Stinky tofu doesn't use shit as an ingredient. The reason why stinky tofu smells bad and tastes good is that during the fermentation process of stinky tofu, the complex group of microorganisms in the stinky brine breaks down some of the tofu's proteins to produce substances such as ammonia as well as sulfur-containing compounds, which are the main source of the stinky odor. At the same time, the proteases produced by the microorganisms will hydrolyze the proteins into peptides and amino acids, and these fermented products have a strong flavor.

Why does stinky tofu smell bad but taste good?

Stinky tofu doesn't use shit as an ingredient. During the fermentation process of stinky tofu, the complex microbial population in the stinky brine breaks down some of the tofu's proteins to produce substances such as ammonia and sulfur-containing compounds, which are the main source of the "smelly" odor.

Along with the odor, the protease enzymes produced by the microbes hydrolyze the proteins into peptides and amino acids, and these fermented products have a strong flavor.

Stinky tofu is divided into fermented and non-fermented

The odor of fermented stinky tofu is mainly due to the decomposition of proteins in tofu into sulfide and indole under the action of microorganisms, and a part of sulfur-containing amino acids are decomposed into hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, and therefore have a stinky smell. The stinky tofu made in this way has a high content of B vitamins, and the protein is easy to absorb and has a high nutritional value.

Non-fermented stinky tofu, such as fried stinky tofu sold on the street, is soaked with stinky brine. The nutritional value is not high, and the safety and hygiene of the brine cannot be guaranteed, so eat less.