Lai Min-nan explains that tofu is largely protein. When it soaks in stinky salt brine (its fermenting brew), the microbes will break down its components, and the proteins break down into amino acids. When the stinky tofu is then put under high temperature, most of the bad smell will evaporate.
賴敏男解釋，豆腐主要成分是蛋白質，浸泡在臭滷水（即發酵水）裡，微生物會分解豆腐裡的成分。