[Whole soy bean flour: use of a methodology of response surface for the study of nutritional aspects]

Cotyledons of soybeans (Glycine max) of the Paraná variety were subjected to hydrothermal processing. Response surface methodology was used to evaluate the conditions which provided a product of the highest protein quality. The processing variables used in the experimental design were: soaking time (0 - 8 hr); blanching time (5 - 35 min) and bicarbonate concentration (0 - 0.5 g%) in blanching water. Biological evaluations of protein quality were done using the NPR. The mathematical model developed does not distinguish between treatments (p less than 0.05) in the experimental region studied.