517229 Thu May 08 13:59:05 -0700 2008 11 29 Not About Food 0 3669525 I have been screwing up my courage to try natto, and now a lovely friend has offered to introduce me to this intriguing food item. But I have been instructed to be careful about food choices as I have a small risk of immunosuppression. So I am supposed to avoid certain cheeses, raw meat and fish, unwashed fruits and vegetables, the usual. I have stopped eating week old deli meat and other bad habits I have picked up over the years. Three week old sandwiches are verboeten. But please keep in mind, this precautionary advice is precautionary only. I am not actually immunosupressed tight now, just have a small risk of developing it. Can someone tell me if natto is ok? I understand it is a fermented product, and from what I can tell, it seems ok. But any known contraindication to eating it? (yes, this is your chance to make jokes about the inedibility of natto. But I'm looking for scientific information, not just aesthetic reasons not to eat the stuff). Thu May 08 13:59:07 -0700 2008 89969 moh 1 3669700 I'm not sure about the natto itself, but be careful about how it's prepared if you do decide to eat it: most natto eaters I know like to crack a raw egg into their natto and mix it up, and the raw egg may give you trouble. Thu May 08 14:48:12 -0700 2008 3669525 13700 ricepad 2 3669749 ooh, thanks for the heads-up Ricepad! I forgot about the egg thing. Greatly appreciate the reminder. Thu May 08 14:59:18 -0700 2008 3669700 89969 moh 1 3669853 Moh, I can't answer your question in terms of the bacillus that is used to innoculate soybeans for natto and whether that would be appropriate for somebody with risk of immunosupression. But I know natto has a lot of health benefits and is touted as "health" food and fed to people who are ill. It has anti-clotting properties -- so if you have any blood clotting issues, it's probably not the best thing for you. My thinking is that if you can eat daenjang, natto should be in the same vein. I don't like natto but love cheongukjang which is essentially natto mashed into a paste spiced with garlic and chili peppers. You can use it like daenjang in casseroles. The flavor is funkier but it's still good. Thu May 08 15:39:40 -0700 2008 3669525 10763 Miss Needle 2 3670809 Hmmm. I do theoretically have a risk of blood-clotting issues too. Thanks for the info Miss Needle! I see I'm going to have to decide what is reasonable risk and what is not. Part of my frustration is due to the fact that I have to find a balance between paranoia and overly lax behaviors. Not particularly easy when one likes to eat a lot of different things. Thu May 08 22:05:25 -0700 2008 3669853 89969 moh 3 3671920 Yeah, everybody has to decide for him or herself what they're comfortable with. For me, pork is not the best meat for me. But I love dim sum and pork can taste sooooooo good! So I just eat it in moderation (will rarely eat it at home and generally eat it at dim sum -- you just can't escape pork when you do dim sum). It is ultimately up to you, but perhaps trying it once may suffice. You may decide after one try that you will never want to put natto in your mouth again. : ) Fri May 09 10:06:30 -0700 2008 3670809 10763 Miss Needle 4 3673633 "It is ultimately up to you, but perhaps trying it once may suffice. You may decide after one try that you will never want to put natto in your mouth again. : )" Indeed, I may even chicken out once I see that mucousy consistency in real life! It is the slimy texture that scares me... Fri May 09 18:53:10 -0700 2008 3671920 89969 moh 5 3673646 Moh, as your Japanese friend, don't be pressured. The stuff is just not all that tempting--even to us Katonks. Fri May 09 19:02:16 -0700 2008 3673633 36661 Sam Fujisaka 6 3673664 Phew! that is a relief! I guess the reason I am willing to try it is because of Epoisses cheese. Very stinky, a slimy outward appearance, and yet, one of the most wonderful flavours I've ever had! What if natto is the same way, and I have been missing out on one of the great joys of life? Mind you, I haven't gone this way with durian yet. Fri May 09 19:11:04 -0700 2008 3673646 89969 moh 7 3677090 As a novice to this sub species of chow, moh, what should I seek out in a three week old (aged) sandwich? Remember I'm only an egg. Sun May 11 14:08:28 -0700 2008 3673664 20276 wew 8 3677153 In 3 week old sandwiches, I look for the following qualities: 1. Sandwich meat should have a slightly gamey quality and a silky, slighty slimy surface. If it shoots out the other end of the sandwich on the first bite, the sandwich may be past its prime. 2. Mayonnaise should have a dry, rubbery crust or rind. Some connaisseurs feel the rind of the mayonnaise is the best part. 3. Bread should be free of mold. Preservatives in the bread make the 3 week old sandwich the acclaimed delicacy that it is. 4. All vegetable matter (tomatoes, lettuce, onions) should have combined with the processed cheese to create a a peppy, piquante sauce for the sandwich meat. This fermentation process takes approximately 3 weeks, but without this step, you lose the complex compound flavours one can only achieve with adequate aging. Bon Appetit! :) http://www.chowhound.com/topics/516819 Sun May 11 14:43:15 -0700 2008 3677090 89969 moh 1 3669911 Should be safe (and even healthier) if you eat tofu, miso, bleu cheese, vegemite/marmite, and the like. Thu May 08 15:59:41 -0700 2008 3669525 36661 Sam Fujisaka