Mizkan Ajipon vs. Ponzu Sauce: What’s the Difference?
Ajipon (味ぽん) is a citrus seasoned soy sauce from Mizkan that’s become a kitchen staple in many households in Japan.
The product debuted in 1964 under the name of Mizkan Ponzu Ajitsuke (味つけ), and later in 1967, it changed its name to Mizkan Ajipon.
Ajipon vs. Ponzu
Based on the Q&A information on the official website of Mizkan, the name of the Ajipon (味ぽん) seasoning is short for Ajitsuke Ponzu.
But what is Ajitsuke Ponzu?
Ajitsuke Ponzu (味つけポン酢)
As I mentioned in this post, Ajitsuke Ponzu (味つけポン酢: meaning Seasoned Ponzu) is today the mainstream Ponzu sauce in Japan.
Specifically, Ponzu, in its narrow sense, is a seasoning made from citrus fruit juice mixed with vinegar,
while in its broad sense, it refers to an Ajitsuke Ponzu or Ponzu sauce seasoned mainly with soy sauce.
Conclusion
So the Japanese citrus-seasoned soy sauce, Mizkan Ajipon, is an Ajitsuke Ponzu seasoned with soy sauce.
It is a variety of modern Ponzu sauce generally classified as a Ponzu Shoyu.
About Mizkan Ajipon
In this section, I will give you specific info on Mizkan Ajipon. First, let’s see the ingredients and nutrition facts.
Ingredients/Nutrition Facts
As you can see on the label, the Ajipon sauce has the name Ajitsuke Ponzu (味つけぽん酢). The maker tells customers to refrigerate it after opening.
| Soy sauce (including wheat and soybeans), High fructose corn syrup, Citrus juice, Brewed Vinegar, Salt, Seasoning (amino acid), Acidifier, Flavoring |
Nutritional Values
| Calories | 11 kcal |
| Protein | 0.71 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2.0 g |
| Salt equivalents | 1.4 g |
Usage
The usage of Mizkan Ajipon is basically the same as other Ajitsuke Ponzu sauces.
The Ponzu not only can be a seasoning for Nabemono (hot pots), Yakiniku (grilled beef and pork), and grilled fish,
but it can also be a dressing/dipping sauce for vegetable salad, Gyoza (pot stickers), Daikon-Oroshi (grated radish), and Katsuo no Tataki (seared skipjack tuna slices).
