Status of Plant Proteins as a Food

227.
S T A T U S OF PLANT P R O T E I N S A'S A FOOD
R.
E.
MARTIN
S W I F TC H E M I C A LCo.
...............................................................................
A NEW FRONTIER is being forged i n food technology with the development of soy p r o t e i n for human consumption. Increased recognition by the food
industry t h a t t h e v d m b l e functional properties of soy proteins lead t o improved standard products and t h e creation of new ones has spurred i n t e r e s t i n
the subject by m a n y others beside t h e basic soy processors.
Many soy-based foods m e not new. They have been used quite
extensively i n t h e Far E a s t f o r centuries. In the U. S., however, the man i n
t h e s t r e e t and the housewife have just begun t o hear of them. They have
gained acceptance as f o r t i f i e r s , conditioners, and ingredients in a v a r i e t y
of cammercial. food products and a l s o i n s p e c i a l t y foods where animal protein
i s unacceptable f o r one reason or another.
Soy proteins are currently used as low-percentage ingredients in a
wide range of food products i n t h e U. S. including pancake mixes, w&fles,
cereals, biscuits, muffins, doughnuts, breads, r o l l s , cakes and mixes, cookies,
p i e crusts, crackers, snack i t e m s , frankfurters, sausages, bolognas, meat
p a t t i e s , meat b a l l s , meat loaves, salisbusy steak, convenience dinners, c h i l i ,
stews, gravies, paultry r o l l s , soups, puddings, candy, confections, baby foods,
spaghetti, macaroni, and noodles.
They are used i n higher concentration i n many d i e t foods, health
foods, hy-podlergenic foods, g e r i a t r i c product s, and other specialty f 003s.
As functional ingredients i n food products, the soy proteins act as
moisture retainers, emulsifiers, s t a b i l i z e r s , and binders. They add structure
t o food products as thickening or g e l l i n g agents.
Soy proteins increase s h e l f - l i f e , o f f e r improved appeasance, l e s s e n
cooking shrink, help t o control texture and viscosity, and o f f e r lower
processing costs.
The protein of the soybean i s highly nutritious, containing a.ll
eight amino acids e s s e n t i a l f o r human nutrition.
I n addition, the basic soy protein products (soy f l o u r and g r i t s )
axe a source of t h e B-complex vitamins and choline, and provide calcium, iron,
phosphorus, potassium, and traces of the other e s s e n t i a l minerals.
WEO/bAO/UNICEF Protein Advisory Group News B u l l e t i n No. 6 r e l a t e s
t h e r e l a t i v e cost of protein from selected r a w material sources (see next
page) :
228.
World malnutrition problems are seen more and more as protein
problems. Development of new-protein-containing foods i s now underway t o
increase the protein supplies of Africa, A s i a , and South America.
Oilseeds, predominantly soybeans, are the most promising source of
high-quality, low-cost protein t h a t i s available now i n large enough quantit i e s t o m e t human food needs on a worldwide scale.
The U. S. g o v e r m n t has been a leader i n advocating the use of
vegetable proteins f o r t h e foreign m a r k e t . These foods must be simple, easy
t o s t o r e and transport, and r e a d i l y adaptable t o the t a s t e s of Asians,
Africans, Latin Americans, and other peoples wound the world. Above all,
they must be pure, nutritious, and r i c h i n life-sustaining protein.
The proteins defined
The number and kind of soy proteins continue t o grow. Sone m e
quite new. It i s not surprising t h a t there i s misinformation concerning
these products. SOE of the more important soy proteins follow:
Soy f l o u r , flakes, and grits are among the oldest and most
important of the soy proteins.
Beef ( r e t a i l )
Chicken (dressed)
Wheat f l o u r
Bulgw wheat
peanut m e a l (defatted)
Dry skim milk
m e a t (whole)
Cottonseed flour
Fish meal (feed)
soy f l o u r (food)
Ccunmodity
Soybean
Other le-s
Corn
Whe a t
Milk
Beef
Protein cost per pound
$4.44
1.50
.60
.47
.43
.40
.30
17
.14
.u
Average yield
per acre
24.2 bu.
20.7 bu.
64.1 bu.
25.1 bu.
2,780 IbS.
342 lbs.
Lbs. protein
per acre
508
293
323
180
97
58
Soy f l o u r i s b a s i c a l l y a concentrate of 50% protein. It i s used t o
enhance n u t r i t i v e and other q u a l i t i e s i n various foods. It i s the screened,
graded product obtained a f t e r expelling or extracting most of the o i l from
selected, sound, clean, dehulled soybeans, except t h a t f u l l - f a t soy f l o u r
contains all t h e o i l present i n t h e beans.
Soy f l o u r i s recognized as an inexpensive source of q u a l i t y protein.
.
Soy f l o u r and grits have been used i n ground meat products f o r a
number of years. They have excellent f a t and water absorptive powers, can
229.
"bind" both t h e meat juices and t h e f a t i n t o a smouther, more succulent blend
w i t h t h e &at p a r t i c l e s .
The present l a r g e s t usage of soy flour i s i n baked goods. Bakers
take advantage of c e r t a i n chemical and physical properties it possesses t o
improve dough-handling c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , produce a white bread, and especially
t o lenghthen s h e l f - l i f e .
The second l a r g e s t usage of soy f l o u r i s i n t h e processed mat
industry where it functions not only as a conditioner but a l s o as a r e t a i n e r
of both f a t and moisture. These properties allow the meat processor t o d t e r
t h e physical and textural properties of t h e meat t o f i t the market needs.
...
Another l a r g e use of soy flour i s i n baby foods and high-protein
primarily f o r i t s protein. Soy f l o u r i s used i n milk
c e r e a l products
products f o r feeding i n f a n t s and others U e r g i c t o cow's milk and i n pet
f oods.
Types of soy flour
Following are the general types of edible soy f l o u r s :
F u l l - f a t soy f l o u r contains a l l of the natural o i l of the soybeans,
roughly 203. This flour has a high c a l o r i c content and a protein content of
appraximately 4O$.
protein.
Low-fat soy f l o u r contains up t o 6% f a t and about 4976 t o 50%
Defatted soy f l o u r contains l e s s than 1% f a t and t y p i c a l l y 51$ t o
With today's trend toward low-fat and high-protein foods,
defatted soy flour i s gaining r a p i d l y i n popularity.
523 protein.
Soy flakes axe f l a t and unground, soy grits axe coarsely ground,
and soy f l o u r i s a f i n e l y ground product. G r i t s or flakes can be substit u t e d f o r soy f l o w i n many situations, depending on t h e desired texture.
The concentrates
Soy protein concentrates, produced f r m defatted soy flakes, cont a i n a minimum of 7O$ protein on a moisture-free basis. Introduced i n 1960,
soy protein concentrates found an immediate use as binders and conditioners
i n meat p a t t i e s , sausage, and c e r e a l s because of t h e i r superior a b i l i t y t o
bind f a t s and water with improved functional and f l a v o r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s as
cmpared with soy flour.
There are three d i f f e r e n t mthods by which protein concentrates axe
made c m m r c i a l l y . The protein i s immobFlized and a portion of the soluble
sugars, minerals, e t c . a r e removed. The r e s u l t i n g product i s made i n a
v a r i e t y of p a r t i c l e sizes, and i s cream-yellow or l i g h t t a n i n color. It i s
fat-free, has a clean bland flavor, and possesses excellent keeping q u a l i t i e s .
The use of soy protein concentrate by mat processors helps t o
increase product yields, reduces costs, and there i s less cooking shrinkage.
230.
Protein concentrates are d s o used in baked goods, infant and
junior foods, as w e l l as i n dietary, g e r i a t r i c , and hypoallergenic foods.
They are a l s o used i n caU-milk replacers.
The i s o l a t e s
Isolated soy protein, also prepared from defatted soy flakes, f i r s t
became available f o r food uses i n 1957 or 1958. It i s a p r a c t i c a l l y pure
p r o t e i n (90% t o 98$ on a moisture-free basis), a fine, creamy white powder
with a bland f l a v o r and pleasing mama.
I n m a k i n g scy i s o l a t e s the major f r a c t i o n of the soybean i s prepared from the f l a k e s by removing nearly a l l the nonprotein cmponents.
I s o l a t e s have found a place i n sausage and canned meats as biu3ing
agents because of t h e i r moisture-holding and fat-dispersing q u d i t i e s - p a r t i c u l a r l y i n products t h a t are subject t o the stress of high-temperature,
high-speed processing.
A newer food f i e l d where the i s o l a t e s are finding increased use i s
the so-called dairy-type products such as coffee whiteners, whipped toppings,
and frozen d e s s e r t s
and eventually cheeselike spreads and d i p s . Here the
i s o l a t e functions i n a t r i p l e r o l e as whipping agent, emulsifier, and
stabilizer.
...
The i s o l a t e s are a l s o used as a drying aid f o r meat i n convenience
foods. Other food i n d u s t r i e s working w i t h the i s o l a t e s include confectionery,
milling, beverage, and special products.
There are several. products on the market i n which t h e m e a t i s comThese products do not
require r e f r i g e r a t i o n and t h e meat i s rehydrated with water t o renew i t s
shape and chewable texture.
bined with t h e i s o l a t e d soy protein and dehydrated.
The spun proteins
Spun soy proteins and the newer textured products have been causing
much of t h e recent excitement i n t h e trade. Spun proteins are the source of
t h e remarkable new simulated natural products t h a t resemble such items as
chicken, turkey, ham, f r a n k f u r t e r s and prefried crumbled bacon.
Foods made f r m spun proteins have no bones, skin, or excess f a t .
There's no waste o r shrinkage. On t h e surface it would appear t h a t the cost
of these foods i s higher than mat, but when the usable n u t r i t i o n of the
finished product i s canpared, t h e cost i s generally lower. For example, bacon
b i t s i n a jar are less expensive than cooked, ready-to-eat bacon.
BasicaJly, defatted flakes or f l o u r are extracted and purified t o
an i s o l a t e . This pure protein i s dispersed i n a l k a l i and then precipitated
a t t h e i s o e l e c t r i c point i n a bath by drawing it away continuously from the
face of spinnerets t o form t i n y monofilaments. These f i b r i l s are combined
with such other ingredients' as wheat gluten, egg albumen, vegetable or aninzl
f a t s , f l a v o r s and colors, and are formed i n t o simulated meat items. The
r e s u l t i n g product i s d r i e d or dispersed i n a moist condition.
231.
Textured proteins
Textured vegetable BOY proteins are made by a special extrusiontype processing of soy flour t o give a high-protein material capable of
casrying a v a r i e t y of colors and flavors. The material r e t a i n s i t s shape
and chewable texture on rehydration i n water.
Textured protein can be produced with a meatlike appearance and
cc8nmlnuted meat items. It can a l s o be
eating c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s t h a t s-ate
used t o simulate other products including nutmeats, coconut chips, and f r u i t
b i t s . Lacking t h e uniform f i b r o s i t y of mats, they CQIIIE! i n "chunks" or "bits"
of various sizes, ranging fram t h e consistency of f i n e grits t o 1 / 2 t o 3/4inch diameter, Thus textured vegetable protein has properties t h a t m a k e it
adaptable t o a wide v a r i e t y of products and uses. The protein and f a t cont e n t can be controlled and l i k e the spun proteins there i s no shrinkage or
waste. Flavor, texture and shape can be b u i l t i n as desired. S u p p l e m n t d
n u t r i e n t s can be added t o uvercom d i e t a r y deficiencies. Textured protein
can be used by food m a h e r s t o enrich e x i s t i n g foods without changing t h e i r
color or taste.
NEW F'RCYl'TIN FOOD PROGRAM OF TIlE AGENCY FOR INI'ERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
D a t e of
Country
Company
Product
Contract
E l Salvador
Pillsbury
Feb. '67
Protein beverage powder.
Comes i n 3 popular flavors.
Brazil
Krause Milling
Mar.
'67
Brazil
Monsanto
June '67
Brazil
Swift
Apr. '67
Traditional food, "fuba"
f o r t i f i e d with soya
Soya beverage bottled as
s o f t drink.
Milk-like beverage dry mix
Raw
materials
Sesame seed
Wheat germ
Sugar
Corn
Soya
Soya
sugar
Soya
Nonfat dry
milk
Brazil.
swift
Apr. '67
Textured soy protein i n
sausage-type food
Soya
Others
Tunisia
International
Milling
May
Traditional. s t a p l e food
"couscous, 'I f o r t i f i e d
w/high-pr o t e i n wheat
fractions
Wheat
Kenya
D e l Monte
June '68
Beverage
Soya or
other o i l -
'67
seed
protein
India
D or r -01i v e r
Dec. '67
Cottonseed p r o t e i n concent r a t e p r a c t i c U y f r e e of
gOSSYpOl. F l o w can be
an ingredient of human
foods.
Cottonseed
232.
Pakistan
General Mills
June '68
Textured oilseed p r o t e i n
products or sources.
soya/
cottonseed
Thailand
Archer Daniels
Midland
Aug. '68
Textured soy p r o t e i n foods
Soya
India
Swift
J u l y '68
SFmilar
project
t o t h e i r Brazilian
Soya
Cottonseed
These textured proteins, m a d e from soy f l o u r , are less c o s t l y t o
produce than t h e spun fibers, which are based on the i s o l a t e d proteins, and
t h e r e f o r e the textured are much more competitive with meats i n price.
Textured p r o t e i n s made from t h e whole, dehulled beans are full-fat
products t h a t can be given a v a r i e t y of shapes v i a t h e cooking-extrusion
process. High i n protein, they more nearly resemble c e r e a l products than
they do meats, but they o f f e r many opportunities f o r low-cost, high-protein
foods with a pleasing texture.
The simulated meats m a d e from textured or spun soy proteins serve
a specialized group of an estimated 50 m i l l i o n Americans who a b s t a i n from
meat some or all of t h e time because of h e a l t h r e s t r i c t i o n s , r e l i g i o u s b e l i e f s ,
or personal preference.
I n addition, some h o s p i t a l s , other i n s t i t u t i o n s , and consumers may
use these products as convenience or s p e c i a l t y items.
There i s almost no l i m i t t o t h e new foods t h a t can be created from
t h e textured o r spun soy proteins.
These new foods need not resemble any
foods we've known i n t h e past.
Soy milk
Soy milk has been used f o r centuries i n t h e Orient f o r i n f a n t feeding
and other purposes.
water.
I n t h e Orient, soy milk i s an emulsion of f i n e l y ground soybeans i n
The process has been refined and i t s application g r e a t l y extended
i n t h e Fax East by D r . H. W. Miller and others.
K. S. Lo of Hong Kong has been b o t t l i n g soy milk as a n u t r i t i o u s
low-cost s o f t drink and s e l l i n g many millions of b o t t l e s yearly. The World
Health Organization b u i l t a $1million soy milk plant i n Indonesia i n 1959.
Soy p r o t e i n s
I n t h e western world soy milk i s a food f o r i n f a n t s who s u f f e r from
malnutrition or are a l l e r g i c t o cow's milk. It i s a l s o used by adults w i t h
a l l e r g i e s , diabetes, or who f o r other reasons prefer a vegetarian m i l k .
233.
I n t h e western p a r t of t h e world soy m i l k i s made a s a dispersion
of a properly heat-treated or i s o l a t e d soy p r a t e i n i n water. Vitamins,
minerals, carbohydrates, and often a flavoring conpound are added.
Soy beverages
High-protein beverages. There is, hopefully, a trend i n t h e lessdeveloped countries, where t h e need f o r p r o t e i n i s t h e g r e a t e s t , t o replace
t h e empty c a l o r i e s of conventional s o f t drinks with a drink t h a t has a prot e i n content of at least 3$.
S. M. Cantor of Sidney Cantor Associates notes t h a t a high-protein
content i s not necessary i n such drinks. Rather, t h e consumer must be able
t o i d e n t i f y t h e drink with a popular product. A good p r o t e i n may be added i n
a way t h a t w i l l not i n t e r f e r e with t h e popularity of t h e drink, which can
also be f o r t i f i e d .
Cost of such a drink i s extremely important.
range from @ t o 8# a b o t t l e .
P r i c e s generally
With t h e t e c h n i c a l assistance and encouragement of D r . Aason Altschul
and h i s associates i n t h e Departmnt of Agriculture, t h e Agency f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l Development (AID) i s offering incentives t o p r i v a t e industry t o
develop, t e s t , and eventually produce f o r commrcial d i s t r i b u t i o n low-cost,
high-protein foods and beverages.
Blended foods
.
I n 1965, t h e USDA developed
Blended food products (CSM and WSB)
guide-lines f o r a n e w high-protein food f o r overseas feeding. I n 1966, USDA
i n i t i a t e d CSM (Formula No. 2 or corn-soy-milk mix) as p a r t of t h e Food f o r
Freedom program.
Since 1966 t h e government has purchased over 1 b i l l i o n pounds of
CSM, which it has shipped t o more than 50 countries. CSM i s m a d e from processed corn m e a l , t o a s t e d soy flour ( d e f a t t e d o r full-fat) , and nonfat dry milk,
together with a vitamin-mineral mixture. It has a minimum p r o t e i n content of
204 and an o i l content specified a t 6%. It has a mild f l a v o r of corn m e a l .
CSM i s intended mainly as a gruel t o supplemnt t h e regular d i e t .
It can be prepared by cooking with water f o r 1 t o 2 minutes. This s h o r t
cooking t i m e i s important because of t h e shortage of fuel i n many countries
where CSM i s used.
WSB (Formula No. 3 o r wheat-soy blend) i s a new wheat-based food
supplement developed by USDA. W S B uses e i t h e r r e g u l a wheat f l o w or bulgur
f l o u r blended with wheat p r o t e i n concentrate, soy f l o u r , and soy o i l . It i s
supplemented with t h e same vitamins and minerals used i n CSM, and has t h e same
minimum p r o t e i n and f a t content.
Special products f o r overseas
Following i s a p a r t i a l l i s t of protein foods t h a t have been
developed f o r overseas markets. Most are s t i l l being test-mmketed.
234.
-
Puma, a noncarbonated p r o t e i n s o f t drink developed by Monsanto
Chemical Co. through a j o i n t venture with K. S. Lo, manufacturer of Vitasoy
a t Hong Kong. Puma i s being i n i t i a l l y b o t t l e d and marketed i n Georgetown,
Guyana, South America.
-
Sobee, a U. S. f u l l - f a t soy f l o u r product n u t r i t i o n a l l y adequate t o
support i n f a n t growth, introduced i n Taiwan.
Cerealina. Low-cost, high-protein food made from f u l l - f a t soy f l o u r ,
corn starch, skim m i l k , vitamins, and minerals. F i t s n a t u r a l l y i n t o B r a z i l i a n
mal p a t t e r n s . T e s t marketed by Corn Products Co. a f f i l i a t e a t Maceio, B r a z i l .
Pro-Nutro. An enriched product has achieved major importance i n t h e
marketplace i n South Africa.
Saridele.
-
A soy beverage being marketed i n Indonesia.
Saci. A protein-based chocolate-flavored beverage being manufactured
and t e s t marketed i n B r a z i l by t h e Coca Cola Co. I t s main ingredients ase soy
m i l k , flavoring, sugar, and e s s e n t i a l ingredients f o r n u t r i t i o n a l adequacy.
Saci, i s vitamin-enriched, s t e r i l i z e d , and non-carbonated.
Nutresco. Made of corn, f i s h f l o u r , soy f l o u r , and skim milk.
Marketed i n Rhodesia.
Nestle Co. i s m a r k e t i n g a soy-corn flour product i n f i v e c i t i e s i n
northeast B r a z i l .
How l a r g e a market?
J u s t how b i g are t h e markets f o r t h e soy food proteins?
p o t e n t i a l and what does it mean t o t h e average soybean farmer?
What i s t h e
Current t r a d e estimates me t h a t t o t a l usage of soybeans i n soy
f l o u r , flakes, and grits and t h e other edible proteins i n both domestic and
overseas markets m e running under 10 million bushels a year, which makes no
g r e a t dent i n a billion-bushel crop. I n 1967, about 3 million bushels of
soybeans were used i n t h e blended food p r d u c t purchased by t h e government
f o r overseas feeding, i n addition t o sorewhat l a r g e r amounts of soybeans used
i n foods a t home.
Cleveland P. Eley, a g r i c u l t u r a l economist i n USDA's Economic Research
Service, estimates soy p r o t e i n use i n foods r e c e n t l y has been increasing about
5% t o 7% annually. He says t r a d e sources expect t h i s r a t e of growth t o continue
f o r t h e next 2 or 3 years. Usage has been increasing a l i t t l e more r a p i d l y i n
t h e baking industry, t h e l a s g e s t market f o r soy protein, than i n t h e meat
industry.
Concerning t h e possible impact of soy proteins on t h e consumption
of neat and other animal products, most q u a l i f i e d observers see them primarily
a s conditioners r a t h e r t h & r e p l a c e r s of meat products. If t h i s i s t r u e , then
i n many cases t h e use of soy proteins i n foods w i l l a c t u a l l y broaden t h e
markets f o r animal products.
235.
Further reading
"Food Uses af Soy Protein," by Cleveland P. Eley, marketing economics
division, Economic Research Service, U. S. Depastmnt of Agriculture,
Washington, D. C. 20250.
P r o t e i n foods issue, Agricultural Developmnt, IAD Newsletter, IADS,
U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 20250.
"Food for t h e H u n g r y Nations." by Kermit Bird, marketing economics
division, Econmic Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture,
Washington, D. C. 20250.
$28.50.
Processed Plant P r o t e i n Foodstuffs, by Aaron M. Altschul.
Soybean Digest, Hudson, Iowa 50643.
955 pages
The Soybean Cookbook, by Mildred Lager and Dorothea V a n Gundy Jones.
250 r e c i p e s using soy products. 240 pages, l i b r a r y binding $3.25; paper
Soybean Digest, Hudson, Iowa 50643.
binding $1.45.
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