An update on the nutritional, functional, sensory characteristics of soy products, and applications of new processing strategies

Abstract Background Rising health awareness has driven tremendous public interest among food manufacturers and academicians in identifying and developing novel functional foods. Studies on the health-promoting benefits of soy products and their quality improvement measures have become the hotspot across the globe. However, there is limited information summarizing the existing soy products and their improved quality attributes associated with different technical strategies. Scope and approach New processing strategies (physical, chemical, and biological) applied in the modification of various soy products are summarized and their pre- and post-modified quality attributes are systematically reviewed. The current review also highlights the role of fermentation in enhancing the nutritional, sensory, and health-promoting features of soy products. Key findings and conclusions Traditionally processed soy products exhibit intrinsic quality defects such as beany flavor, high anti-nutrients content, complex structure, and low bioavailability of soy protein and isoflavones. New processing strategies including blending with extra ingredients, non-thermal treatment, dietary fiber modifications, acid treatment, germination and tailored fermentation could render these soy products with improved nutritional and sensory characteristics, especially, fermentation has been reported to provide soy products with enhanced health-promoting features such as anti-diabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects as well as improving the cardiovascular and bone health. The information accumulated in this review may provide up-to-date evidence supporting diversified soy products as a class of important functional foods.

[1]  N. Tanideh,et al.  The Effects of Probiotic Soymilk Fortified with Omega-3 on Blood Glucose, Lipid Profile, Haematological and Oxidative Stress, and Inflammatory Parameters in Streptozotocin Nicotinamide-Induced Diabetic Rats , 2015, Journal of diabetes research.

[2]  R. Bhat,et al.  Development of soy‐based cream cheese via the addition of microbial transglutaminase, soy protein isolate and maltodextrin , 2011 .

[3]  E. Li,et al.  Dietary riboflavin deficiency induces ariboflavinosis and esophageal epithelial atrophy in association with modification of gut microbiota in rats , 2020, European Journal of Nutrition.

[4]  Yookyung Kim,et al.  Physicochemical and sensory properties of soy bread made with germinated, steamed, and roasted soy flour. , 2013, Food chemistry.

[5]  E. Ida,et al.  Evaluation of the isoflavone and total phenolic contents of kefir-fermented soymilk storage and after the in vitro digestive system simulation. , 2017, Food chemistry.

[6]  I. Surono,et al.  Physico-Chemical, and Sensory Properties of Soy Based Gouda Cheese Analog Made from Different Concentration of Fat, Sodium Citrate and Various Cheese Starter Cultures , 2012 .

[7]  Mouming Zhao,et al.  The chemistry behind the antioxidant actions of soy protein isolate hydrolysates in a liposomal system: Their performance in aqueous solutions and liposomes. , 2020, Food chemistry.

[8]  S. B. Fasoyiro.  Physical, Chemical and Sensory Qualities of Roselle Water Extract-coagulated Tofu Compared with Tofu from Two Natural Coagulants , 2014 .

[9]  Baojun Xu,et al.  A systematic, comparative study on the beneficial health components and antioxidant activities of commercially fermented soy products marketed in China. , 2015, Food chemistry.

[10]  Pei Wang,et al.  UV-B mediates isoflavone accumulation and oxidative-antioxidant system responses in germinating soybean. , 2019, Food chemistry.

[11]  F. Shidfar,et al.  Effect of soy milk consumption on glycemic status, blood pressure, fibrinogen and malondialdehyde in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled trial. , 2019, Complementary therapies in medicine.

[12]  M. Jafarabadi,et al.  A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of soy on serum hs-CRP. , 2019, Clinical nutrition.

[13]  J. Ferguson,et al.  Soy food intake associates with changes in the metabolome and reduced blood pressure in a gut microbiota dependent manner. , 2020, Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD.

[14]  Swati Sethi,et al.  Plant-based milk alternatives an emerging segment of functional beverages: a review , 2016, Journal of Food Science and Technology.

[15]  A. Başman,et al.  Effects of infrared treatment on urease, trypsin inhibitor and lipoxygenase activities of soybean samples. , 2015, Food chemistry.

[16]  Shaotong Jiang,et al.  Effects of organic acid coagulants on the physical properties of and chemical interactions in tofu , 2017 .

[17]  H. Paik,et al.  Physicochemical and Microbiological Properties of Yogurt-cheese Manufactured with Ultrafiltrated Cow's Milk and Soy Milk Blends , 2015, Korean journal for food science of animal resources.

[18]  C. Jacobsen,et al.  The effect of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) extract on the oxidative stability of lipids in cow and soy milk enriched with fish oil. , 2018, Food chemistry.

[19]  Baojun Xu,et al.  An insight into the health benefits of fermented soy products. , 2019, Food chemistry.

[20]  Improvement of nutritional quality of soybean meal by Fe(II)-assisted acetic acid treatment. , 2019, Food chemistry.

[21]  H. Mo,et al.  Effects of Pulsed Electric Field Processing on Quality Characteristics and Microbial Inactivation of Soymilk , 2013, Food and Bioprocess Technology.

[22]  Mouming Zhao,et al.  Enrichment of antioxidants from soy sauce using macroporous resin and identification of 4-ethylguaiacol, catechol, daidzein, and 4-ethylphenol as key small molecule antioxidants in soy sauce. , 2018, Food chemistry.

[23]  A. Sundaresan,et al.  Influence of natural and synthetic antioxidants on the degradation of Soybean oil at frying temperature , 2015, Journal of Food Science and Technology.

[24]  N. Zaritzky,et al.  Soft cheese-like product development enriched with soy protein concentrates , 2014 .

[25]  Yong Xu,et al.  Effective reduction of antinutritional factors in soybean meal by acetic acid-catalyzed processing , 2018, Journal of Food Processing and Preservation.

[26]  Fei Hu,et al.  B-vitamin enriched fermented soymilk: A novel strategy for soy-based functional foods development , 2020 .

[27]  Tong Wang,et al.  Increased In Vitro and In Vivo Digestibility of Soy Proteins by Chemical Modification of Disulfide Bonds , 2009 .

[28]  J. Lecerf,et al.  Soyfoods, glycemic control and diabetes , 2020, Nutrition Clinique et Métabolisme.

[29]  Manoj Kumar,et al.  Optimization of Soy-Butter from Sprouted Soybean and its Quality Parameters , 2014 .

[30]  G. Vistoli,et al.  Two Peptides from Soy β-Conglycinin Induce a Hypocholesterolemic Effect in HepG2 Cells by a Statin-Like Mechanism: Comparative in Vitro and in Silico Modeling Studies. , 2015, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[31]  S. Yeo,et al.  Fermented Soymilk as a Nutraceutical , 2015 .

[32]  Zhen-hui Cao,et al.  Bioactivity of soy-based fermented foods: A review. , 2019, Biotechnology advances.

[33]  C. Wittmann,et al.  Fermentation of plant-based milk alternatives for improved flavour and nutritional value , 2019, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[34]  R. Kawamata,et al.  Inhibitory effect of a fermented soy product from lactic acid bacteria (PS-B1) on deterioration of bone mass and quality in ovariectomized mice , 2013, Oral Radiology.

[35]  L. Vannini,et al.  Effect of fermentation on the content of bioactive compounds in tofu-type products , 2016 .

[36]  M. Villanueva,et al.  Sensory profile, soluble sugars, organic acids, and mineral content in milk- and soy-juice based beverages. , 2015, Food chemistry.

[37]  H. Peh,et al.  Vitamin E therapy beyond cancer: Tocopherol versus tocotrienol. , 2016, Pharmacology & therapeutics.

[38]  Yujie Dai,et al.  ACE-Inhibitory Peptide Isolated from Fermented Soybean Meal as Functional Food , 2013 .

[39]  K. Cashman.  Calcium intake, calcium bioavailability and bone health , 2002, British Journal of Nutrition.

[40]  A. Álvarez‐Ordoñez,et al.  Evaluation of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma (CAPP) and plasma-activated water (PAW) as alternative non-thermal decontamination technologies for tofu: Impact on microbiological, sensorial and functional quality attributes. , 2020, Food research international.

[41]  H. Poustchi,et al.  Soy isoflavones and cholecalciferol reduce inflammation, and gut permeability, without any effect on antioxidant capacity in irritable bowel syndrome: A randomized clinical trial. , 2019, Clinical nutrition ESPEN.

[42]  Jin-Qiang Chen,et al.  Consumption of soybean, soy foods, soy isoflavones and breast cancer incidence: Differences between Chinese women and women in Western countries and possible mechanisms , 2013 .

[43]  D. Kwon,et al.  Isoflavonoids and peptides from meju, long-term fermented soybeans, increase insulin sensitivity and exert insulinotropic effects in vitro. , 2011, Nutrition.

[44]  Ya-Wen He,et al.  Modification of insoluble dietary fibres in soya bean okara and their physicochemical properties , 2015 .

[45]  M. K. Kim,et al.  Sex-specific associations of habitual intake of soy protein and isoflavones with risk of type 2 diabetes. , 2020, Clinical Nutrition.

[46]  Guoying Qian,et al.  Optimization of Solid-State Fermentation with Lactobacillus brevis and Aspergillus oryzae for Trypsin Inhibitor Degradation in Soybean Meal , 2013 .

[47]  K. Thakur,et al.  Effects of roasting level on physicochemical, sensory, and volatile profiles of soybeans using electronic nose and HS-SPME-GC-MS. , 2020, Food chemistry.

[48]  Z. Rehman,et al.  Utilization of potato peels extract as a natural antioxidant in soy bean oil , 2004 .

[49]  N. Shah,et al.  Probiotic Strains as Starter Cultures Improve Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibitory Activity in Soy Yogurt , 2005 .

[50]  H. Smyth,et al.  Sensory quality of soymilk and tofu from soybeans lacking lipoxygenases , 2015, Food science & nutrition.

[51]  H. Itoh,et al.  Novel antimicrobial activities of a peptide derived from a Japanese soybean fermented food, Natto, against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Bacillus subtilis group strains , 2017, AMB Express.

[52]  Ning Zhang,et al.  Novel blasting extrusion processing improved the physicochemical properties of soluble dietary fiber from soybean residue and in vivo evaluation , 2014 .

[53]  J. Zhao,et al.  Physicochemical and functional properties of γ-aminobutyric acid-treated soy proteins. , 2019, Food chemistry.

[54]  Lei Wang,et al.  Layer-by-layer coating of chitosan/pectin effectively improves the hydration capacity, water suspendability and tofu gel compatibility of okara powder , 2017 .

[55]  K. Kwon,et al.  Microbial contamination of tofu in Korea and growth characteristics of Bacillus cereus isolates in Tofu , 2017 .

[56]  D. Mcclements,et al.  Effect of cavitation jet processing on the physicochemical properties and structural characteristics of okara dietary fiber. , 2020, Food research international.

[57]  Seung-Min Lee,et al.  Soy milk suppresses cholesterol-induced inflammatory gene expression and improves the fatty acid profile in the skin of SD rats. , 2013, Biochemical and biophysical research communications.

[58]  T. Farzana,et al.  Effect of incorporation of soy flour to wheat flour on nutritional and sensory quality of biscuits fortified with mushroom , 2015, Food science & nutrition.

[59]  C. Chou,et al.  Effect of lactic fermentation on the total phenolic, saponin and phytic acid contents as well as anti-colon cancer cell proliferation activity of soymilk. , 2013, Journal of bioscience and bioengineering.

[60]  D. Hu,et al.  Effect of solid-state fermentation with Lactobacillus casei on the nutritional value, isoflavones, phenolic acids and antioxidant activity of whole soybean flour , 2020 .

[61]  Sukhwan Yoon,et al.  Novel approaches and reasons to isolate methanotrophic bacteria with biotechnological potentials: recent achievements and perspectives , 2018, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[62]  Y. Li,et al.  [A clinical study on the effect of nattokinase on carotid artery atherosclerosis and hyperlipidaemia]. , 2017, Zhonghua yi xue za zhi.

[63]  M. J. Toth,et al.  Effect of a daily supplement of soy protein on body composition and insulin secretion in postmenopausal women. , 2007, Fertility and sterility.

[64]  Y. Hua,et al.  Effect of soybean roasting on soymilk sensory properties , 2018, British Food Journal.

[65]  Kun-Young Park,et al.  Identification of Bacillus cereus in a chungkukjang that showed high anticancer effects against AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells. , 2009, Journal of medicinal food.

[66]  Xia Li,et al.  Effects of phytochemicals from plant-based functional foods on hyperlipidemia and their underpinning mechanisms , 2020 .

[67]  Naoyuki Yamamoto,et al.  Release of antihypertensive peptides in miso paste during its fermentation, by the addition of casein. , 2009, Journal of bioscience and bioengineering.

[68]  K. Thakur,et al.  Riboflavin-overproducing lactobacilli for the enrichment of fermented soymilk: insights into improved nutritional and functional attributes , 2020, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[69]  W. King,et al.  Effect of Isoflavone Aglycone Content and Antioxidation Activity in Nattoby Various Cultures of Bacillus Subtilis During the Fermentation Period , 2012 .

[70]  E. Gilbert,et al.  Anti-diabetic functions of soy isoflavone genistein: mechanisms underlying its effects on pancreatic β-cell function. , 2013, Food & function.

[71]  E. Peñas,et al.  High hydrostatic pressure effects on immunoreactivity and nutritional quality of soybean products , 2011 .

[72]  Y. Kulkarni,et al.  Daidzein ameliorates diabetic retinopathy in experimental animals. , 2020, Life sciences.

[73]  E. Chukeatirote,et al.  Free-amino acid profiles of thua nao, a Thai fermented soybean , 2011 .

[74]  Qinghui Li,et al.  Evaluation of the rheological, textural, microstructural and sensory properties of soy cheese spreads , 2013 .

[75]  M. Hamdi,et al.  Influence of Tunisian aromatic plants on the prevention of oxidation in soybean oil under heating and frying conditions. , 2016, Food chemistry.

[76]  Y. Fujita,et al.  Association between vitamin K intake from fermented soybeans, natto, and bone mineral density in elderly Japanese men: the Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) study , 2012, Osteoporosis International.

[77]  Ikram Ullah,et al.  Effects of thermal pre-treatment on physicochemical properties of nano-sized okara (soybean residue) insoluble dietary fiber prepared by wet media milling , 2018, Journal of Food Engineering.

[78]  A. Oyedeji,et al.  Potential for enhanced soy storage protein breakdown and allergen reduction in soy-based foods produced with optimized sprouted soybeans , 2018, LWT.

[79]  J. Nwosu,et al.  Effect of Soybean Sprouting and Beta-Glucanase Treatment of Wet Milled Soybean on the Chemical Properties of Soymilk from Different Varieties of Soybean , 2011 .

[80]  H. Martino,et al.  Effect of vitamin K in bone metabolism and vascular calcification: A review of mechanisms of action and evidences , 2017, Critical reviews in food science and nutrition.

[81]  B. Guamis,et al.  Characteristics of soymilk pasteurized by ultra high pressure homogenization (UHPH) , 2013 .

[82]  M. Añón,et al.  Combined high hydrostatic pressure and thermal treatments fully inactivate trypsin inhibitors and lipoxygenase and improve protein solubility and physical stability of calcium-added soymilk , 2016 .

[83]  S. Garcia,et al.  Soymilk with okara flour fermented by Lactobacillus acidophilus: Simplex-centroid mixture design applied in the elaboration of probiotic creamy sauce and storage stability , 2018, LWT.

[84]  D. Mridula,et al.  Development of non-dairy probiotic drink utilizing sprouted cereals, legume and soymilk , 2015 .

[85]  Inhyung Lee,et al.  Physicochemical characteristics and production of whole soymilk from Monascus fermented soybeans. , 2010 .

[86]  Shuhong Dai,et al.  Effects of Lactic Acid Bacteria-Fermented Soymilk on Isoflavone Metabolites and Short-Chain Fatty Acids Excretion and Their Modulating Effects on Gut Microbiota. , 2019, Journal of food science.

[87]  X-Y Liu,et al.  Effects of Bacillus fermentation on the protein microstructure and anti‐nutritional factors of soybean meal , 2017, Letters in applied microbiology.

[88]  T. Pan,et al.  Antiosteoporotic effects of Lactobacillus -fermented soy skim milk on bone mineral density and the microstructure of femoral bone in ovariectomized mice. , 2011, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[89]  H. Paik,et al.  Comparative analysis of improved soy-mozzarella cheeses made of ultrafiltrated and partly skimmed soy blends with other mozzarella types , 2015, Journal of Food Science and Technology.

[90]  Guangjing Chen,et al.  Effect of different starter cultures on the control of biogenic amines and quality change of douchi by rapid fermentation , 2019, LWT.

[91]  Tongjie Liu,et al.  Biogenic amines content and assessment of bacterial and fungal diversity in stinky tofu – A traditional fermented soy curd , 2018 .

[92]  H. Paik,et al.  Modifications of nutritional, structural, and sensory characteristics of non-dairy soy cheese analogs to improve their quality attributes , 2018, Journal of Food Science and Technology.

[93]  G. Cavender,et al.  Investigation of tofu products coagulated with trimagnesium citrate as a novel alternative to nigari and gypsum: Comparison of physical properties and consumer preference , 2020 .

[94]  Tao Yang,et al.  Novel nanoparticles from insoluble soybean polysaccharides of Okara as unique Pickering stabilizers for oil-in-water emulsions , 2019, Food Hydrocolloids.

[95]  F. Ren,et al.  Effects of enzyme-modified soybean beverage on the composition, yield, functionality and microstructure of Cheddar cheese-like products , 2019 .

[96]  J. Chung,et al.  Quality Characteristics and Antioxidant Activity of Doenjang Made from Lipoxygenase-Free Genotypes Soybeans , 2016 .

[97]  M. Alipour,et al.  Molecular mechanisms of protective roles of isoflavones against chemicals-induced liver injuries. , 2020, Chemico-biological interactions.

[98]  Ju-Hee Choi,et al.  Preservative effect of Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze seed extract in soy sauce and its mutagenicity. , 2018, Food research international.

[99]  M. Nasiri,et al.  Soy, Soy Isoflavones, and Protein Intake in Relation to Mortality from All Causes, Cancers, and Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. , 2019, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

[100]  L. Achour,et al.  Fermented soy milk prepared using kefir grains prevents and ameliorates obesity, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia and Liver-Kidney toxicities in HFFD-rats , 2020 .