No way? Yes, whey – and that is all on account of the recognition of tofu in Asian culture and the massive amounts of whey which are removed throughout the tofu production process.
When thrown away as unprocessed waste, whey increases environmental pollution because its protein and soluble sugars contribute to the depletion of oxygen in waterways.
This was enough to encourage Associate Professor Liu Shao Quan and PhD student Chua Jian Yong to take motion on the matter.
Oh, and it looks pretty gross too.
Researchers at NUS have developed a zero-waste approach of turning tofu byproduct right into a Singapore-made alcoholic drink called “Sachi”, which implies “bliss”.
During a media visit to the NUS lab, Mr Chua told Business Insider that he selected the Japanese-inspired name on account of the recognition of Japanese culture amongst Singaporeans. Additionally, because the drink has a sake-like profile, he found it apt.
He said: “Very little research has been done to show tofu whey into edible food and beverage products.”
“I had previously studied alcohol fermentation during my undergraduate studies at NUS, so I made a decision to take up the challenge of manufacturing an alcoholic beverage from whey. The drink turned out to be tasty, which was a pleasing surprise,” Chua said.
After receiving a taste sample, members of the media agreed, with many describing the drink as “fruity” and “much like white wine or sake.”
The entire process, from preparing the tofu to turning it into Sachi, takes about three weeks.
It involves soaking and grinding soybeans to make soy milk, after which coagulating them to make tofu.
The coagulation process produces tofu whey.
After harvesting, the tofu whey undergoes a pre-treatment process (after adding sugar and acid and pasteurizing the liquid), followed by fermentation and storage.
But there remains to be something to work on.
Since the shelf lifetime of Sachi within the refrigerator is barely 4 months, scientists are working to increase this era to 6 to nine months under normal conditions.
They are also searching for industry partners who will supply them with tofu whey and help them with the method in order that they shouldn’t have to supply it themselves.
However, finding a willing supplier proved to be a key issue as many tofu producers in Singapore are halal certified and unable to supply alcoholic beverages of their facilities.
However, they continue to be optimistic about Sachi’s development and its health advantages.
Professor Liu said: “it’s the only alcoholic drink containing isoflavones, which contribute to health advantages equivalent to bone health, heart health and cancer prevention.”
So if this ever finally ends up on the shelf in a bar or supermarket, drink it – good for you.
