From soy to legumes: chemical diversity and sensory complexity of fermented sauces revealed by integrated analytical approaches

Introduction The growing demand for sustainable and locally sourced food products has stimulated interest in alternative fermented condiments that can replace conventional soy sauce while maintaining comparable sensory and functional properties. Methods In this study, commercial soy sauces and artisanal legume-based fermented sauces produced using traditional shoyu techniques were comparatively evaluated through an integrated analytical approach. Six samples, including three commercial soy sauce