Low Food Lab: This is Moromi

A by-product with potential

The Low Food Lab participants. Photo credits: Paulus van Dorsten - Concretestate

In the latest edition of the Low Food Lab, moromi took centre stage. A residual stream from soy sauce production, with a rich umami flavour and surprisingly wide culinary potential, yet still rarely used in the Dutch kitchen. Why is that? What applications are possible with this ingredient? And does it also have potential at a system level? Over the past few months, a group of enthusiastic food professionals set out to explore these questions.

Introductions: what is moromi?

Soy sauce is made from soybeans, grain, salt and water: relatively simple ingredients, but the production process takes patience. The mixture must first ferment for 24 months before it is pressed. The liquid released is the soy sauce we know. What remains is moromi: a fermented, aromatic press cake.

In the Netherlands, moromi is still relatively unknown. In Japan, it has been used for longer in, among other things, sauces, pickles and seasonings to build depth and complexity. Depending on the process and ageing, its flavour profile can range from savoury and salty to fruity and almost chocolate-like.

How the experimentation worked

For the lab, moromi was available in two forms: a semi-dried press cake and a fully dried powder. Drying moromi is crucial. Less moisture means greater stability and a longer shelf life. Once milled into a powder, moromi also becomes more practical to use: you can dose it precisely, mix it evenly, and apply it more broadly.

Participants developed applications in several directions:

• Bread and bakery applications such as levain, rye bread and cookies (moromi as a salt replacer and flavour booster) Baldo Margiotta (Fort Negen)
  

• Crisps seasonings with no added salt, using moromi as the base for umami and a salt-like taste experience (with za’atar and piri-piri) Henk Scheele (Hoeksche Chips / Hoeksche Hoeve)
  

• Duck “prosciutto” in a moromi brine, moromi broth via enzymatic treatment, and chestnut chocolate with moromi Yascha Oosterberg, Friso van Amerongen & Ivana Mik (RIJKS)
  

• Moromi vinegar seasoning for rice and pickling liquids, plus (smoked) moromi broth and marinades Kuniyoshi Ohtawara (Hokkai)
  

• Vegan “anchovies” and boquerones, a snack with moromi-nori powder, plus a blue-cheese-style spread and pâté made from leftover material Nicole McMahon (Trouble & Spice)
  

• Moromi tomato pasta sauce with an almost cheese-like depthSamuel Levie (Brandt & Levie)
  

• Moromi glaze, moromi caramel and lower-salt spice blends (with The Good Spice), plus a furikake concept Tessa van der Geer (Low Food)
  

• Moromi ice cream: a plant-based fine-dining version (with amazake) and a richer version with moromi brownie and moromi caramel Vasco Sousa & Josephien Blom (Héron)
  

• Moromi liquorice, using a zero-waste approach by processing moromi into a smooth paste Willem Wolf & Dirk Groeneveld (Choux)
  

• Ceramic glaze based on moromi ash (moromi ash glaze) Robin de Vogel

The creations of the Low Food Lab. Photo credits: Paulus van Dorsten - Concretestate

One conclusion is that moromi can fulfil multiple functions. It works as seasoning and a flavour enhancer, but can also serve as a base for broth, as a tool within fermentation, or as a component that influences texture.

Moromi at a system level: breaking out of linear thinking

The lab didn’t only focus on moromi’s culinary applications. Food Pioneers food system analyst Jonah Koppe shared an analysis of moromi’s system value. Many food chains still operate linearly: extraction → production → processing → consumption → waste. Using the X-Curve (see image), it shows how niche developments such as reusing moromi can play a role in the food transition. When we make room for circular alternatives and phase out linear routines, new solutions can scale.

Circular chains aim to use materials fully, through multiple loops, creating more value at each step. Moromi demonstrates what that can look like in practice: a relatively small stream can, when applied smartly, become a niche ingredient with impact on flavour, salt reduction and product development.

Key takeaways from this edition

Moromi has the potential to be much more than a by-product. As a niche ingredient, it can add value, for example by supporting salt reduction and flavour building in plant-forward applications. The Low Food Lab provided a foundation to explore this further.

About Low Food Labs

Low Food Labs bring together food producers and developers, scientists, chefs, and other culinary creatives to tackle current food challenges in Flevoland and beyond. The project is a collaboration between Food Pioneers and Low Food, an organization working to put Dutch food culture on the map.