Reimagining soy: flavor and function

Project aims

This project aims to upcycle non-GMO soybean meals into premium protein ingredients with improved flavor and function through innovative breeding and sustainable processing. Specifically, the aims include:

1. Flavor, functionality, and shelf-life evaluation: The researchers will investigate how different soybean varieties (SuperBean, HOLL, and regular) and processing methods (cold-press, extruder-expeller, and hexane extraction) influence the taste, performance, and shelf-life of soy protein ingredients.
2. Improving extraction with enzymes and ultrasound: This aim focuses on increasing protein yield and enhancing functionality by using enzymes and ultrasound during processing. The effectiveness of enzymes individually and in combination, along with ultrasound treatments, will be tested to maximize oil recovery and produce high-quality soy protein ingredients.
3. Food application testing and safety confirmation: The researchers will incorporate selected soy protein ingredients into various food products to confirm their improved functionalities and ensure they are safe for consumption. The hypothesis is that the developed ingredients will demonstrate superior properties in food applications, and the processing methods will effectively eliminate anti-nutrients.
4. Assessing economic feasibility: A thorough techno-economic assessment will be conducted to determine if the proposed processing operations can be scaled up and are economically viable.