Product Alternatives: Value-Added Products
Soy Flour
| Textured Soy Protein (TSP) | Soy
Protein Concentrates | Soy Protein Isolates | Soy
Milk Replacer
Value-added soybean products—soy flour, textured vegetable protein, soy
protein concentrates, and soy protein isolates, and soy milk replacer—offer
improved nutrition, result in foods that have improved functional properties,
and when consumed on a regular basis can be part of a program which will not only
improve general health but prevent some chronic diseases including heart disease.
Soy flour, soy protein concentrates, and soy protein isolates are all made from
whole soybeans. Textured soy protein is made from either soy protein concentrate
or soy flour.
Soy Flour
Soy flour has a protein content of about 53%. It is best used for fortification
of other flours, including wheat, rice, and corn. Adding up to 10% of soy
flour
can greatly increase the protein and nutritional content of bread, chapattis,
tortilla, and Arab pita bread, which are often the principle diet and at times
the only staple that poor people get in some countries. Soy flour is extremely
easy to use; just add a small quantity to any other flour commonly used while
preparing the dough. Addition of soy to wheat or corn bread increases its shelf
life and delays staling. Soy flour absorbs about twice as much water as its
weight.
It also retards oil absorption in fried foods. Soy flour can also be added
to rolls, cookies, cream puffs, etc. with nutritional benefits. Shelf life of soy flour is from three to twelve months, when stored in dry,
cool environment.
For shipping, soy flour needs to be packaged in 25 or 50 kilo paper bags.
At home, it should be stored in any container with a lid, very much like wheat
flour.
Pilot studies conducted in Egypt, with support from the University of Illinois,
have shown that soy may be successfully added to local pita bread. In Mexico,
soy-fortified tortilla has been successfully used in large experiments. In India,
several companies have started commercial marketing soy-fortified wheat flour.
Textured Soy Protein (TSP)
TSP can contain from 53% to 69% protein, depending on the starting soy material
used. It can be made from either soy flour or soy protein concentrate. It
can
be produced in several sizes, from small granules to chunky nuggets. It is extremely easy to use. Just add water to TSP and it hydrates quickly
(it doubles or triples in weight). Hydrated TSP can be mixed with ground meat,
added to vegetables, or cooked as a dish just by itself. It acquires the flavor
of the spices and the food it is added to. TSP is an excellent binder of both
water and fat. It improves the texture and sensory property of the food it is
added to. TSP can be used to make hamburgers, sausages, hot dogs, meatballs, meat
loafs, Salisbury steaks, etc. Research conducted at the University of Illinois
has shown that TSP improves the nutritional and functional properties of bread
and other baked products.
The shelf life of TSP is more than one year. For shipping, TSP needs to be
packaged in 25 or 50 kilo paper bags. At home, it should be stored in any container
with a lid.
TSP is a very popular product in food manufacturing in North America. It is
the most popular soy product in the developing countries. It is used to improve
the quality of meat with poor or mediocre quality. In India, nuggets made with
100% TSP are used as a dish by themselves—as a vegetable dish or as a meat
substitute dish.
Soy Protein Concentrates
Concentrates have at least 70% protein. The bland flavor of soy protein concentrates
makes them an ideal source of protein in many foods including dietary products,
pasta, tortillas, nutritional beverages, meat analogs, and processed meat
products.
Concentrates can be used to improve texture and mouth feel in foods, to supplement
the protein content in processed meets, and to provide an excellent source
of
highly digestible protein. Soy Protein Concentrates improve the functional properties of the food, for
example they can increase the water retention in breads and act as an emulsifiers
and bind fats. They absorb three to four times as much water as their weight.
Soy Protein Concentrates are added to the outside of doughnut to prevent excess
fat from being absorbed during frying. In meat products, they act as emulsifiers.
They bind water in meat causing it to be juicer and loose less weight after cooking.
Thus while increasing the protein content of the food, they also improve the flavor
and texture. Because of the large protein content, even a small quantity can greatly
improve the nutritional content of the food they are added to.
The shelf life of soy protein concentrates is more than one year. For shipping,
soy protein concentrates need to be packaged in 25 or 50 kilo paper bags. At home,
it should be stored in any container with a lid.
Soy Protein Isolates
Soy protein isolates contain about 90 percent protein by composition and are
the most versatile of all the soy protein products. Isolates are used to add
juiciness,
cohesiveness, and viscosity to a variety of meat, seafood, and poultry products.
They absorb five times as much water as their weight. Isolates can be used
to
enhance both the nutritional quality and taste of meat products. This is especially
true when soy is used to enhance the flavor and nutritional quality of tough
meat.
It also does excellent job improving the sensory attributes of whole meat products.
Roasts and hams that contain soy isolates will be juicer and more nutritional.
In addition, isolates are commonly used in dairy type products such as beverages,
frozen desserts and invitation cheeses. They can also be used as an ingredient
to supplement or replace milk powder in a variety of uses. The shelf life of soy protein isolates is more than one year. For shipping,
it needs to be packaged in 25 or 50 kilo paper bags. At home, it should be stored
in any container with a lid.
Soy Milk Replacer
Soy Milk Replacer has 26% protein and 39% carbohydrates. It had exactly the
same nutritional properties as dairy milk. The starting material is soy concentrate,
and several nutrients and other ingredients are added to give it the nutritional
properties of dairy milk. It provides higher benefits than dairy milk, because
it is lactose free and cholesterol free. It is a different product than soy
milk and has a different nutritional profile. Soy milk replacer has to be reconstituted with water at a ratio of 1:8.
It has packaging and storage requirements similar to dehydrated cow's milk.
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