Food Product Design: Cover - February 2001 - Soy's Evolution

Soy - once synonymous with foods not particularly known for their gourmet appeal - is now prevalent throughout the food industry, both as an ingredient and a major finished-goods component. Its rise in popularity owes much to the many health benefits associated with its consumption, the FDA's approval of a health claim for cholesterol reduction and its implication in lowering coronary heart disease (CHD) risk.

"Approximately 400 to 500 - depending on how products are counted - new soy protein products were launched during the year 2000, and estimates predict the category will increase at a pace of 20% each year for the next several years," says Julie Tockman, APR, director, health benefits communications, Protein Technologies International (PTI), a DuPont business, St. Louis. Soy's prevalence throughout the food industry is growing given the possibilities available for its use as a functional ingredient, for flavor delivery, or as a nutritional component, especially as more and more consumers make soy an essential part of their diet.

Making a claim
It took more than 40 clinical studies encompassing 20 years of research to demonstrate soy protein's heart-health benefits. These benefits include lowering total cholesterol, lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. On Oct. 26, 1999, the FDA approved the health claim governing soy protein's relationship to a reduced CHD risk. Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 101.82 outlines the specifics.

The health claim is based on a daily consumption of 25 grams of soy protein. To make this claim, a food must contain at least 6.25 grams of soy protein per referenced amount customarily consumed (RACC) as dictated by 21 CFR 101.12; a maximum of 3 grams of total fat; 1 gram or less of saturated fat; a maximum of 20 mg of cholesterol; and a maximum of 480 mg of sodium. Higher-fat products, such as tofu and soymilk, qualify for the claim as long as they consist of, or are derived from, whole soybeans, and contain no fat in addition to the fat inherently present in the soybean. When a serving size differs from the RACC, the label statement must explain the discrepancy.

Since the FDA regulates the current soy health claim, it's uncertain whether products that meet the criteria but contain more than 2% meat, which are regulated by the USDA, would be able to carry the claim. "Assuming the USDA would allow the FDA health claim for soy to be labeled on a meat product, a food technologist's challenge would not be with incorporating 6.25 grams soy protein per RACC, but with the fat and cholesterol restrictions," says Linda Beck, application manager for protein research, Central Soya Company, Inc., a company of Eridania Béghin-Say, Fort Wayne, IN. "It would be possible to meet the fat requirements, but even lean meat contains cholesterol. The challenge is to develop meat containing 20 mg of cholesterol or less per RACC. The next hurdle would be to gain USDA label approval to carry a FDA health claim."

The health claim presents other obstacles as well. "At the level required to achieve 6.25 grams per RACC, which on an as-is protein basis can easily constitute 15% to 25% or more of the ingredients in a formula, the food technologist is faced with a challenge. Such a high level of any non-common ingredient can alter the expected sensory and processing characteristics expected of many foods," says Charlie Worrall, director, health & nutrition group for Eridania Béghin-Say. "Texture, flavoring, chewing properties, even the processing of the food during manufacturing will be altered. Food categories where soy protein is not commonly used at high levels, such as breads, muffins, baked bars, puddings, other desserts, dairy-type products, low-fat salad dressings and snacks, face difficult sensory barriers when they incorporate health-claim levels of soy protein."

Developing a regulatory basis for lower levels of soy protein may help alleviate some of these problems. "Soy protein currently has no established RDA on which to base a nutrient content claim," notes Worrall. "If the 25 grams per day were recognized in regulation as the basis for calculating nutrient content claims, a wider variety of innovative foods would hit the marketplace. For instance, 10% of the 25-gram recommended daily intake or 2.5 grams soy protein per RACC, would then allow a 'good source of soy protein' statement on the label; 20% or 5 grams per RACC of soy protein would qualify for an 'excellent source of soy protein' claim. Such lower inclusion levels will help maintain more of the traditional eating properties of foods, greatly expand the per capita consumption and market opportunity of soy protein containing foods, and help the FDA achieve its objective of improving public health."

Soy good for you
The American Heart Association(AHA) stepped up to the plate one year after the FDA's approval of the health claim, and in November 2000, agreed that soy protein may, in fact, lower cholesterol, thereby reducing CHD risk. Soy protein joins a short list of foods, including orange juice, oatmeal, bananas and green leafy vegetables, that AHA recommends eating daily. Soy protein is the only complete protein found in a plant food - it provides all the essential amino acids like animal protein.

The AHA's recommendation of soy protein consumption was conveyed in the Nutrition Committee Scientific Statement, in the Nov. 14, 2000 issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, authored by John Erdman Jr., Ph.D., professor of food science and human nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana. According to Erdman's findings, research done in the soy protein area indicates that intact soy protein, including all of its bioactive components, is what works to deliver the associated heart health benefits.

Julie Freyman, R.D., nutrition specialist, PTI, notes: "Clinical research suggests that isoflavones are among the bioactive components that work in conjunction with the soy protein to lower cholesterol and have also been implicated as a necessary component to deliver other health benefits as well."

Isoflavones are a subcategory of naturally occurring plant compounds known as phytoestrogens, says Freyman. "Specific isoflavones, found almost exclusively in soy, exist in three main families and in four chemical forms. The three main isoflavones are genestein, daidzein and glycitein." Some manufacturers cite a range of isoflavones when labeling due to natural crop variability.

Sterols, or steroid alcohols, are found in both plants and animals. Cholesterol is the primary fat sterol found in animals. Plant-derived sterols associated with edible oils, called phytosterols, reportedly lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting cholesterol absorption. Soybean oil contains 327 mg of phytosterols per 100 grams. Research studying phytosterol consumption's impact on benign prostatic hyperplasia and colon cancer is ongoing.

Soy protein consumption has been linked to other health benefits beyond cardiovascular disease. "Researchers have been interested in the impact of soy on bone health and menopause symptom management," notes Freyman. "Potter et al. compared two isolated soy protein (ISP) products with different levels of isoflavones to milk protein to assess their effects on bone density in postmenopausal women. The ISP product with the higher level of isoflavones was associated with an approximate 2% increase in bone density in the lumbar spine region, compared to the baseline. In addition, studies have evaluated the effects of ISP with naturally occurring isoflavones on hot-flash frequency. The group of women who consumed the ISP reported to have significant reductions in the frequency of daily hot flashes compared to the placebo group.

"Research continues to determine the exact mechanism of soy protein and its bioactive components in cardiovascular benefits and women's health," adds Freyman. "Future research efforts will focus on soy protein's role in weight management, diabetes, kidney disease and performance nutrition."

Bean town
Referring to soybeans as "just soybeans" is equivalent to calling vanilla "plain." Soybeans vary in both appearance and chemical composition, notes Keshun Liu, Ph.D., manager, food science, Monsanto Co., St. Louis. "Variation in appearance includes seed size, shape and color. Seed color is further narrowed down to seed-coat color, hilum color and color of cotyledon tissues. Variation in chemical composition includes contents of major constituents (protein, oil and carbohydrate), minor constituents (minerals, phytic acid, isoflavones, etc.) and sub-components within these constituents. Examples of these sub-components include fatty-acid composition of soy oil, amino-acid composition of soy protein, ratio of protein fractions and soluble-sugar content within the total carbohydrate."

As Liu explains, soybean variation impacts finished-product quality, yield and perhaps nutritional value. "Light-colored beans give a whiter soymilk or tofu product. High-protein beans tend to produce soymilk or tofu with improved yield. Soybeans with high soluble sugars work well as a green vegetable (edamame), since they give a sweeter taste when harvested at 80% maturity. Even the ratio of two major protein fractions, glycinin and beta-conglycinin, known also as 11s and 7s, can affect product quality. As early as the late 70s, Japanese researchers found 11s' protein produces a firmer tofu than 7s'."

Soybeans are harvested primarily for livestock feed, edible oil and various protein forms for use in food. Commodity beans, or oil beans, are most prevalent in the market, since the majority of the crop is processed for edible oil and defatted meal. "In general, these beans have small- to medium-seed size, dark hilum, high oil content, high field yield, but low- to medium-protein content," says Liu. These commodity beans also may be processed into traditional protein foods, such as tofu, soymilk, miso and soy sauce, as well as specialty soy-protein products made from defatted soy flour, such as ISP and soy protein concentrate (SPC).

Historically, a major goal for plant breeders has been to breed for high and stable yield potential, which is inextricably linked to improved resistance to diseases, pests and other environmental stresses. Plant breeders also have made efforts to improve soybean composition using the same techniques, such as crossing, recurrent selection, mutagenesis and biotechnology. This has resulted in beans with specific traits, designed for particular end products. "For example, tofu beans are targeted for soymilk and tofu production, and feature medium-to-large seed size, clear hilum, a thin and light-colored seed coat, and high protein content," notes Liu. Other specialty types include edamame beans, lipoxygenase-null beans, low-oligosaccharide beans, soybeans with elevated oil or protein content, and soybeans with altered fatty-acid composition or an improved amino-acid profile. Lipoxygenase gives soy products their characteristic "beany" taste. Researchers at Iowa State University, Ames, found improvements in the flavor of soymilk and tofu derived from lipoxygenase-null soybeans.

In 1998, the United Soybean Board (USB) launched the Better Bean Initiative (BBI), whose mission lay in developing soybean seed with enhanced compositional makeup. Today, the BBI's objectives for soybean seed development includes lowering saturated fatty-acid levels; improvements in flavor and oxidative stability; modifying amino-acid profile of defatted soy meal; and improvements in the digestibility of meal destined for livestock feed, notes Richard Galloway, project leader of BBI and independent consultant, Galloway and Associates, Charleston, SC. The USB is working jointly with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) on a soybean variety with lower saturated fat and linolenic acid that will produce a healthier and more stable oil than that on the market today - an initiative endorsed by the Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils (ISEO).

In spite of the enhancements shown from specialty bred soybeans, several issues have yet to be resolved. Some specialty breeds have lower yields and trait instability and require identity preservation, and thus special handling, resulting in higher costs, notes Liu. In addition, some breeds, such as those with improved amino-acid profiles or altered fatty-acid compositions, have yet to be successfully commercialized. In certain circumstances, there is a lack of consensus among manufacturers and researchers concerning the relationship between the characteristics of the raw bean and finished product parameters. This may be due in part to the complexity involved in manufacturing certain finished soyfoods such as tofu. For other products, such as ISP and SPC, which have been produced for years from commodity soybeans in large quantities via a complex process, running small trials with specialty soybeans can be costly.

"Optimism exists for the future of specialty soybeans," says Liu. "There are several driving forces, including a demand from end users for better beans and oils; pressure for farmers to increase crop values; advancement in breeding technology, such as molecular breeding, genetic engineering and genomics; and development of high throughput analytical techniques for breeding screen. A phenomenal growth in the soyfoods industry, and an increase in global acceptance of biotech crops are additional driving forces. All these forces have led to a new industry trend of transforming from grain commodities to grain attributes."

Soy's heritage
Tofu, miso, tempeh, natto, soy sauce and other soy-based ingredients have been part of the Asian cuisine for centuries. Many of these are becoming more mainstream as American culture becomes more diversified.

Tofu, or soybean curd, is made by adding a coagulant such as calcium sulfate to soymilk, which is then drained and pressed into a cake. The degree of firmness depends on how much liquid is discharged during pressing. Tofu is a very versatile ingredient. It readily picks up flavors that are incorporated with it, and often is used as an alternative to meat or cheese.

Miso or bean paste, a condiment used in Japanese cooking, is made from soybeans that may be mixed with a grain, such as barley or rice, and salt, then cultured with a mold called koji. An aging process of six months to three years further influences the miso's character. Different varieties exist in Japanese cuisine, and vary in color, flavor and texture. Some types, such as sendai miso, a reddish-brown miso and hatcho miso, which is dark brown, have regional appeal in Japan.

Tempeh is a dense, chewy, fermented soybean cake similar to tofu. With a flavor often described as nutty, yeasty or smoky, it often is substituted for meat as a high-protein source in vegetarian dishes. Natto, a flavoring ingredient also made from fermented soybeans, has a glutinous, viscous coating with a cheese-like texture and strong aroma.

Soy sauce, the most familiar of the traditional Asian soyfood class, finds widespread use as both a flavoring ingredient and flavor enhancer. Five soy-sauce types are found in Japan, while only two are readily available in the United States. The most common type, koikuchi-shoyu is processed from soybeans and wheat, while tamari-shoyu, or tamari sauce, uses little or no wheat. Soy sauce may be made via brewing, or fermentation, or through acid hydrolysis - the process used for making hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP).

The natural brewing process takes up to six months for completion. Soybeans and wheat are fermented with koji and mixed with saltwater to produce a mash called moromi, which is fermented under controlled conditions with lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. As the moromi ages during fermentation, the mass becomes semi-liquid. The liquid is separated from the solid mass by pressing during the refining stage, and then is filtered and pasteurized prior to packaging. Several chemical reactions occur during fermentation giving soy sauce its characteristic flavor, aroma and color.

Non-brewed soy sauce tends to be harsher, less balanced and more HVP-like in aroma and flavor than the fermented type. Protein from soybeans and wheat is acid-hydrolyzed to amino acids, and then neutralized with a base, such as sodium carbonate. The mass then is decolorized with carbon, filtered and then blended with salt, caramel color and corn syrup to produce the desired end product. A process variation to improve flavor takes the acid-hydrolyzed solution and ferments it with osmophilic yeasts and wheat koji.

Con-soy-quences
Soy has taken on a more modern spin by evolving from either a traditionally Asian food or a protein-based ingredient sold by natural or health-food markets, to one sold as a primary component of finished goods in the mainstream marketplace.
Soyburgers may soon find their way into federally subsidized school-lunch programs as a replacement for beef or other meats. Current USDA regulations cap soy usage at 30% and consider soy an additive. New legislation would repeal both stipulations. School and health officials expect a decision by March 2001, and favor the new regulations as a method of reducing fat content in student's meals.

Soynuts - an item becoming more prevalent not only as a stand-alone snack food, but as an ingredient for baked goods, bars, frozen novelties and confections - come in a variety of textures, piece sizes and flavors. "The soybean is soaked to soften the texture and then roasted," says Andrew McVittie, sales representative, Sycamore Creek Company, Stockbridge, MI, a wholly owned subsidiary of W.G. Thompson & Sons Ltd., Blenheim, Ontario. "Roasting not only provides a crisper texture, but deactivates antinutritional components and improves digestibility. The roasted soynuts are then either seasoned or diced." Soynuts also may be coated in chocolate, yogurt or a candy shell.

The soybean varietal influences taste, texture, composition and shelf life of the soynuts. By using only one specific identity-preserved soybean variety, finished-product variability is reduced, providing a more uniform taste and texture, notes McVittie. Both diced and whole soynuts act as raw materials for soynut butter, a peanut-butter alternative.

Soymilk is another soyfood showing tremendous growth in mainstream markets. For example, conventional grocery retail sales of White Wave, Inc.'s brand of soymilk, called Silk™, increased by 1273% over an 18-month period, beginning in April of 1999, according to Information Resources, Inc., Chicago. "Repositioning the entire category to the refrigerated dairy section, where tofu was already present, helped capitalize on an opportunity," says Steve Demos, president and founder of the Boulder, CO-based company. "The fresh category is now driving the soymilk market."

Soybeans are cooked, soaked and pressed during soymilk processing. The soybean extract is then mixed with other ingredients, such as water, sugar, flavors, vitamins, minerals and hydrocolloids, such as carrageenan. Although soymilk has been available for many years in shelf-stable, aseptically processed brick-packs, entry into the fresh-foods market is fairly recent.
In February 2000, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), Arlington, VA, filed a trade complaint with the FDA requesting action preventing soymilk producers from using the term "milk." The NMPF feels that "milk" has a standard of identity dictating that it must come from dairy cows; therefore, in their view the term "soymilk" is misleading and soy-beverage marketers are riding on the coattails of milk's positive image - thereby fostering unfair competition.

Soy-beverage marketers petitioned the FDA to use the term "soymilk" three years prior to NMPF's complaint. The FDA decided not to rule on the petition, which allowed soymilk producers to operate under an umbrella of protection as long as they don't deceive the public in their labeling or advertising, explains Demos. "We never use the terms "soy" and "milk" separately, or soy in small print and milk in large print," he adds. "It is to the benefit of the consumer that the term stands, since the term is recognizable on a stand-alone basis."

Protein power
Three basic soy-protein sources include soy flour, ISP and SPC. Originally, soy protein served as a filler in meat applications. Soy proteins were developed into highly functional ingredients and work well in a variety of foods, notes Debbie Schulz, applied technology director, PTI. "Soy protein can be integrated into speed-scratch mixes, muffins, brownies, rice, graham cracker crusts, pancakes, salad dressings, noodles and sauce dishes, soups and spreadable cream cheeses, as well as beverages and bars that are most popular today."

Soy flour, made from ground, defatted soy flakes, contains 50% protein, and carries many of the bean's original characteristics. Applications using soy flour typically include baked goods, snack foods, nutrition bars and pet foods. Textured Vegetable Protein® (TVP) - produced from extruded, defatted soy flour - may be used in low-cost meat formulations or in highly seasoned canned-food applications such as chili, where its flavor would remain undetectable, notes Marcee Place, North American sales manager for protein specialties, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Decatur, IL. "Full-fat soy flours are typically used in traditional European breads, doughnut applications, or as egg- or milk-powder replacers in many baked goods."

Concentrates with approximately 70% protein are produced by further processing defatted soy flakes using aqueous-alcohol, which removes soluble carbohydrates. "This process results in a protein with low solubility and a product that can absorb water, but lacks the ability to gel or emulsify fat," notes Russ Egbert, director of protein applications research, ADM. "Traditional alcohol-washed concentrates are used for protein fortification of foods as well as in the manufacture of textured soy protein concentrates (TSPC)." TSPC simulates meat texture in ground patties, and binds water, thereby increasing yield and juiciness. In addition, TSPC helps patties and nuggets retain their shape, adds Beck.

"Functional soy protein concentrates (FSPC) can be produced from alcohol-washed concentrate using heat and homogenization followed by spray-drying; or produced using a water-wash process at an acid pH to remove the soluble sugars followed by neutralization, thermal processing, homogenization and spray-drying," explains Egbert. FSPC's emulsification properties are particularly valuable in applications such as high-fat soups and sauces. These emulsions are stable through harsh processing conditions such as retorting, and do not breakdown in the presence of salt.

"FSPC can also be used in ground-meat products, primarily to increase moisture and fat retention, as well as increase processor yields," says Beck. "Their major use is in emulsion meats or injected/tumbled whole-muscle meats, such as ham, turkey, chicken and roast beef. FSPC retains moisture - improving juiciness, reducing package purge and maintaining meat's texture."

Research done by Central Soya using FSPC in ready-to-eat (RTE) cereals at health-claim levels has proven successful. Formulations created via batch pressure cooking and extrusion produce high-quality RTE cereal without disrupting normal processing operations.

Both soluble and insoluble carbohydrate portions are removed in processing ISP. Protein is further extracted through separation and isoelectric precipitation, resulting in a protein content of 90%. "Heat, homogenization and pH are three factors that greatly influence the functional characteristics of ISP, including gelation, emulsification and viscosity," notes Egbert. "Enzyme-modification is used to produce very low-viscosity ISP for production of high-protein beverages and infant formula." ISP can be made with high levels of soluble protein and is bland in flavor, which gives it broad-based appeal; however, ISP's high sodium level and absence of dietary fiber may be a limiting factor in certain applications.

Cultivating soy oil
Soybean oil contains 61% polyunsaturated fatty acids at 54% linoleic and 7% linolenic; 24% monounsaturates composed of oleic acid; and 15% saturated fatty acids at 11% palmitic and 4% stearic. Although the relatively low level of saturated fatty acids is a positive aspect from a health standpoint, the high amount of polyunsaturates leaves soybean oil susceptible to instability. Linolenic acid in particular, although an omega-3 fatty acid with potential health benefits, has three carbon-to-carbon double bonds, rendering it the most unstable of all the fatty acids in soybean oil.

"Most of the off-flavors attributable to oxidative rancidity come from linolenic acid, and both linolenic and linoleic fatty acids contribute to oxidative breakdown of the oil," notes Galloway. Hydrogenation can add stability to the oil, since it converts some of the double bonds of the unsaturated fatty acids to single bonds. This process also converts some of the cis double bonds to the trans position. Hydrogenation not only impacts the fat's physical properties by transforming it to a semi-solid at room and refrigeration temperatures, but improves stability and shelf life as well - traits particularly important for frying fats and margarine.

Over the past few decades, questions have arisen about the health implications of trans-fatty-acid consumption. According to "Food Fats and Oils," a publication of the ISEO, Washington, DC, 1999, trans fatty acids appear to raise total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels like saturated fatty acids; however, since trans fatty acids are less prevalent than saturates in the American diet, the health implication is lower. Still, product developers continue looking for ways of reducing trans fatty acids in foods.

The USB and ARS joint initiative in producing an improved soybean oil variety holds much promise for the future. This low-saturated/low-linolenic oil has better oxidative stability, and thus better flavor stability, than standard soybean oil, notes Galloway. It consists of 57% polyunsaturates as 54% linoleic and 3% linolenic acids; 37% monounsaturates as oleic acid; and 6% saturates as 3% stearic and 3% palmitic acids.

Galloway predicts that the low-saturated/low-linolenic oil will ultimately become the mainstream soybean oil because its improved oxidative and flavor stability gives the oil a lot of flexibility in a variety of applications. "The low-saturated/low-linolenic oil has a broader food-processing platform than today's soybean oil," he says. "This may in turn create a platform for other specialty oils."

Soy perception
One of the most difficult challenges faced in developing soy products is the taste factor. It's common industry knowledge that consumers won't come back for seconds if the product doesn't taste good the first time. Understanding sensory aspects of soy products enhances the scientist's ability to overcome some of the objectionable traits that consumers associate with soy.

"For American tastes, you don't want to be able to detect the 'beany' taste, which is intrinsic to soy products," says Barbara Klein, Ph.D., professor of foods and nutrition/food chemistry and leader of the Illinois Soy Foods Center, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. Making soyfoods acceptable to the American palate usually involves eliminating any indication that it contains a lot of soy. This is accomplished in several different ways. Manufacturers of soy-based ingredients, such as SPI or SPC, strive for blandness. Finished-product developers use flavor masking and balancing techniques to eliminate any residual beany notes.

"Beany is a complex term," notes Klein. "It means different things to an American, a Chinese, a Japanese or a Mexican. Lipid-oxidation products give what is generically called a beany taste. A trained taste panel never uses the word beany, but instead uses terms such as grassy, green, painty or rancid note, cardboard, dusty, musty, nutty, bitter or astringent." Some feel that isoflavones cause bitterness and astringency in soy. Research currently is being conducted to test this theory. All of the terms have negative connotations to the consumer with the exception of nutty, and possibly grassy and green.

Transforming soyfoods' flavor to one that is appealing to Americans is one challenge, but the texture may be an issue as well. "Tofu, in particular, has a slippery kind of texture unfamiliar in American foods," says Klein. Baked tofu, which has less water and a meatier texture, gives consumers another, perhaps more appealing, option.

Master of disguise
"The challenge in working with soyfoods is to get the product not to taste like soy, but there is no magic bullet," notes John Ashby, vice president, technical, Mane-California Brands, Oakland, CA. Flavor-development work requires a unique approach, and experience in working with soy foods is often the key to success, he adds. Each application requires intensive screening to test which masking-flavor approach actually does the best job of disguising the off-flavors. Once these off-flavors are masked, the flavorist begins building the characterizing flavor. Finally, the whole system needs to be rebalanced.

"Historically, the technology used for flavoring soy did not offer significant innovations in comparison to the improvements in the quality of the soy proteins and isolates being developed. However, a comprehensive development solution that offers masking properties, intense aromas and long-lasting flavor is now available for a variety of processed soy applications including beverages and bars," says Donald Wilkes, president, Blue Pacific Flavors, City of Industry, CA. Too often, processors look solely at formulation issues and disregard processing parameters and/or copacking engineering support, which factor into the flavor system's success or failure. UHT processing, for instance, may significantly impact flavor development.

Because of processing, certain flavors often work better than others in certain applications. "When you cook proteins and amino acids with aroma chemicals, as you would in a shelf-stable beverage, you expect reactions to happen," says Ashby. Citrus flavors contain extremely reactive aldehydes that undergo chemical reactions in the presence of proteins during cooking. Off-flavors form as a result. Thus, it is far easier to maintain the integrity of a nut or chocolate flavor than an orange flavor during a cook process. In general, nut and chocolate flavors are easier to develop than vanillas in soy applications, although Ashby recommends using vanilla WONFs as a viable alternative to vanilla extracts to reduce variability and lower cost.

"When working with low-acid soy bases, brown flavors like vanilla, chocolate, mocha, caramel and cappuccino are preferred; however, we have also developed a high-impact natural strawberry flavor that works well in a low-acid soy beverage containing 6.25 grams of soy protein per 8 oz.," notes Wilkes. Blue Pacific markets an acidified soy-beverage base with 0.4 to 2.0 grams of soy protein per 8-oz. serving when used in a finished drink. "This allows companies to formulate functional soy protein RTD (ready-to-drink) beverages with fruit juices, purees and fruit flavors without protein precipitation under hot-filled processing conditions," he continues. A low acid version offers the same benefits, but with higher soy-protein levels for aseptic UHT or retort-processed beverages.

Flavor development of soy-based snack bars also may present a challenge, particularly as consumers demand lower carbohydrate levels. "The more you reduce the carbohydrates, the more soy is going to taste like soy and less like a candy bar," says Ashby. "Sugar helps round out the soy protein."
Progress continues in flavor development as well as soy-protein production. Producers of soy protein ingredients look to reduce the flavor impact contributed by their products, and have made great strides in recent years. In light of increasing consumer demand in soy products attributable to their associated health benefits, it is in the soyfood producer's best interest to develop great-tasting products.

3400 Dundee Rd. Suite #100
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 847-559-0385
Fax: 847-559-0389
E-Mail: info@foodproductdesign.com
Website: www.foodproductdesign.com