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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Plant Genetics Research » Research » Research Project #442566

Research Project: Establishing Baselines for Soybean Compositions for Plant-based Protein

Location: Plant Genetics Research

Project Number: 5070-21000-044-015-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 1, 2022
End Date: Aug 31, 2025

Objective:
The overall objective is to establish the relationships between soybean varieties/phenotypes, metabolites, processing as well as flavor and functional properties of soy products. Specific objectives are: 1. To determine metabolomic variability of four different soybean varieties. 2. To determine the effects of soybean varieties on the sensory properties and volatile profile of soy-based foods. 3. To determine the effects of soybean varieties on the functionality as well as sensory properties and volatile profile of soy protein ingredients. 4. To determine the effects of sustainable processing on functional properties of soy protein ingredients.

Approach:
In our approach, four soybean varieties will include commodity, HOLL, HOLL/LIPOX and HOLL/ULRFO/LIPOX. Chemical and metabolomic analysis will be conducted on seed before and after crushing. Chemical analysis will include the determination of amino acid and fatty acid profiles as well as sugar analysis. Soybean will be processed into soy foods such as cooked whole soybean and soymilk. Analysis of soy foods will include sensory and volatile profile analysis. Soybean will also be processed into soybean oil and flakes via solvent extraction. Flakes will be further processed into soy protein ingredients. Analysis of soybean oil will include volatile analysis. Analysis of soy protein ingredients will include the determination of functional properties as well as sensory properties and volatile profile. To determine the effects of sustainable processing, soy protein ingredients will be extracted from ground whole soybean and their protein functional properties will be compared to those extracted from flakes after solvent extraction. Evaluation of functional properties will include solubility and gelation properties. Finally, statistical analysis will be used to determine the effect of processing as well as to establish the relationship between varieties, metabolites and flavor of soy products.