Effects of soybean flour on the pancreas of rats

We have reviewed the growth-promoting and carcinogenic effects of feeding raw soya flour to rats. If the raw soya flour-containing diets are fed for more than a year, about 10% of the animals develop pancreatic cancer. In addition, feeding raw soya flour markedly potentiates the action of even subthreshold amounts of pancreatic carcinogens. The raw soya flour therefore acts as a potent promoter, as well as a weak carcinogen. In view of this promotion, the rat fed raw soya flour is a sensitive model for screening pancreatic carcinogens. It is not known whether the human pancreas responds to dietary trypsin inhibitors in a manner similar to the rat. However, in view of the use of soya-based products in human nutrition--especially in infant foods--we urge that the effect of all soya-based products intended for human use be tested on the rat pancreas in long-term feeding studies, combined with subthreshold doses of azaserine to highlight any promoting activity of the product. It seems probable that if a product exerts no effect on the rat pancreas, the human pancreas will also be spared from noxious effects.