Whole soybeans at ratural moisture levels were heated by varied exposures to dielect:ic heating at frequencies ,of 42 and 2450 MHz. The minimum energy absorbed (MEA) was calculated from temperature-elevation and moisture-loss data. Because the heating rates were different at the two frequencies, plots of various biochemical properties against temperature or exposure time revealed an apparent frequency dependence. This dependence on frequency disappeared, however, when the MEA value was substituted as the independent variable. Chemical and biochemical analyses revealed that dielectric heatin:; at natural moisture levels should be as efficient as commonly practiced moist "toasting" in improving the nutritional value of soy beans. Trypsin inhibitor activity was reduced to a low level, indicating that maximum nutritional quality had been reached. Proteir solubility and dispersibility, but not urease activity, can be used as indicators of trypsin inhibitor inactivation by dielectric heating. Indications were obtained that MEA values, or perhaps even moirture loss, might be used as an index of trypsin inhibitor inactivation. Lipoxygenase-inactivated samples of improved flavor were produced by the dielectric heating treatments. Some treated samples with low trypsin inhibitor and lipoxygenase activities still retained relatively high peroxidase activities that may be advantagr:ous for bleaching effects.
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