Non-hydrolysed and hydrolysed soy protein. A human immunological study

Daily consumption of soy protein has increased during recent years. Twelve healthy subjects and 12 atopic patients were given 30 g non-hydrolysed soy protein (NHS) or 30 g hydrolysed soy protein (HS) daily during a 3-month period. There were no changes in the following immunological parameters: IgE with specificity for NHS or HS, IgG with specificity for NHS, crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis with NHS and skin prick test using NHS or HS. Hypertrophy of the pancreas in rats exposed to excessive peroral intake of soy flour has been reported. In our study the size of the pancreas was measured before dosing began and at the end of the study by means of ultrasound. No change in size was shown. Daily intake of 30 g NHS and 30 g HS gave rise to gastrointestinal discomfort, while 15 g of both soy protein preparations were usually accepted.