19 - Soy Protein Products, Processing, and Utilization

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of soy protein products, their processing, and utilization. The term, “soy proteins” typically refers to processed, dry soybean products other than animal feed meals. Many types of protein products are produced for use in human and pet foods and in milk replacers and starter feeds for young animals. Some soy protein products are also used in bio-based products, such as plastics, adhesives, and paper coatings, and others are being aggressively researched by industry and public-sector research institutions, especially recently as petroleum prices rise. The chapter highlights many soy protein products and their uses. It also describes their preparation and the methods used in their preparation and it highlights the processing of Soybeans (SB) and soy protein products and various processing methods. Soy proteins are accepted in many applications because they provide desirable functionalities (performance properties) in fabricated foods at less cost than animal-source alternatives, such as dried milk solids, casein, egg yolks, egg whites, or gelatin. Mimicking more expensive animal proteins has long been an objective of processing soy proteins. The chapter further presents various applications of soy proteins.