We recommend refrigerating upon receipt or storing in a cool place. Ohsawa® Organic Nama® Shoyu is unpasteurized, so it will continue to ferment in the bottle. In warm or hot weather, natural fermentation may cause it to build up pressure and some leakage may occur. This is normal and attests to the fact that it is a living food, loaded with beneficial probiotics. Therefore, to avoid the possibility of leaking, we recommend refrigeration.
Ohsawa® Organic Nama® Shoyu is fermented over 2 years and has a high salt content, because of these qualities it will last an indefinite amount of time.
As of 2023 we are not shipping internationally. We hope to get this service back in action soon.
We do not have an actual “store.” However, we do have a display of many of the products we carry. If local, you are welcome to come in to look at products and pick up your order to avoid shipping costs.
All gluten-free products are indicated at the end of the item description along with “Organic, Macrobiotic, Vegan, Raw, Kosher.” In addition, many of the categories on the website have a sub-category for gluten-free items. We do package grains, beans, seeds and other items here in our kitchen, including gluten-containing grains. We package gluten-free items Monday through Thursday and we package gluten-containing items only on Friday. We then thoroughly clean all of the equipment, following Good Manufacturing Practices. In addition, we only package whole grains (no flours that contain gluten), so this further minimizes the chance of contamination. We recommend that you rinse all grains, beans and seeds prior to consumption.
All Kosher products are indicated at the end of the item description along with “Organic, Macrobiotic, Vegan, Raw, Gluten-Free” Ohsawa® and Gold Mine brand products that are Kosher are certified by Kof-K.
The sauerkraut has a “Best By” date of one year, whether the jar is opened or not. Please refrigerate upon receipt.
The sauerkraut is definitely fine to be unrefrigerated for the amount of time it takes to ship. We ship this all over the country all year long and since it is a fermented product the quality is not compromised at all by a few days of not being cold.
Many of our products are available in stores around the country. You can give us a call and we can see what stores in your area carry our products. If a store does not carry a specific product that you are looking for, they may be able to special order it for you. If you would like your favorite natural food store to carry our products, please ask them to contact us, or send us an email and we will be happy to contact them.
All whole grains are best by one year. This is when the nutritional content starts to diminish. Grains should be stored in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator or freezer to avoid getting bugs.
Beans are best by two years. Before rinsing, soaking and cooking your beans, check for any small rocks or broken beans and discard them.
Nuts and seeds are best by one year. They should also be stored in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator or freezer to avoid becoming rancid.
The following link is helpful to determine correct ratios and cooking times for many of the grains and beans we carry: http://www.vegparadise.com/charts.html