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Characteristics of Soy Protein Prepared Using an Aqueous Ethanol Washing Process.
Yu Peng1, Konstantina Kyriakopoulou1, Mbalo Ndiaye2
1Food Process Engineering Group, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 28, 2021
Summary
Cold pressing soy meal and washing with water or high water/ethanol ratios creates soy protein concentrates (SPCs). These SPCs offer comparable composition to commercial products but with varied functionalities for new soy food applications.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Protein Chemistry
- Ingredient Technology
Background:
- Traditional soy protein concentrate (SPC) production relies on hexane extraction, a process facing environmental and safety concerns.
- Cold pressing offers a hexane-free alternative for oil removal from soybeans, creating a meal suitable for SPC production.
- There is a growing demand for sustainable and safe methods in food ingredient manufacturing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of aqueous ethanol washing of cold-pressed soy meal for producing soy protein concentrates (SPCs).
- To investigate the impact of varying water/ethanol ratios on SPC yield, composition, and functional properties.
- To compare the characteristics of SPCs produced via this method with commercial SPCs.
Main Methods:
- Cold-pressed soy meal was utilized as the primary material.
- A range of aqueous ethanol solutions with varying water/ethanol ratios were employed for the washing process.
- Protein content, yield, solubility, water holding capacity, viscosity, and gel properties of the resulting SPCs were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Washing significantly increased protein content in all produced SPCs, irrespective of the solvent composition.
- Optimal results in terms of yield, protein solubility, and water holding capacity were achieved using water (0% ethanol) or high water/ethanol ratios (≥60%).
- SPC produced using only water exhibited the highest viscosity and gel strength, indicating unique functional attributes.
Conclusions:
- Aqueous ethanol washing of cold-pressed soy meal is a viable method for producing SPCs with compositions similar to commercial products.
- The choice of water/ethanol ratio significantly influences the functional properties of the resulting SPCs, offering opportunities for tailored ingredient development.
- This approach provides a promising, hexane-free route for manufacturing versatile soy protein ingredients for novel food applications.
