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Updated: Dec 28, 2025

Semi-Targeted Ultra-High-Performance Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Phenolic Metabolites in Plasma of Elderly Adults
Published on: April 22, 2022
Fermentation of soybean meal improves isoflavone metabolism after soy biscuit consumption by adults
Fabricio de Oliveira Silva1,2, Thayane Cc Lemos1,3, Diego Sandôra1
1Laboratório de Bioquímica Nutricional e de Alimentos, Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Background:
Urinary excretion of isoflavones and their metabolites after the consumption of soybean meal (SBM) and fermented soybean meal (FSBM) biscuits was investigated in humans in a randomized double-blinded crossover clinical trial.
Results:
Aglycones were the most abundant metabolites in urine in both treatments. After FSBM consumption, total urinary excretion of aglycones and metabolites was 54% higher when compared to SBM biscuits. All metabolites were more rapidly excreted after FSBM biscuit consumption when compared to SBM biscuits. Urinary recovery of isoflavones was higher after FSBM biscuit consumption, reaching 67%. Women excreted higher amounts of colonic metabolites and lower amounts of aglycones than men. The prevalence of O-demethylangolensin-producer, equol-producer and nonproducer metabotypes was 56%, 11% and 36% after SBM consumption and 72%, 11% and 17% after FSBM consumption, respectively.
Conclusions:
Together, our findings indicate that fermentation improves isoflavone bioavailability and possibly reduces the impact of gut microbiota on the metabolism of isoflavones. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
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