FAQ

What is the difference between miso and miso soup?

We always refer to miso as a pure, universally usable fermented paste, which is typically produced by fermenting the legume in the presence of enzymes from the noble Koji fungus. We offer a wide range of varieties that differ in the ingredients used and the length of fermentation. One of the many use cases is in the preparation of soups.

Miso soup refers to a selected type of miso mixed with some other ingredient/flavor, and this product is, among other things, used to prepare "instant" soup after pouring it over with water. It is a mixture with easy and straightforward use, but which (despite the chosen name) is in no way limited to the preparation of soups.

What is the shelf life of your products?

You will find information about the shelf life of each product in the Parameters section of our e-shop. Generally, we only specify the minimum shelf life, which is e.g. 3 or 4 months for miso soups depending on the type, 4 months for shiokoji , and 9-12 months for miso. In reality, all products last much longer. We continuously have microbiological analyses carried out so that we can state longer shelf life on the labels.

How long will my jar last once opened?

As long as you don't put anything in the jar - i.e. you always use a clean spoon and it's not covered in other food or licked :D - opening the jar doesn't change the shelf life and it will last for its stated shelf life.

Are your products suitable for vegans and/or celiacs?

Yes, all of our products are gluten-free (except for Mugi Koji, barley miso, and products based on it) and vegan (except for mead vinegars). Even the kimchi used in miso soup kimchi has gluten-free tamari soy sauce, not the often-used fish sauce, etc. One of us is a celiac, so we have a pretty good idea of how difficult it is to choose food and ingredients for cooking.

Why do your products need to be kept cold?

Some of our products are unpasteurized and are still slightly fermenting. The cold slows down this fermentation and reduces the risk of increased pressure in the jar, which will result in an inflated cap and the typical "fart" when opening, or even leakage of the contents under the cap. If you leave the products at normal room temperature before opening, nothing will happen to their quality.

This is also the reason why we are not afraid to send our products via the unrefrigerated way when buying in our e-shop.

Make sure not to expose the products to temperatures above 25°C and direct sunlight for long periods of time.

Where can I buy your products?

Preferably in our e-shop (eshop.kojibakers.cz) or in SCUK (scuk.cz/kojibakers), which is a form of online farmers' markets where our products will be delivered to a selected distribution point in your area.

The network of healthy food stores, which are supplied by distributors, is gradually expanding and we do not have an overview of where to buy what products. If you miss our products in a brick-and-mortar store, ask for them directly in your favorite store.

Nejlépe na našem eshopu (eshop.kojibakers.cz) nebo na SCUKu (scuk.cz/kojibakers), což je forma online farmářských trhů, kdy vám naše produkty přijdou do vybraného výdejního místa ve vašem okolí. Postupně se rozrůstá síť prodejen zdravé výživy, které zásobují distributorské firmy a nemáme tak přehled, kde lze jaký sortiment zakoupit. Pokud Vám naše výrobky v kamenné prodejně chybí, žádejte je přímo ve svém oblíbeném obchodě. Vybrané produkty (ne celý sortiment) najdete i v síti prodejen CountryLife.

And of course, you can also buy our products in person at our store in Otročiněves.

How many portions does one jar of miso soup contain?

This depends a lot on your taste, the type of soup, and the method of use. Typically, one jar of miso soup in standard packaging (350 or 300g) is enough for about 6-8 portions, in mini packaging (150g) it is about 3 portions. If you use it as a condiment in broth, noodles, rice, salad, etc., it will depend only on your dosage. More soup means more umami flavor and also more saltiness - we don't use any chemicals and the higher salt concentration is a natural preservative.

How much water should I use for one portion of miso soup and how hot should the water be?

We recommend pouring 2-3 dL of hot (not boiling) water over one tablespoon. The ideal temperature is below 60°C, at higher temperatures the valuable enzymes are gradually denatured.

How can I use miso soups if I don't want to just dilute them with water?

Even though we use the term "soup", it is generally a food condiment based on miso combined with other flavors that can be used very variably.

There are several methods that we and our customers use.

1) Pour hot water on a spoon and eat/drink alone. Some soups have a lot of vegetables (e.g. fermented cabbage or kimchi). Some soups are quite "watery", but for example, in Japan, they are "drunk" this way for breakfast like we drink our coffee. You can also buy them in a cup in vending machines. It's a matter of habit. In this option, our jar lasts for about 6-8 portions.

2) But we are aware that we Czechs like thick soups, so miso soup can be used as a "soup base", which can be further supplemented with noodles, vegetables, cheese, or millet, ... depending on your taste.

3) You can also use our miso soups as a "condiment " and use them to season your meals right on the table (e.g. we use the garlic miso soup to season all kinds of soups). It's incredible what a change a teaspoon of this goodness will bring to a plate of regular soup.

4) But you can also use miso soup in other ways. It's also great as an addition to salads, fried eggs, pasta, and other common dishes.

5) Or you can find your own way to use it. Customers repeatedly write us about how they spread it on bread, on toast, on an omelet, or as a salad on rice...

There's no limit to the imagination here. And you're the ones doing the magic in your home kitchen.

I don't digest peas or soy well and they bloat me. Are your products suitable for me?

They definitely are. After fermentation in our barrels, the legumes lose these unpleasant properties and are transformed in miso into not only tasty but also a very digestible source of protein.

Why can't some products be sent to Zásilkovna (packeta.com)?

We don't offer Zásilkovna at this time if you have bottles in your cart that are not friends with automatic sorting lines :(. Therefore, we only send this type of more fragile items by courier, which uses only handling in (good) human hands.

Do you also ship to Slovakia?

Yes. Either in a more affordable way to the delivery points of Zásilkovna, or by courier delivery to the address, although it is quite expensive - we are aware of this, but there is not yet a more affordable alternative to deliver appropriately and cost-effectively to Slovakia.

Why did the transportation costs increase?

As of 1st of January 2022, we have been forced to adjust our transportation and packaging prices to cover the increase in the costs of carrier services as well as the increase in the price of packaging materials. Due to this, we have also increased the minimum order price for free shipping from the original 1200,- to 1500,- CZK. Even under the current arrangements, we partially finance the shipping costs to make our products as accessible to our customers as possible.

Isn't salt in such quantities harmful?

Based on many available sources (for example here or in the more popular Czech version here) we can conclude that fermented salt does not have a negative effect on raising blood pressure. On the other hand, we don't currently have any solid studies on the effect on the kidneys and therefore recommend consuming miso and miso soups in moderation and with consideration of how much you do or don't salt your other foods.

Are miso soups suitable for pregnant women?

Miso and miso soups are in no way contraindicated in pregnancy.

The question mark may be the relatively high saltiness, so rather be careful. Although we do not have any information on the negative effects, we would not overuse it. If you do enjoy it, stick to smaller portions during pregnancy or rather season with miso or miso soups.

Aren't the enzymes in miso soup destroyed by pouring hot water over them?

First of all, we recommend eating miso soup for the taste :-)

The functionality of enzymes gradually decreases with rising temperature. We don't have exact data on how many degrees and after how many minutes they denature completely.

From practical experience, we recommend pouring water at around 50-60°C to keep the miso soup adequately warm to eat, but within a safe range where most of the enzymes will not be degraded.

If you want to consume our products primarily as a source of enzymes, you can munch on dried komekoji like our children or use miso and miso soups in cold dishes (for example, in spreads or salads) for maximum effect.

Are you using glutamate?

You won't find monosodium glutamate or other industrially produced flavor enhancers commonly found in low-quality foods in our products. The umami flavor in our products is achieved through glutamic acid, which is naturally released from the proteins during fermentation due to the enzymes from the noble Koji fungus that forms the basis of our production. The ingredients we list on our website (and of course on the label) for each product match the reality.