thank you very much.
Vinegar and sweet cooking rice wine are fermented foods. Microorganisms such as yeast eat the raw materials and it excretes such as amino acids of the good taste component. At the same time, it occurs carbon dioxide and alcohol. It is a very natural alcohol. This makes the taste rich and mild. The effort to reduce such alcohol to the minimum is great. Alternate it with rice vinegar, arising by a vinegar company. That is an amazing idea.
The food labeling act was effective in June, 2013 and the labeling system is easier to understand. However, such as “Sake lees” of this item, the impression of the word, “Sake” is very strong and make it misunderstand the content of food ingredients… I found the concerned issues of food labeling yet veiled till now, in the process of acquiring halal certification. It was a good interview to find the important things.
（Seiichi Kasaoka, Professor, Bunkyo University, Reporter）
★Special Event★ Cook temari sushi with “Yokoi vinegar
News open for a Muslim friendly washoku cooking event. vol.1, on Sat, 27 February
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>>