Soyfoods and soybean products: from traditional use to modern applications

Abstract

Soybean products (soyfoods), reported as potential functional foods, are implicated in several health-enhancing properties, such as easing the symptoms of postmenopausal women, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, preventing cardiovascular disease, and antimutagenic effects. Isoflavone, for example, is one of the most important compounds abundantly found in soybean, mainly accounting for the health-enhancing properties as mentioned earlier. However, most biological activities of isoflavones are mainly attributed to their aglycone forms. It has also been demonstrated that isoflavone aglycones are absorbed faster and in greater amount than their glycosides in human intestines. Fortunately, deglycosylation of isoflavones can be achieved during fermentation process by several strains such as lactic acid bacteria, basidiomycetes, filamentous fungus, and Bacillus subtilis with their β-glucosidase activity. This article presents an overview of soybean's chemistry, application, state-of-the-art advances in soybean fermentation processing and products as well as their applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. Different compounds, such as isoflavone, dietary fibers, and proteins which exhibit significant bioactivities, are summarized. The roles of different microorganisms in bioconversion and enhancement of bioactivities of fermented soybean are also discussed.

Soybean versus other food grain legumes: A critical appraisal of the United Nations International Year of Pulses 2016

“…However, in many regions of Asia, Africa, and Europe, soybean is primarily grown for its highprotein content and as a food crop. In Asia, soybean is a traditional staple food in many countries, and both fermented and nonfermented soyfoods are a major source of protein and healthy bioactive compounds to the human diet (Chen et al, 2012). In Africa, soybean is still a minor and new crop continuously growing in acreage with 1.7 mio ha harvested in 2013, particularly in Nigeria and South Africa (FAOSTAT, 2015).…”

Soybean cadmium concentration: validation of a QTL affecting seed cadmium accumulation for improved food safety

“…At present, soybean is increasingly utilized for human consumption in many countries world-wide, and a growing number of both traditional and modern soy food products is on the market because of favorable nutrition and health properties (Chen et al 2012;Xiao 2008). Therefore, soybean production has been extended to new growing regions with partly unknown soil characteristics and heavy metal status.…”

Estrogen Receptor Beta-Mediated Proliferative Inhibition and Apoptosis in Human Breast Cancer by Calycosin and Formononetin

“…Fortunately, evidence from studies has confirmed the carcinogenic effects of steroidal estrogens in the development of breast cancer, suggesting the feasibility of antiestrogen therapy in inhibiting tumor malignancy and growth [2,3]. Phytoestrogens, a class of plant-derived phenolic compounds, are structurally similar to mammalian estrogens, which determines their abilities to bind to estrogen receptors (ER)-α and ER-β and then mimic estrogen effects [4]. Nevertheless, epidemiologic studies reveal that there are fewer breast cancer cases in Asian women than Western women, partially owing to the higher consumption of phytoestrogens from soybean products in Asian countries [5].…”