What Other Factors Are Important?
Koji is listed on the packaging of only two products in our lineup; however, all the manufacturers told us that they use the mold to make miso. They explained that they don’t mention koji for a variety of reasons, including that it isn’t well understood in America and that it’s considered a “processing aid,” so it’s not required to be listed on the label.
Other obvious production differences—the length of fermentation and whether misos were domestic or imported—didn’t seem to have a bearing on the rankings. All the products we evaluated are aged for six months or less, with most in the one-to-two-month range, and we didn’t have a clear preference for older or younger products. The second- and third-place miso pastes were made in America; the rest were produced in Japan. Ultimately, we think that the key to a full-flavored yet balanced white miso paste is a combination of proprietary factors, including the individual strain of koji used and the specific ratio of koji, soybeans, and salt.
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