1) Soy sauce is a fermented condiment made from soybeans, roasted grain, salt, and Aspergillus mold. It originated in China over 2,000 years ago and spread throughout East and Southeast Asia. 2) Traditional Japanese soy sauce, known as shoyu, involves fermenting a mixture of soybeans, wheat, salt, and Aspergillus mold cultures for months. Proteins are broken down into amino acids and sugars into simple sugars. 3) The fermented mixture is pressed to separate solids from liquid soy sauce, which is then pasteurized, aged, and bottled. Variations arise from different fermentation methods,