Soy has long been a valued food ingredient because of its protein-rich composition and its nutritive and disease-preventive qualities. In recent years, as new data has documented the health benefits of soy, consumer interest in soy-based foods has flourished. This humble legume is the only nutritionally complete plant protein containing all nine essential amino acids needed for human growth and health, in an easily digestible form. It’s packed with high-quality protein with minimal fat, and contains heart-healthy polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids along with fiber, potassium, folic acid and iron. It’s natural that food processors want to incorporate this “wonder ingredient” in all types of food products. Previously, soy products appeared mainly in the produce and dairy sections, but today, shoppers can find soy-based products in many aisles of the grocery store. That’s because many ingredient companies now offer a wide range of soy ingredients, including beverage bases, grits, bits, flakes, hulls, meal, butter, oil, powder, TVP/TSP and protein isolate, as well as the traditional tofu and tempeh. This gives processors many formulating options for adding the nutritional benefits and functionality of soy to prepared foods.
New developments in twin screw extrusion processing technology have given snack and breakfast cereal processors a practical tool to incorporate soy into cereal-based products. Soy flours, isolates, and concentrates are blended with other ingredients and cooked in a continuous process. Extrusion provides many opportunities for savvy processors to add health and nutrition claims to snacks and breakfast cereals traditionally made from corn, wheat, rice, bran and oats.
Label claims for soy-enhanced snacks and breakfast cereals must be in accordance with Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 101 Section 82. There are three options for processors: Health claim; Nutrient content claim; and Stucture/function claim.
Health claim
According to FDA, " To bear the soy protein/coronary heart disease health claim, foods must contain at least 6.25 grams of soy protein per reference amount customarily consumed."
The food must also be low in saturated fat and cholesterol to satisfy this requirement. Once these requirements are satisfied, the label claim may read as follows: "25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of [name of food] supplies _____ grams of soy protein."
"Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of [name of food] provides ______ grams of soy protein."
