Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have created what they believe to be the world’s first tofu wine, using discarded tofu whey.
The tofu wine, named Sachi, comes at a lower alcohol level than traditional wine and contains health-boosting isoflavones.
Sachi was developed by associate professor Liu Shao Quan and his PhD student Mr Chua Jian Yong, who have an interest in sustainable food production. Both are from the Food Science and Technology Programme at the NUS Faculty of Science.
“The traditional way of manufacturing tofu produces a large amount of whey, which contains high levels of calcium and unique soya nutrients such as isoflavones and prebiotics. Hence, disposing tofu whey is wasteful. Very little research has been done to transform tofu whey into edible food and beverage products. I had previously worked on alcohol fermentation during my undergraduate studies in NUS, so I decided to take up the challenge of producing an alcoholic beverage using the whey. The drink turned out to be tasty, which is a pleasant surprise,” said Chua.
Analyst Mintel says the development is indicative of the widening appeal of natural and healthier food and drink options in the country. For example, natural wines and organic labels are seeing an uptake in Singapore.
According to the Singapore Health Promotion Board, in 2016, sales of food products with the healthier choice symbol grew 9% annually.