{"id":29327,"date":"2024-11-20T19:22:33","date_gmt":"2024-11-20T10:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sonomono.jp\/?p=29327"},"modified":"2026-08-03T17:17:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T08:17:35","slug":"natto-hakase-62","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonomono.jp\/en\/natto-hakase\/natto-hakase-62\/","title":{"rendered":"The Secret of Natto Bacteria That Reach the Intestines Alive![Scientific Validation Video] Spores and Vegetative Cells"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Beneficial Compounds Produced by Natto Bacteria<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Natto is a traditional Japanese fermented food with over a thousand years of history as part of the Japanese diet. It has gained global attention as one of the healthiest foods. Made simply from soybeans and natto bacteria, natto undergoes a fascinating and complex fermentation process. During fermentation, natto bacteria produce numerous beneficial substances that contribute to our health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples of Beneficial Compounds Produced by Natto Bacteria<\/strong>
Nattokinase, polyamines, polyglutamic acid, natto peptides, vitamin K\u2082, 5-ALA (5-aminolevulinic acid), oligosaccharides, dietary fiber, natto bacteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Not All Natto Bacteria Reach the Intestines Alive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For natto bacteria to produce these beneficial compounds in our bodies and support gut health, they need to reach the intestines alive. But did you know that not all natto bacteria can survive the journey to the intestines<\/span>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest challenge for natto bacteria to reach the intestines alive is stomach acid. Stomach acid not only digests food but also sterilizes bacteria and pathogens entering the stomach. Unfortunately, this means that most beneficial bacteria, like lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, are destroyed by stomach acid<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how do natto bacteria survive the harsh stomach acid and make it to the intestines alive?
The secret lies in the “spore<\/span><\/strong> form<\/span><\/strong>” that natto bacteria possess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Form and Life Cycle of Natto Bacteria<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Natto Bacteria Forms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Natto bacteria have a rod-like shape, classifying them as bacilli. Their size varies depending on their growth conditions and stage of development, with a shorter diameter of about 1 \u00b5m and a longer length of 3\u20135 \u00b5m. The spores formed within the cells are even smaller, with a diameter of less than 1 \u00b5m. To put it into perspective, 1 \u00b5m is 1\/1,000 of a millimeter, making natto bacteria incredibly tiny and invisible to the naked eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Two Life Cycles of Natto Bacteria: “Vegetative Cells” and “Spores”<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Natto bacteria alternate between two life cycles: the “vegetative cell<\/span>” stage, where they are actively growing, and the “spore<\/span>” stage, where they enter a dormant state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In general, it is thought that most of the natto bacteria in the “raw natto” are in the “vegetative cell” state. This is because it is surrounded by moderate water, nutrients, and oxygen, and is fermented at the appropriate temperature (30 to 45\u00b0C), which is an environment suitable for growth. Therefore, it is thought that many of the natto bacteria in raw natto are defeated by stomach acid before reaching the intestines<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when fresh natto is freeze-dried and powdered into “powdered natto,” the bacteria are exposed to conditions unsuitable for growth during production. As a result, they enter the spore state<\/span>. In this state, natto bacteria are resistant to stomach acid and are more likely to survive the journey to the intestines<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do Natto Bacteria from Fresh Natto Reach the Intestines Alive?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The natto bacteria found in the fresh natto packs<\/strong> we usually eat are primarily in the “vegetative cell” state. This is because fresh natto provides ideal conditions for growth, including adequate moisture, nutrients, oxygen, and optimal fermentation temperatures (30\u201345\u00b0C). However, in this state, most natto bacteria are believed to succumb to stomach acid before reaching the intestines<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when fresh natto is freeze-dried and ground into “powdered natto,” the bacteria are exposed to less favorable growth conditions during production. This causes them to transition into the “spore” state. Spores are highly resistant to stomach acid, making it more likely for these natto bacteria to survive and reach the intestines alive<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Scientific Verification Video] Which Natto Bacteria Survive to the Intestines: Vegetative Cells or Spores?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To test this hypothesis, we filmed a video for scientific verification. It compares the survival of natto bacteria from fresh natto<\/strong> (vegetative cells) and spore bacteria from powdered natto<\/strong> as they face stomach acid and travel to the intestines. Watch the video to discover which bacteria make it through!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u203bThe material of this video features sonomono natto bacteria<\/em>. Each strain of natto bacteria has unique traits, therefore the findings shown in this video may not apply to natto bacteria from other companies. The results shown in this video are specific to sonomono natto bacteria<\/em><\/strong> TM<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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